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The banjo reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. Of course, this is not meant to be a substitute for playing the instrument yourself!
7232 reviews in the archive.
Where Purchased: Elderly Instruments
Year Purchased: 2018
Price Paid: 1295.00 ($US)
I am still tweaking the setup, and I am sure I will settle into a sound that I prefer more. Outside of needing to tighten the head - shipped from Lansing Mich to Portland OR over 8 days. I have not changed any other aspect of how Elderly has it set up.
To my ear the tone is very open and 'throaty.' pretty solidly in the mid tone range, not super bright or plunky. From what I hear, with some setup changes, I think this will end up being a really nice clawhammer/oldtime banjo.
Update; Had the banjo for a few weeks now. Lord has it settled in! This banjo sounds fantastic. You can really change the sound by varying where you are playing with the right hand. I really love the sound now.
Sound Rating: 10
The banjo came set up with an Elite Amber head. It was shipped with the bridge upright and set correctly. The action is great and very easy to play. As I mentioned I needed to tighten the head when it arrived, but the weather had everything to do with that.
I am almost surely going to switch out to a fiberskyn head. I will mess around with different strings, likely trying a medium set next.
The bridge seems great. If I do change that, it will be over time as I hone in the setup I want.
Setup Rating: 9
This is a damn fine banjo. The walnut cap on the rim really sets off the look. The neck is perfect. and the hardware is great. Just a simple, straight ahead banjo made with real experience and craftsmanship. The model I bought has a scooped neck and the transition there is smooth. Just overall great lines and finish.
I think the only thing I would have preferred is black nuts on the tuners rather than white. Totally personal preference.
Appearance Rating: 10
The hardware is great. Quality components from stewmac. The tuners are great, responsive an hold their place.
The satin finish is gorgeous and seems like it will last a good long time.
This is a banjo made for playing and I have every confidence in taking it to shows, jams and the like.
Reliability Rating: 10
No experience yet, we will see...
***It made me choose something, so default 10
Customer Service: 10
All the components are good, and I don't see any immediate need to upgrade anything on the banjo. Just might change the head for other tone options.
Components Rating: 10
This is a fantastic banjo. For the price, I cannot imagine doing any better.
Seriously, if you want a great sounding banjo that will last decades, and don't care much for additionally fancy add ons, buy this banjo.
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Elderly
Year Purchased: 2007
Price Paid: 1065 ($US)
The sound is very pleasing! It is bright without being too bright. Minimal sustain from its simple brass ring ring. It is not loud or brassy, but nicley balanced. I have had it one week, and is set up as came
Sound Rating: 10
Yes. Set up was good, action perfect. Though I would like to see what
different heads, tails. strings, and bridges would do to the sound,I am very satisfied with stock set up.
Setup Rating: 10
Appearence is simple, but enhanced by ebony heel ad headstock plates. The finish is in satin, and the rosewood cap on the pot is very appealing
Appearance Rating: 10
Time will tell of course, but all looks very reliable.
Reliability Rating: 10
I have not dealt with Bart, but Elderly has always been first rate.
Customer Service: 10
It has a 5 tar head, and tuners. The tuners work very well and the buttons have a nice feel to them. All the metal work looks good quality, high standard components.
Components Rating: 10
Yes I would certainly recommend the Reiter banjo. The fit and finsh is of a very high standard. The neck is easy to play. I cant see my need for another banjo.......except the Regent, Galax and the White lady!
Overall Rating: 10
Where Purchased: Elderly
Year Purchased: 2006
Price Paid: 850 ($US)
I borrowed this banjo for 2 weeks to give it a spin but the purchasing information is accurate (I saw the receipt).
I'm relatively new to banjo playing and have been playing clawhammer style for about a year on a Musicmaker's Cumberland banjo. So I don't have a lot to compare the sound to but I really liked it. The 4th string has a depth to it that often surprised me. The 5th string is very sweet and rich and will now be a benchmark for me to measure other banjos. Overall I found the tone to be very sweet and and rich with a certain degree of brightness. I imagine my ideal banjo will have a darker tone than this. But I could be very happy with this tone for years and years.
Sound Rating: 7
The banjo was setup just fine and ready to play. If this were my banjo I might lower the action at the nut just a hair but I would not feel any urgency to do so.
The frets could have been dressed a littled better at the edge of the fingerboard. You can feel too much of the edge of the frets as you slide your hand up and down the neck. Nothing to draw blood mind you but could be better.
Setup Rating: 7
I think this is a great looking banjo. Nothing fancy but nothing is overlooked either. I love the natural maple finish and the ebony strip down the middle of the neck is perfect. The rosewood cap on the bottom of the rim is gorgeous.
Appearance Rating: 8
I only played this banjo for 2 weeks but it is clearly a banjo that will last a lifetime. Very solid all the way around. I can't imagine having any problems with the wood or the hardware.
Reliability Rating: 8
No experience here.
Customer Service: not rated
I love the ebony pinstripe and the rosewood cap on the rim. Very nice touches. I imagine many experienced players would upgrade the bridge.
Components Rating: 7
I really enjoyed playing this banjo. It is a definate step up from my Musicmakers Cumberland banjo but that is to be expected because they are completely different instruments. I think this banjo is well worth the money that my friend paid for it and I certainly can't imagine being disappointed in this instrument if you bought it without playing it.
Overall Rating: 7
Where Purchased: Ebay
Year Purchased: 2006
Price Paid: 780 ($US) (bought USED)
I play old-time music, clawhammer style. Among old-time, open-back banjos, the Reiter Special has a brighter tone than a lot of others. Still, it works very well for old-time. I think it's a very good all-around tone that is neither too bright and ringy nor too dark and plunky. I stuff a sock in the back when I want a plunkier tone and that seems to work well.
Sound Rating: 9
I can't comment on how the setup was when it was new since I bought it second hand. When I got it, it required a pretty low bridge to get the action low enough. I sent it to Bart and he set it up with low 1/8" action and a 5/8" bridge, free of charge! He also scooped out the fretboard for me for a very reasonable price. It plays beautifully now. The 10 rating is for after Bart worked on it. Before that I would have given it a 6 or 7, but there's no telling how much of that was the work of the previous owner.
Setup Rating: 10
I think it's a beautiful instrument in a simple, understated way. It has a single star inlay in the peghead and pearl dots for fret markers. Finish is flawless as far as I can tell. I'm giving it an 8 just because there's nothing about the appearance that stands out and says, "look at me" (which suits me just fine).
Appearance Rating: 8
This is a solid banjo that I expect will last a lifetime and then some.
Reliability Rating: 10
As I mentioned above, I sent the banjo back to Bart Reiter to have him scoop the fretboard and do a set up. He was very quick, sending it back the day after he received it. He did great work and was easy to communicate with throughout the process. He did the scoop for a very reasonable price and the setup and return shipping were free of charge. Great customer service all around!
Customer Service: 10
All of the parts are high quality and nothing really needs to be upgraded. However, I've made a couple of changes that are about personal preference rather than quality. I replaced the original tailpiece with a simple No Knot, and I replaced the original Fiberskyn head with a Renaissance head. These changes softened the tone some, but not radically.
Bart is shipping new banjos with 5 star heads which he believes are an improvement over the Fiberskyn heads.
Components Rating: 8
For the price, this is an outstanding all-around banjo for old-time clawhammer playing. I hope to own this banjo for the rest of my life. If stolen, I'd try a lot of other banjos before I replaced it, but I think chances are good I'd end up with another Bart Reiter of some kind.
Overall Rating: 9
Where Purchased: ebaY
Year Purchased: 2005
Price Paid: Don't Remember (bought USED)
historic exchange rates / currency converter
This banjo has a very nice clawhammer sound. It has only a brass hoop ring on an 11" three-ply maple rim. It is resonant, rich and plenty bright. The 11" pot is more focused than the 12" banjos I have. It actually records very well. It is a bit more "woody" than a whyte laydie. It has a good bit less ringing sustain than the professional (Bacon tone ring) or tubaphone models. This banjo is really quite nice for old time music.
Sound Rating: 9
I bought it used. It arrived poorly set up. I made the following changes. After trying several bridges, I settled on an 11/16" Moon (heavy). That bridge really opened the sound nicely. I installed GHS PF150 strings with a phosphor bronze 4th for richer bass. I set the tension of the stock Elite fiberskyn head using a drumtorque. I raised the tailpiece to open the sound. The sum of these changes is a responsive and lively clawhammer banjo.
Setup Rating: 10
Very simple classic Vega style design. This banjo was made in 1998. It has a gloss finish rather than the matte version Bart is now using. The wood is straight grained maple...but very nice.
Appearance Rating: 8
These are very reliable professional grade instruments!
Reliability Rating: 10
I've owned several Reiter banjos. None have required any service. But Bart has responded well whenever I've contacted him. He builds a great banjo ... for that I'll give him a 10.
Customer Service: 10
Great wood and woodwork! Otherwise off-he-shelf parts. No weak spots...but nothing unique or outstanding.
Components Rating: 8
For the money these are fantastic banjos. very playable. great sounding and extremely reliable. Bart's necks are the best in my opinion. They are very consistant and excellent! You can spend a lot more on a custom open back banjo these days. But it is hard to beat these for sound, feel and appeal. Note: I like the Special model far better than the Standard....it is well worth the small difference.
Overall Rating: 9
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