I play a little BG on a Recording King and I recently bought a Reiter Standard to learn to frail. I'm crazy for the Reiter and I'd like another but I'm not certain which I should choose and which would be better for me as I develop as a player, particularly in areas of not just learning tunes but in writing my own melodic pieces based upon older style rhythms and Civil War era impressionist pieces. I'm also interested in playing with nylon strings so my companion Reiter should be compatible and permit me to string with nylon.
I don't particularly like maple and for that reason I'm not really looking at the Regency or any of his other maple models. So I have to ask the more experienced players.....
If you owned a Reiter Standard which of Bart's other offerings would you consider to balance your pair of "go to" instruments. Thanks,
11 Comments |
 | OCEAN BANJO says:
11/25/2012 9:23:46 PM
all his 11 inch models are bright sounding...i've owned a Galax (whyte laydie tone ring with maple pot and mahogany neck)...but i've played pretty much all his models...the whyte laydie tone ring may be a little louder than the standard and it has a little more more focus in the tone, but they don't sound that much different...i'd recommend getting his round peak model..with the 12 inch pot and stringing it with nylgut....that will be a whole other monster and complement your standard well...i believe you can find a round peak model with a mahogany neck.
|
 | pastorharry says:
11/25/2012 9:46:08 PM
+1 what Mike said.
|
 | Slick Salmon says:
11/26/2012 5:22:25 AM
I've got an RP and have been thinking about putting nylon strings on it. They're a different animal than Bart's other banjos. If you do it, please share your experience.
|
 | jmoathout says:
11/26/2012 6:09:38 AM
Congratulations and welcome to the Reiter group. If you decide to come down on the side of the Round Peak, I have a 2011 RP like-new condition, upgraded with John Balch calf skin, iveroid tuner knobs, dowell ferrule. I've been mulling over putting it in the classified, but have not done so. I also have a 2003 Tubaphone, a 2011 Galax-Plus, and a 1992 Whyte Laydie-Plus. Personally, I prefer the 11" pots, and of those it's a toss-up between the Tubaphone and the Galax-Plus.
|
| OCEAN BANJO says:
11/26/2012 3:32:15 PM
it's truely amazing what an inch in pot diameter can do to the sound of a banjo...in many ways having one of barts 11 standards and his RP (essentially a 12" standard)...would alow you to hone in of the ecact differences...because barts banjo are all pretty much constructed the same...(ok there is rim thickness to consider too...not sure what it is one the rp)...on another note if you are considering i'd get jmatout's rp especially since it has the John Balch calf skin head...I've got a Balch head and they are great....
|
| OCEAN BANJO says:
11/26/2012 3:38:57 PM
also civil war tunes will sound good on a 12inch with nylgut...but there are also some really great modern minstrel banjos out there (bart does not make them)...
|
 | raptor45 says:
11/26/2012 4:19:51 PM
Thanks for the reply gents. I've been playing guitar for years...classical, some flamenco and finger style but after 40 years of it, I just put it down and I've left it down for several years. Picking up the banjo has been fun but I can't claim much knowledge about them. I'm learning though. Mike, you mention some really great modern minstrel banjos.... Have you any recommendations? thanks, j
|
| OCEAN BANJO says:
11/26/2012 4:25:25 PM
Terry Bell...of Bell & Sons banjos...best deal in the modern mistrel world...i'm having a banjo made my Terry now...i already have one of his gourd banjos and it's the best gourd i've ever played...comfortable and solid...he's much less than the others...who make quality banjos...like menzies..and hartel...also the standard PRUST 13" tackhead is a super duper deal...at $200...
|
| OCEAN BANJO says:
11/26/2012 4:26:42 PM
and don't be afraid of the fretless factor...fretless banjos with nylgut strings are very forgiving...and very playable...fretless with steel strings is another matter all together...
|
| raptor45 says:
11/26/2012 10:04:44 PM
I looked at those minstrel instruments and I have to confess that they're a bit exotic for my tastes at this point in my playing career. Very unusual looking and probably fun to play but I'll hold off on that for awhile until I can really play.
|
| OCEAN BANJO says:
11/26/2012 11:30:36 PM
it's amazing how much the banjo has changed over the years while retaining the basic hoop and stick idea...
|
Post a Comment
|
You must be logged in and a member of this group to post a comment.
|
