Details
Bart Reiter retired from making banjos at the end of 2020 but in the past decade or so he didn’t build any of his engraved inlay Vega-style models like this Whyte Laydie No. 2. This example has serial number 313 so it's an early example of Bart’s work. The birds-eye figure in the maple neck is a nice plus and the condition is excellent. The lacquer has a fair amount of weather checking, especially on the headstock, but you can't have everything perfect in a 30 plus years-old banjo and the checking adds a nice antique patina to what is, after all, a reissue of an antique instrument. The ebony fingerboard has some wear but the frets are nearly perfect, and note the 5th string railroad spike at the 7th fret. There's a small nick to the finish on the rosewood cap to the back of the shell but no real handling wear. Comes in the hardshell case shown.
Specs
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Binding
Ivoroid
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Fingerboard
Ebony
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Finish
Lacquer
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Neck material
Maple
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Nut width
1 1/8"
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Scale length
26 3/8"
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Tuners
4 planetary, 5th geared
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Year
1988
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Diameter
11"
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Shell
Laminated maple
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Tone ring
Whyte Laydie
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Case type
Hardshell
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Serial number
313
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SKU
BARWHYTE-313
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UPC
60781