Bart Reiter Professional 5 String "Open Resonator" Banjo LEFTY Late 1980s USA EXCELLENT

EXCELLENT++ Condition And Hard To Find LEFTY!

Late 1980s

USA Made

LEFT HANDED

Bart Reiter Professional "Open Resonator" 5 String Banjo

With Hard Case Pictured

Specs:

Overall length: 37" (94 cm.)

Head Diameter: 11" (27.9 cm.)

Depth Measured At Side Of Rim: 2.75" (7 cm.)

Scale Length: 26.25" (667 mm.)

Nut Width: 1.25" (32 mm.)

This is a amazingly clean and incredible sounding/playing Bart Reiter Professional Model 5 String Banjo, made in Lansing, Michigan, serial #504, natural finish, Beautiful maple rim & neck, ebony fingerboard and a super cool "open" resonator back. This beautiful instrument shows very little play wear and other than typical discoloring of the nickel hardware, there are no notable or picture worthy flaws.

Although it plays perfectly as it sits, everyone has their own preferences. If you desire and set up or string change, it will be the buyers responsibility and cost to do so.

The included case pictured is in excellent condition and is a perfect fit without issue.

Bart Reiter banjos are among the most respected of all modern/old-time instruments, built along classic design lines to an amazingly consistent high standard. Bart Reiter has since retired after a long and very successful run as an independent banjo maker who never sold his name into big time production. We'd like to salute him for that, it is fairly rare in the modern industry.

This is a very early Reiter "Professional" model, practically vintage in its own right now! The design is inspired by the early 1900s Bacon FF Professional models, initially made by Vega to Fred Bacon's unique design. The distinctive characteristic is a hollow secondary section inside of the rim which provides an internal resonating chamber. This was a highly touted feature by Bacon in the 1910's, but fell by the wayside when the resonator-and-flange banjo was invented in the early 1920s.

This banjo is built fairly closely to traditional structural specs but with plainer cosmetics than most of the original Bacons. The rim is heavy laminated maple with a sheathed tone ring, with that resonating chamber providing an extra shading. There are two F-holes along the bottom surface which is capped on all edges in tortoise celluloid and a bit of wood marquetry running along the inner bottom rim. This banjo is fitted with a lovely genuine skin head, which is very hard to find done properly on modern instruments!

The medium 26" 1/4" scale neck is laminated maple; the heavy ebony fingerboard features plain dot inlay augmented by a single star at the 5th fret. The Vega-style headstock is faced in ebony with a central single pearl star. The tuners are modern geared planets with ivoroid buttons, including the 5th string. The finish on the neck and rim is a nicely ambered natural maple. All hardware is original and typical for the period and nickel plated; the dowel plate has the early "Bart Reiter, Maker" inscription.

Compared to its 1910s ancestors this is a relatively plain looking instrument but as named it is a fully professional banjo in every way. Sonically it is a truly excellent instrument, with a very well-rounded tone and the extra mellow shadings delivered by the NOT plastic head. This is fine early example of this maker's always superb instruments, a nice reminder of their consistent excellence from the early days up through recent times.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or if you’d like additional photos or details.

Make sure you view all of the pics and ask questions if you have any concerns before buying.

I will ship this item over seas, but you must contact me for a shipping quote before buying. You will be responsible for all shipping fees, customs fees, taxes, and any other fees involved with you receiving this item. You will be charged actual shipping cost. I do not inflate shipping fees. Shipping insurance is included with all sales. I will not ship this or any other item, anywhere other than the address listed on the sales record.