Post by Martin on Oct 6, 2013 14:46:22 GMT
I bought this banjo just a couple of weeks ago from a private seller in Hastings after he posted an advert on the Banjo Hangout forum.
It was at a decent (not too high, not quite bargain) price, looked to be in decent nick, and most importantly, it was by an excellent builder whose banjos are rarely seen in the UK. I took the chance and splurged some of the funds I've accrued from selling loads of stuff on ebay recently, and a couple of days later, the banjo arrived.
Initially, I was a bit concerned...it had been shipped with the bridge flat against the head, which is quite correct, but when I stood the bridge back up and adjusted/tuned the strings, it took a bit to tune. Then when in tune, it sounded out of tune when playing, which left me worried about the intonation. I immediately began checking the neck angle, alignment, tightness of all nuts/bolts, tension of the head...until I realised two things:
1. After shipping, the banjo will take some time to settle down - it sounded better after a couple of hours.
2. The strings were in very poor condition, almost corroded. After I replaced them with some Newtones from Eagle, it was transformed.
Apart from the bridge (which had been replaced with a high quality Sosobee) and the head (again, a superb quality John Balch vellum), it is all as per the original spec, including first class Stew-Mac hardware. The tuners are the 5-star brand with ebony buttons (my favourite planetary tuners) and the nut is bone.
Here is a quick review in the format I usually use:
Manufacturer & Model: Bart Reiter Special
Year Purchased: 2013 (made in 2008)
Sound:
I was after a banjo which was a little bit louder and brighter/more projecting than my Cedar Mountain. I found the CM was a bit dominated by guitar and voice in a duo, and when this one came up with the maple rim and brass tone ring I knew it would be close to what I was after.
I wasn't disappointed. The sound is indeed brighter and louder than what I have, but the vellum head softens and darkens this quite a bit giving me the almost ideal (for me) banjo tone. I don't do this lightly, since experience tells me there are many desirable and varied banjo tones out there, but I have to give the sound of this banjo nearly top marks. Outstanding.
Sound Rating: 9
Setup:
I was worried as I mentioned above about the intonation. I also anticipated a high action based on other reviews.
After a re-string and a bit of a clean up and some minor adjustments, I can honestly say this banjo has a superb low action for easy play, which excellent intonation. The only drawback I can find is that the neck hasn't been set-up for capo playing (i.e. it has no model railroad spikes installed at the 7th and 9th frets). This is entirely optional however, and I can do it myself if I want. I've had no buzzing or any other issue, so a decent rating is merited.
Setup Rating: 8
Appearance:
This is a simple but good looking banjo, with a very nice rosewood cap on the maple rim, simple maple neck with matching dowel stick, black ebony fretboard, heel cover and headplate with a single star inlay and standard dots on the fretboard.
The wood has a gloss finish which is not too thick and doesn't feel sticky when it's warm.
The ebony buttons look really classy and the skin head is a belter.
Nothing fancy really about this, but the workmanship itself lends it a certain basic beauty.
Appearance Rating: 8
Reliability:
The hardware and finish are very durable - it feels tough, heavy and built like a tank. I can't comment on long-term reliability yet, but I have no reason to fear any issues arising, if other reviews around the 'net are true.
I've liked the sound and look of Bart's banjos for a few years, and had a chance to buy one in 2009, but I got the Cedar Mountain instead. That Reiter had a lot of finish cracking/crazing which put me off - I've since discovered that this is very common after a while with Bart's instruments due to the type of finish used, a fact he acknowledges on his website. Not worried about this aspect.
Reliability Rating: 9
Components:
Everything screams quality about this banjo. Indeed, other than the tailpiece and 5th string tuner, all the hardware is USA made.
The woods are mainly USA maple, with the addition of some ebony and rosewood. The head is the best in the business, and the nickel-plated brass tension hoop is the best quality piece I've ever seen - big, thick, heavy and beautifully finished.
The planetary tuners are 5-star, my favourite (if not the dearest) brand. Can't really fault it, but I guess a 10 would be overkill, so...
Components Rating: 9
Post-sale Customer Service:
I've had no reason to contact the maker yet.
Post-sale Customer Service Rating: N/A
Overall:
This banjo is built to a similar standard to my other one, albeit it's not as fancy in terms of finish or decoration. It does however do the job in giving me a tone choice, providing me with a top quality, reliable workhorse of a banjo, that is a pleasure to play.
For the money, this is the very best value banjo I have ever played, and if you ever get the chance to try (or even buy) one, grab it!
Here are the specs from Bart's website
Features:
Rolled brass tone ring
Ebony fingerboard and peghead veneer
Hard maple neck
Dot position markers
Pearl star in peghead
Satin lacquer finish
Rim Construction:
Three ply laminated maple
5/8 inch wall thickness
11 inch diameter
Notched tension hoop
24 L-shoe brackets
Fiberskyn 2 head
Rosewood cap on bottom of rim
5/8 inch ebony top bridge
No Knot tailpiece
Neck Construction
26 1/4 inch scale length
22 nickel silver frets
Bone nut
Steel reinforced (adjustable)
Maple dowel stick
Veneer laminated in center of neck
4 planetary tuning pegs
Geared fifth peg
Traditional peghead shape and neck contour
It was at a decent (not too high, not quite bargain) price, looked to be in decent nick, and most importantly, it was by an excellent builder whose banjos are rarely seen in the UK. I took the chance and splurged some of the funds I've accrued from selling loads of stuff on ebay recently, and a couple of days later, the banjo arrived.
Initially, I was a bit concerned...it had been shipped with the bridge flat against the head, which is quite correct, but when I stood the bridge back up and adjusted/tuned the strings, it took a bit to tune. Then when in tune, it sounded out of tune when playing, which left me worried about the intonation. I immediately began checking the neck angle, alignment, tightness of all nuts/bolts, tension of the head...until I realised two things:
1. After shipping, the banjo will take some time to settle down - it sounded better after a couple of hours.
2. The strings were in very poor condition, almost corroded. After I replaced them with some Newtones from Eagle, it was transformed.
Apart from the bridge (which had been replaced with a high quality Sosobee) and the head (again, a superb quality John Balch vellum), it is all as per the original spec, including first class Stew-Mac hardware. The tuners are the 5-star brand with ebony buttons (my favourite planetary tuners) and the nut is bone.
Here is a quick review in the format I usually use:
Manufacturer & Model: Bart Reiter Special
Year Purchased: 2013 (made in 2008)
Sound:
I was after a banjo which was a little bit louder and brighter/more projecting than my Cedar Mountain. I found the CM was a bit dominated by guitar and voice in a duo, and when this one came up with the maple rim and brass tone ring I knew it would be close to what I was after.
I wasn't disappointed. The sound is indeed brighter and louder than what I have, but the vellum head softens and darkens this quite a bit giving me the almost ideal (for me) banjo tone. I don't do this lightly, since experience tells me there are many desirable and varied banjo tones out there, but I have to give the sound of this banjo nearly top marks. Outstanding.
Sound Rating: 9
Setup:
I was worried as I mentioned above about the intonation. I also anticipated a high action based on other reviews.
After a re-string and a bit of a clean up and some minor adjustments, I can honestly say this banjo has a superb low action for easy play, which excellent intonation. The only drawback I can find is that the neck hasn't been set-up for capo playing (i.e. it has no model railroad spikes installed at the 7th and 9th frets). This is entirely optional however, and I can do it myself if I want. I've had no buzzing or any other issue, so a decent rating is merited.
Setup Rating: 8
Appearance:
This is a simple but good looking banjo, with a very nice rosewood cap on the maple rim, simple maple neck with matching dowel stick, black ebony fretboard, heel cover and headplate with a single star inlay and standard dots on the fretboard.
The wood has a gloss finish which is not too thick and doesn't feel sticky when it's warm.
The ebony buttons look really classy and the skin head is a belter.
Nothing fancy really about this, but the workmanship itself lends it a certain basic beauty.
Appearance Rating: 8
Reliability:
The hardware and finish are very durable - it feels tough, heavy and built like a tank. I can't comment on long-term reliability yet, but I have no reason to fear any issues arising, if other reviews around the 'net are true.
I've liked the sound and look of Bart's banjos for a few years, and had a chance to buy one in 2009, but I got the Cedar Mountain instead. That Reiter had a lot of finish cracking/crazing which put me off - I've since discovered that this is very common after a while with Bart's instruments due to the type of finish used, a fact he acknowledges on his website. Not worried about this aspect.
Reliability Rating: 9
Components:
Everything screams quality about this banjo. Indeed, other than the tailpiece and 5th string tuner, all the hardware is USA made.
The woods are mainly USA maple, with the addition of some ebony and rosewood. The head is the best in the business, and the nickel-plated brass tension hoop is the best quality piece I've ever seen - big, thick, heavy and beautifully finished.
The planetary tuners are 5-star, my favourite (if not the dearest) brand. Can't really fault it, but I guess a 10 would be overkill, so...
Components Rating: 9
Post-sale Customer Service:
I've had no reason to contact the maker yet.
Post-sale Customer Service Rating: N/A
Overall:
This banjo is built to a similar standard to my other one, albeit it's not as fancy in terms of finish or decoration. It does however do the job in giving me a tone choice, providing me with a top quality, reliable workhorse of a banjo, that is a pleasure to play.
For the money, this is the very best value banjo I have ever played, and if you ever get the chance to try (or even buy) one, grab it!
Here are the specs from Bart's website
Features:
Rolled brass tone ring
Ebony fingerboard and peghead veneer
Hard maple neck
Dot position markers
Pearl star in peghead
Satin lacquer finish
Rim Construction:
Three ply laminated maple
5/8 inch wall thickness
11 inch diameter
Notched tension hoop
24 L-shoe brackets
Fiberskyn 2 head
Rosewood cap on bottom of rim
5/8 inch ebony top bridge
No Knot tailpiece
Neck Construction
26 1/4 inch scale length
22 nickel silver frets
Bone nut
Steel reinforced (adjustable)
Maple dowel stick
Veneer laminated in center of neck
4 planetary tuning pegs
Geared fifth peg
Traditional peghead shape and neck contour
Jo whoever he is.
