Vega Martin banjo SN 324 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973. Shop today! Mark- Thank you for the very helpful series of photos and your kind comments about the website. thanks for the very informative web site Item # 9126. It has only a tape serial number inside the pot of 1124. The rim is 10 ply maple with a top metal tone ring, nickel-plated metal parts, and a shaded mahogany finish. With hard case. Family owned since 1972, Elderly Instruments is a music store specializing in new, used & vintage guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles and more. Vega Banjos for Sale, New and Used Search Agent: Get notified when new ads meet your criteria! After the difficult 1977 luthier strike at the C.F. Rob- Thank you for your kind comments about the BRC website, You are a lucky guy to have two Vega Martin 5-stringers, both made in Nazareth, PA. It retailed for $345 in the 1971 Vega Martin price list. Vega Short Scale 4 string banjo neck model? - Mandolin Cafe Barry, Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. Just found you today . Bill Keith Stainless Steel D-Tuners, for 2nd & 3rd strings. Martin factory in Nazareth, PA, parts were shipped overseas to Japan and Canada for assembly. Thanks! # 1713? The handsome Professional-5 model with an upgraded tone ring and rim re-appeared in the 1972 Vega/Martin banjo catalogue- but no sign ever again of the short lived BJF-5 stringer. set of identifying characteristics can be found at http://www.mugwumps.com. Reply from our BRC Vega Vox consultant and scholar Dr. Ron: The timeline, serial number and pricing in 1970-71 seem rightit was probably in final assembly at Nazareth with a #7 new series serial number; the last of the M139400 yellow labels came out of the old Needham Heights Vega factory sometime in November 1971. The description of your banjo serial number 916 is curious, and I will offer my theory about the instrument per the information given. But, the neck had the upgraded crown inlay pattern like their mid range banjos, and originally a paddle peghead design (the new scroll design appeared in 1968). This did include the instalment of a Fiberskyn head to mellow down the tone somewhat, of a geared 5th string tuner, and of a (very nice) tailpiece to replace the chrome plated Waverly (everything else nickel). Thanks for your very kind words about the BRC website. Martin students believe that it was a market ploy to attract owners of the legendary Martin D-45 guitar to purchase a partner banjo, but the strategy did not succeed. I live near Portland, Oregon. Thanks for your query, Barry. During the Vega Martin era, C.F. The banjo is featuring an interesting mix of particulars: The connecting rods are of the (much earlier?) When C.F. Martin`s beloved historian). ), though, as said earlier, neck and rim look a lot like Martin quality. In the Vega Martin price list of 1971, the last publication in which VM retail prices were cited, the VM-5 was listed at $345 without case. Thanks again for your query, Barry. 403.80. Martin built only 29 T2-5 banjos, but no price list is available after 1971 preceding resurrection of the classic Vega T2-5 model for production. I actually picked up a banjo that had a resonator that was sitting on the shelf in that 1970-72 period as Martin was transitioning and shutting down the factory there. Congratulationsand, welcome to the VegaVox family! This model appears in the 1972 and 1976 catalogues. This fascinating collection of vintage stringed instruments chronicles luthier C.F. GREAT FORUM. The Vega 1961 flyer and 1963 catalogue describe that the Earl Scruggs model had a sunburst finish on the resonator. An Original Fairbanks 5-String Banjo with a replaced ebony fingerboard and peg-head facing, with added appropriate pearl inlays. Thanks again for your time & consideration. Ernie Ball 5-String Medium Stainless Steel Banjo Strings, 10-10 Gauge (P02309) Check Price at Amazon. It also features the four digit SN imprinted into the outside of the holes in groups of three tone ring, clearly done before the plating, and visible only when dissembled. safety tips; prohibited items; product recalls; Vega banjo identification - Discussion Forums - Banjo Hangout Im mostly a guitar player. The last Vega Martin banjo manufactured in Nazareth, PA, was SN 1969 as reportedly documented by a letter of authentication signed by C.F. Martin acquired Vega. Remo Frosted Top Banjo Head, 11 Inch Diameter, Medium Crown (7/16 Inch) $19 USD. Martin workshop logbook, open back Tu-Ba-Phone 5-string banjo SN 1707 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1976. Kudos to Greg Deering who rescued the Vega brand name from extinction in 1989 and restored it to greatness. Only 101 model PS-5 banjos were made by C.F. fender american professional ii vs ultra. The new longneck was design to match the original neck in style and looks while also using some of Vega's Pete Seeger model as influence. Again, thanks for your post. Device Search - VEGA The F-VIP is first mentioned briefly on a front page of the 1970 Vega Martin catalogue, and it retailed for $490 in the VM price list of 1971. thanks for your help and keep up the good work. The larger connecting rod inside the pot is a spare part inherited from the Boston days of the Vega company. The last two Vox Vs (serial numbers 1964-1965) were built in 1979, and still exist to this day. The resonator was hand-painted, and fancy engraved pearl inlays adorned the ebony fingerboard. Landis- Thanks for your post. Hi! I think it is a Pro-5. To generally confirm that your banjo is a Nazareth built instrument, check for a C.F. The Vega era PS-5 banjos sell for up to $3-4K these days. Hope this helps, and all the best picking, Barry. Your 5 string model was featured in the subsequent 1979 TMC Vega catalogue as an instrument similar to old style Vega Tu- Ba-Phone No.9.. banjo, and it listed then for $1250. The 1971 Vega Martin price listed this model to retail at $556 without case. Martin Museum collection. The Vega name on the head is not with the usual letters and there is no star there either. In the 1972 Martin catalogue, the Professional appears identical to yours, but it is absent from the 1976 catalogue. The PS-5 appears in the transitional 1970 Vega Martin catalog, and again in the 1972 product brochure; but it is absent from the 1976 catalog. The first two digits tell you the month the banjo was built, the last two digits before the dash or space will tell you the year, and the numbers in between are considered the number of that model we have made since we started the formal serial number system in 1987. All the best from the BRC, Barry. Vega Tu-ba-phone Banjo | National Museum of American History Its also featuring the two small hexagon bolts inside the rim (Quite handy for fine-centering the neck! I just acquired a second, SN#990 with the dog-bone tone ring. Im now forced to sell several beloved instruments but have no idea how to price this gem. It is veryinteresting that it has the non-ebonized finish on the peghead cap, whichcoincided with the move production to Nazareth (adopting stained rosewood asthey used on the guitars). I play it weekly (weakly) on Monday nights at restaurant in Anaheim, California and love its sound. My estimate is that it would fetch up to $900 these days depending on condition Hope this helps and thanks from the BRC, Barry, Hello , I am writing from France where I found a banjo that I want to buy, but which I have no information. Both are in wonderful condition. Save This Search Vega Vox short neck tenor banjo IiMPOSSIBLE TO FIND/ one of the best sounding Banjo's in the world> Used - Mint Condition Posted 11/15/2021 8:46:13 AM by Ronkisok - Country: United States - State: CT - ZIP: 06790 Thanks again. VEGA Vintage Banjos for sale | eBay George Gruhn might also know. Martin markings, my impression is that it was put together overseas from left-over Martin parts after the Asian conglomerate Galaxy Trading purchased the Vega brand in 1979. The Vega No.2 is a banjo made of top grade curly maple stained light amber and buffed to a high gloss. Plectrum means a 4-string model with 22 frets, which is longer scale (27) than the 19 fret 4-string tenor (23). Tom- Thank you for the prompt and detailed photos of your instrument. Dave- Thank you for your kind words about the website and the narrative about your Vega Vox IV tenor banjo. Martin did not publish retail prices after 1971, so my guess is that this up scale model sold back then for around $600. It is not seen in the 1970 transitional Vega/Martin catalogue. Being a low end instrument, the early FR-5 model had no connecting rod. Wow, I glad to find your website! Flanked by interactive faculty at a northeastern banjo camp, the BRC founderproudly shows-off his Vega VIP banjo built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1975. 2 classic model. Hi there Folks.A few weeks ago i bought a Vega martin 5 string banjo, tubaphone tonering, the screws to attach the shoes to the bracket band go through the bracketband but also through the rim.The banjo is almost in unplayed condition, sounds wonderfull, the original case is also there.serial numer is 1707. Theres precious little information about these instruments online. Fender Standard Banjo Hardshell Case Black chuya vega banjo identification - americanuzbekistan.org (BTW, foradditional postings select Vega Martin Stories on the homepage menu or enter Vega Martin in the search engine. Fairbanks and Vega banjo numbers are consecutive, and have no DIRECT relationship to the model, or production date. ). Martin built 55 VIP-T instruments between 1972-79. Thank you so very much for this information! The Vega line was then marketed in the USA by TMC Company (Targ & Dinner 20 Century Music Company). Hello, I just stumbled onto this site today 4/16/20. Anders- Thanks for your query. i replaced the head but it still sounds the same. Although C.F. They differed from ukulele banjos in that the uke banjos typically had smaller rims. Thank you so much!! It is a somewhat rare bird, as C.F. They are on the second and 3rd strings and allow that Buck Trent kind of thing. P.S. The Pro-5 does not appear in the 1976 Vega Martin catalogue. Deering now offers the Tubaphone No. tone ring that you have. Your site is a great resource for these instruments by the way. The tailpiece does not look original, but the dual connecting rods are typical of the Martin design. The melody banjo was the equivalent of a 4 string mandolin banjo. Im trying to decide wether to keep it as a memento, keep it and take some lessons, or possibly sell it because its a shame to have it sit in storage. The Voxes have endured a bit more that others in the market place, however. Neck and rim look a lot like made by Martin craftsmen, and it arrived set up perfectly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you for your query to the BRC and the abovephoto link. Thank you for all the information. Im curious to know if it is possible to learn whether this banjo came from the factory with a resonator or was originally sold as an open back. Martin manufactured 561 VW-5 banjos but only 124 FW-5 instruments. vega banjo identification. The retail price for this banjo in the 1970 catalogue was $488 without case, and Martin did not published price lists after 1971. Although mostly a collector`s item these days, the current price range of the V-76 is $2.3-5K. The Wonder series of instruments featured a metal tone ring, white fingerboard binding, a heavy notched tension hoop, a 10 ply rim, a 3 piece maple neck, a blackwood fingerboard, pearl dots, an armrest, and a factory-installed resonator with four section metal tone flanges. ejemplos de hombres perezosos en la biblia; social juventus porto; china eastern trip report; Hello world! I purchased the instrument from a private dealer (Kingsport, TN) for $800. Go online to `Images for Vega Folk Ranger banjo and enjoy (but don`t confuse your FR-5 with its cousin the Folk Wonder model FW-5). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The parts of your VIP-5 (Very Important Player) banjo # 130056 were probably manufactured in Massachusetts and assembled in Pennsylvania with a yellow data sticker on the inside rim and maybe C.F. Your 5 stringer is cited only as Item VDX75C in the 1979 TMC catalog where to retailed for $475. The rich heritage of Vega was derelict for 5 years until Deering rescued it by acquiring rights to the brand name in 1989. I bought my Vega PS-5 S/N 1046 new in, I believe, late summer of 1974 through Miller Music in Lawton, OK. Dog-bone Tubaphone tone ring, Grover milk bottle guitar tuners. Vega Banjos for Sale, New and Used - banjobarn.com I have 2 Martin Vegas. Great information and even better advice. I have 5 different stringed instruments that just keep finding me, and I was nervous to take it apart so I could look at the serial number. Martin V730 StringsVega struny banjo 5str 10-23,10 - 11109713090 However, current thinking (thanks to Hank Schwartz) is that 999 numbers were assigned per year -- from the start, in 1880. . It is not clear why Martin initiated this product line. Can you tell me what year it was made and by whom? Ending Thursday at 9:33PM GMT 2d 23h. bouffant scrub cap pattern. Of historical interest, when Martin initiated its own four digit serial number system in 1972 to replace the Vega six digit system, banjos SN 2-5 were the V-45(5) model. The banjo featured a bell brass audio-sonic tone ring, different from the tubaphone tone ring, and a ten ply maple rim. Thanks for sharing your fascinating banjo with the BRC, Barry. Barry. VEGA Vegaphone 'Professional' Tenor Banjo $2,328.30 $131.44 shipping or Best Offer 19 watching Vega Style N Tenor Banjo $799.00 $83.00 shipping or Best Offer 20's Bacon/Day/Vega 4 String Banjo Groovers, Oettinger Tailpiece $3,777.77 Free shipping Vintage Vega Wonder Plectrum 4 String Banjo With Hard Shell Case $1,161.96 Was: $1,399.95 Every Martin Vega I have seen has a more dark brown mahogany-colored stain. Thanks you for this great site. Martin upgraded the maple rim to 10 ply after purchasing the Vega/Boston franchise in May of 1970. Its in excellent condition other than needing some cleaning and a little metal polish on the metal parts. port melbourne players; fair lawn high school graduation; vega banjo identification; By . Typically, the number would be preceded with an A (indicating an adjustable truss rod) followed by a six-digit number. The highly ornate Vega Vox IV banjo with serial number #1969 was the final officially documented banjo manufactured by C. F. Martin in Nazareth, PA. , circa 1978-79. Just wondering if you have any interesting data on this ax. Tuned 1-1/2 steps lower than a standard 5-string banjo, the Maple Mountain Series MM-150LN is set up for the best singing keys. Your instrument is a tenor arch top 4-stringer made in the early 1980`s. I also did replace all of the cheapish plastic knobs with ivoroid ones of much better quality. In the Boston era, Pete Seeger was listed as an exclusive Vega product banjoist in a 1961 flyer from their Columbus Avenue business headquarters, and his endorsed PS-5 was featured prominently in the 1963 and 1966 Vega catalogs. Photos are available. The banjo shown here (serial number M130316) was the second Ultra Vox V built in 1971, shortly after C.F. Posts. If this banjo has some more of the early prewar design features, add $1000-1500.Hope this helps, Dr. Ron. Martin in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in mid 1974 per Shop Order #2217. 26" Scale Length Serial: #21601 Condition: Excellent Case: gig bag Price: $Reduced Price $1395.00 Read More Gatcomb | Lansing Model #325 Index: 10566 Maker: Gatcomb Year: 1890's Notes: It has no rod in the drum. I has Vega and a single star on the front of the headstock. By the mid 1960`s, it was usually manufactured with a connecting rod. 0 bids $10.96 shipping Ending Oct 14 at 5:44AM PDT5d 4hFrom GermanyBrand: VEGA 1519. vega banjo identification Deering purchased the Vega franchise in1989 restoring the line to greatness. Maybe, another observant reader will offer a discerning observation for us sometime. vega banjo identification. Vega Pete Seeger Model Longneck Model 5 String Banjo (1961), made in Boston, Mass., serial # 100971, shaded maple finish, laminated maple neck and rim, ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case. vega banjo identification. Again, thanks for your post. There are 13 stars on the banjo fretboard, and there should be a plaque on the back of the headstock. Martin made 101 of the PS-5 instruments which listed for $488 without case in the final V/M price list in 1971. Deering now owns the Vega brand, and it is rumored that they may revive the deep resonator design. Barry- Thanks for your queries and subsequent photos that promt me to revise my initial response. Vega Pete Seeger Model Longneck 5 String Banjo (1961) The tone ring holes are grouped in sets of three rather than equally spaced as on a tubaphone ring. ! - Vintage Vega #2 Gp My guess is that most of the left-over parts from near your home in Massachusettes were used up over the next ensuing 7 years of production, but there is an outside chance that a few spare parts like an occasional tonering survived and were transferred to Galaxy when it purchased Vega in 1979. 96.90 postage. I have an ornate 5 string Martin Vega banjo with pie-plate style resonator. I have a Vega V.I.P. Im just getting back into my love of music. I call him Rory, although much louder he has a beautiful rich tone, but is quite punchy.. In 1979, Martin sold the Vega brand to the Asian conglomerate Galaxy. So cool to have this historical data. It first appeared in 1923 and was also the first Vega with the scrambled eggs inlay and the Vega name in the headstock.Although the Vegaphone is supposed to have a maple neck - and the tenors do, most Vegaphone plectrums have surplus Tubaphone Style 3 necks in mahogany with carved heels. A nice banjo- enjoy. Bill- Thanks for your query. Martin initiated its own serial number system in early 1972 which ran sequentially from #2 through #1945. (They are NOT a 'coded' format.) It looks identical to the one posted with photos on last July 8only difference is that mine does not have the Martin decal on the back of the peg head. vega banjo identification - nutrir.cl Martin files indicate that only one Scruggs Mark II banjo and only one Scruggs Soloist banjo were manufactured at the Martin factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in the 1970`s. Comparison of Best Banjo Strings Top Picks 2023 Reviews Martin V740 Strings Vega strun banjo 5-strunowego RETRO 10-23,10 wyoming seminary athletic scholarship; Tags . It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. The Vega brand was subsequently sold overseas in 1979. Deering Banjo Company now owns the Vega brand, and you might contact them regarding a custom device if you want parts within the historic Vega lineage. 5. The tone ring really had me confused! This instrument was a special order for banjoist, Jack Mistretta, from Grand Rapids, Michiganwho happened to be a friend of Eddie Peabody. In those years there was not a college student who didn't dream of owning a Vega Pete . The first SN#720 I know is a VW-5 because it has the original hang tag. post id: 7593773670. posted: 2023-02-27 00:34. This item has been sold. On the neck, there usually should be a pencil written serial number at theheel where it meets the rim (at least all my Martins have one there). Close study of the flange can sometimes reveal, however, that it is left-over Vega hardware from the Needham Heights factory. Any model F-V or Vega banjo with serial #s between 52669 and 52684 (a 15 number range), when the switch from "Fairbanks Banjo, Made by Vega" stamp to the "Made by Vega" stamp seems to have occurred. Your instrument SN 999 was one of five VIP-5 (Very Important Player) banjos was made in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1974 per Shop Order # 2212. New and Used Vega Banjos for Sale - banjobuyer.com ANTIQUE S.S. STEWART UNIVERSAL FAVORITE BANJO with INTERESTING HISTORY C $146.35 The majority of the banjoists appear to be holding examples of the regular Vega electric banjos with dot-inlayed fingerboards and dark wood veneered pegheads. The construction features were changing on the Vox IV (most different from catalog images), but at this point Vega was still using dowel stick (rather than metal coordinator rods) to attach and adjust the neck, and adjustable truss rods in the neck were not added until 1955the early prewar type-construction was desired by many collectors. 1972 Vega Banjo. Martin Vega Banjo 5-Strings, Medium Gauge (V740) Check Price at Amazon. Bob- Thanks for the remembrance narrative about you and your Dad learning music together- your are a lucky father and son. Enjoy. I do not know anything about banjos but the label inside the rim says VEGA of Boston. The tonering, bracket band, and notched tension hoop were all made of vibrant bell brass (Not die cast metal). 1969, probably initially at the 40 Leon Street factory the Needham Heights (just before the sale to Martin). Barry. In the final Martin price listed published in 1971, it listed for $345 without case. Martin built only 29 model T-2 instruments which were a reproduction of the classic Tu-Ba-Phone No. Good luck, thanks much for your post, and great to hear from you again, Barry. On the inner rim of the back cover is another Martin logo and the (embossed in white) number 887. The shoes (instead of Vox next nut shoes) and the round hook and nutassemblies are probably from stock, as I have some still lying around athome that I bought from Martin back then to replace on a 1929 Vegaphone(which are slightly different). I was lucky enough to buy one but, as my music and and the type of music I had to play to get work changed, I hardly played this, near mint condition, banjo. from BRC: Wim- Thanks for the great photo of your busy workshop. In the 1960`s, the PS-5 featured a 3 piece ebony fingerboard and a Tube-a-phone tone ring of bell brass and a 5 ply maple rim. C.F. Most likely, your banjo has a paddle peghead still with Kluson tuners, block MOP engraved fingerboard inlays, and an updated resonator design with black bindings and a fleur-de-lis added under the engraved star De-Luxe Vegavox on the back (brand new on the 1963-model). When C. F. Martin Co. bought the Vega banjo line in May of 1970, hundreds of parts were inherited from the Needham Heights factory near Boston. Vega Banjos - Deering Banjo Company