White oak Vegas now available from Deering

Two of the new white oak banjos introduced by the Deering company and mentioned on the BIB a month ago can now be seen on the Deering website. Both are in the company's Vega series, with a gryphon inlay on the peghead in the tradition of Incilio Consalvi. The 12" pot model is shown on the left, at $2,199.00; the 11" model is $100 less. Prices include hard-shell case; both instruments weigh under 6 lb.

A video review of the 12" by Rik Barron is on the website and YouTube; he lays particular stress on the tone quality and responsiveness. The words of Dwight Diller come again to mind: 'I have had white oak and it is outstanding for a banjo.'