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The other 9 were likely shipped to Canada or Japan for assembly after 1977. Martin purchased the Vega company on May 5, 197O. Your VW-5 resonator banjo is not to be confused with its cousin the open back FW-5 model Folk Wonder which retailed for $280. Martin era. P.S. 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. Martin acquired Vega. model serial number 1990. My VIP-5 is SN 1364 and was made about one year after your 5-stringer, and it has a nice mid range tone. 7. From the BRC, Barry, Only a handful of Martin/Vega banjos made it down to Australia. Hope this helps and au revoir, Barry. 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. It is great to hear from someone who actually visited the Vega factory in Needham Heights, Massachusetts. During the Vega Martin era, C.F. What a wealth of banjo information you have.I have a VV IV T tenor SN: M130298 which I purchase used about twenty-five years ago for $2,000. New and used generic flanges can be found on eBay, but getting one to fit your pot outer diameter and bracket hook sequence is tricky. Banjoman- C.F. I knew nothing about it until I found this site. The problem is that the serial number labels at this time had printing errors, where the first numeric digit was omitted. My suggestion would be to take you banjo down to the local hardware store and cobble together a workable thumb screw (some have collars) and washer combination. Vega Martin SN 1199 is one of five VIP-T (tenor) banjos made per shop order # 2233 in late 1974 in Nazareth, PA. One of the best known Kay electric guitars during the 1950s was the K-161 "Thin Twin", most visibly used by blues artist Jimmy Reed. I cant remember exactly when I bought it but I think it was around the early 70s. Martin built only 29 model T-2 instruments which were a reproduction of the classic Tu-Ba-Phone No. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/307507 vinman - Posted - 08/09/2015: 18:02:24 Hope this helps, and thanks again for your post. I have two Ode long neck banjos, and one of them is my daily practice instrument because of its wife-friendly tone. Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. The peg head engraving and paint motif matched the resonator. vega banjo identification. Greg Deering acquired rights to the Vega brand name in 1989 and restored the banjo line to greatness. He is credited with being one of the first banjo-builders to install side brackets with hooks to adjust the tension of the head. What can you tell me about my instrument? It was a student model that Eddie convinced long time friend and Vega owner/president to make positioned as a lower cost alternative to the Vox I/Professional IIit was an upgrade over the Little Wonder/Ranger banjos. 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. Piecing the clues together of this mysterious banjo, I suspect that is was a special order item because of the unusually disparate combination of CFM parts. The larger connecting rod inside the pot is a spare part inherited from the Boston days of the Vega company. Bob- Thank you for your kind words about my website, and I reply with compliments to your luthier shop with which I am familiar. Your comments about the color tone differences of Vega/Boston vs. Martin/Nazareth resonator banjos are curious, and I do not have an accurate answer for it. Serial # 1795. So heres my question. 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. Im hoping I can find a V41 pot. Being unable to find anything on the internet, I began to think I had been scammed. 1972 Vega Banjo. Recently purchased a Vega Vox iv plectrum banjo. A nice banjo- enjoy. Is has a hard case with blue interior. In the Martin log book, the last six digit (Vega) serial number was 130392 in 1972 after which began the Martin digits. In your e-mail, you mention being told when acquiring the instrument that it was a prototype design. Martin workshop log book, your V-45-5 serial number 327 banjo was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973 per Shop Order 2138. All the best pickin`, and thanks for your kind words about my website. Hope this helps and best wishes from the BRC, Barry, Gary- Thanks for your query. Martin built only 22 such instruments which featured a brass tone ring, gold-plating, an engraved tail piece, an ebony fretboard, and a mahogany neck. The banjo listed for $556 in the 1971 price list without case. They are on the second and 3rd strings and allow that Buck Trent kind of thing. I have found it helpful over the years. Your Wonder-5 string banjo #(Martin)130097 was made in Boston in early 1971 after C.F. 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. 721 which I have had a number of years. Plectrum means a 4-string model with 22 frets, which is longer scale (27) than the 19 fret 4-string tenor (23). This instrument debuted in 1952, and featured a single cutaway body, a distinctive "fire stripe" tortoiseshell pickguard, and a pair of thin blade-style pickups . Congratulationsand, welcome to the VegaVox family! Martin purchased the Vega brand in May in 1970 and just before the factory was transferred to Pennsylvania. Do you have any information on it? vega banjo identification. From the BRC, Barry, I inquired on Banjo Hangout about information on a Vega banjo acquired from a friend. Lastly, the banjo could be cleaned-up and refitted at a local music shop, or referred by the shop to a nearby luthier for repairs; and you would have a workable starter banjo for taking some exploratory music lessons. A sticker inside says The Vega Co. Boston 15, MASS, Patended USA The serial number is A-125394. Your banjo neck is from a Martin Tu-Ba-Phone 5-string banjoas advertised in a Martin flyer circa 1978, and the potalso looks like a left-over rim inherited from theNazareth, PA, company. Do you have any additional information you could share regarding this instrument? By early 1971, Martin began to assemble banjos from Boston-made parts in Nazareth using the Vega six digit serial number system prefixed with the letter M for Martin and beginning with Shop Order 2001. Martin workshop logbook, open back Tu-Ba-Phone 5-string banjo SN 1707 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1976. Its paper label says it was made by Vega of Boston, part of the CF Martin Co. but it does not have the CF Martin decal on the back of the peg-head. I would send pictures but was not sure just where to post them. (They are NOT a 'coded' format.) The openbacks are made entirely of white oak and feature a midnight maple fingerboard and peghead overlay. After a loooong wait I finally got it in 1971 . Thanks for your reply. How much Galaxy (or Martin) produce new parts vs. assemble old stock bought from Vega? Thank you. The rhinestones on the flanges, tension bolts, and peghead differ from Peabodys prototype and the later Martin production Vox V models. Cited in the Vega price list of 1971, the last one VM published, the retail price tag was $488 without case. Thanks so much Ill get back to you if any further questions. Martin in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in mid 1974 per Shop Order #2217. In that same period, twenty-one VV IV plectrums were manufactured. Hope this helps, and I am sending you the circa 1978 C. F. Martin Tubaphone model promotional flyer . By that time, parts were being shipped to Canada and Japan for assembly, and record keeping soon deteriorated and serial numbers were inconsistent. $260 USD. Your 5-stringer serial #993 is one of six Pro-5`s manufactured per Shop Order # 2211 in mid 1974 by C.F. Could you tell me where it was built and what its value is today ? built in 1971, my long neck looks like it was built yesterday and all I added was a geared 5th string pegstuck it in an American Vintage case and screwed a CF Martin brass medallion to the side. Vintage Vega Style M Tubaphone Banjo 1921 Boston Mass W Case Inlay TU BA PHONE C $1,714.08 Was: C $1,904.53 or Best Offer SPONSORED Banjo made by Tokai T600R T-600R vintage 5 strings acoustic w/ hardcase C $1,021.01 Free shipping or Best Offer Only 1 left! The Seeger endorsed 5-stringer had the famous Vega Tube-a phone tone ring, a three piece ebony fingerboard, pearl dots, a neck-tension rod, a 10 ply maple rim, and a brass bracket band and notched tension hoop. vega banjo identification. It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. Is it possible to tell me what model or style and year it was built also the value? Barry. Deering now offers the Tubaphone No. (#26) Dr. Ron about " Vega Vox V: The Vega Martin Apogee of 4 String Banjos", A Lone (Pre Vega Martin ) Banjo at the Art Museum, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14ES67V1VHbMR-GfbQpvWWGD1RUJrtyTv?usp=sharing. 2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL is seen in the 1976 catalogue. ), though, as said earlier, neck and rim look a lot like Martin quality. In 1970, C.F. For a chuckle, see the latest home page entry for BJF details. Thanks again. It looks to have some pretty fancy inlays along the fretboard and some nice detail & trim around the wooden drum. So, the rim and rods appear be from a Vox I, and dogbone Tubaphone tonering would be typical of the 1970s period under Martin (some the later Voxesmade by Vega in Needham Heights before moving to Nazareth used these, aswell as slotted Tubaphones). vega banjo identificationvega banjo identification January 31, 2022 . I play it weekly (weakly) on Monday nights at restaurant in Anaheim, California and love its sound. THE BRC THANKS YOU FOR VISITING THE VEGA MARTIN BANJO INFO PAGE. The circular connecting rod is left over from the Vega inventory and shipped from Boston to Nazareth after C. F. Martin acquired the brand in May of 1970. 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). I have a vegavox 4 tenor banjo by Martin . Your VW-5 would fetch $700-$1000 these days. Do you have a total of these models made under the Massachusetts Vega name? My estimate is that your vintage instrument is worth $1500-1700. The Vega banjos in the TMC catalogue were identified by serial numbers only with no model titles or nicknames. Thank You for your time and web site. A: There are a very few Fairbanks made banjos (several of them Regents) with pre-fire serial numbers circa 22900, stamped simply "Vega" in an oval border. The `Martin Guitars: A Technical Reference` confirms that the BJF-5 banjo was a thinly disguised Pro-5 not unlike yours . The tailpiece does not look original, but the dual connecting rods are typical of the Martin design. All the very best from the BRC, Barry, Thank you, Barry. The Pro model initially featured a Tube-a-phone tone chamber rim which evolved into a tone ring with exclusively designed audio apertures machined into a dogbone/barbell configuration. I have attached photos comparing the label printing difference. Thanks again. Your VM-5 Wonder banjo SN 720 was manufactured in 1973 per Shop Order 2181. Vega Martin manufactured twenty-eight V-41 5 stringers, two V-41 tenors, and only one V-41 plectrum banjo. I do not know anything about banjos but the label inside the rim says VEGA of Boston. Tony Trsichka wants Greg to make a 5-string model, much like Vega did on very rare occasions in the late 1950s/early 1960s. 1969, probably initially at the 40 Leon Street factory the Needham Heights (just before the sale to Martin). Search online for Earl Scruggs Vega Banjo Images, and you will see a photo of him with his endorsed Vega instrument bearing the signature square inlays on the neck that offered its distinctive stage appearance. Your Vega Martin VIP-5 with SN 845 was made in Nazareth, PA, in 1974 as one of four manufactured per Shop Order #2193, and it sold for $556 without case in the 1971 price list (after which VM did not publish recommended retail prices). The Vega Vox model was a 4 string gem that featured a brass tone ring. It has only a tape serial number inside the pot of 1124. I know this is a Vega Martin site, however maybe you can help me or know of someone who can provide me with more information about my dads Vega banjo.It is a 1951 Vega vox iv plectrum with with s/n 98786.What does the iv mean? Your banjo was manufactured in Pennsylvania in 1976 per Shop Order #2299 just before Martin began to ship parts to Japan for assembly (after which serial numbers became goofy). C.F. C.F. Andreas- Thank you for the historical narrative on your banjo and the detailed photographs. Vega Martin banjo SN 1795 was one of three special order V-45 5-string banjos manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in 1977 per Shop Order 2335. Let me know if you might have any questionsI really appreciate the work youre doing here. Q: At what point did Vega go from ball end to open end bracket nuts? Hi! I cant find that picture, but Ill see if I can locate it, as someone else may have sent it to me playing the banjo out at afestival in Arizona. The Vega Company reportedlyintroduced the first wooden sectioned pie resonator in mid 1923 for their Vega Professional 4-stringer. Vega Banjo Serial Number Lookup Known Problems with Gretsch's Serial Number System: Due to the various renumbering schemes, there are Gretsch-built Bacons and B&D's with 3 digit, 4 digit and 5 digit serial numbers, which confuses identification of instruments made between 1910 and 1940. Martin purchased the Vega brand and briefly marketed the so-called Bobby Joe Fenster banjo which was a thinly disguised Pro-5 endorsed by a fictitious banjoist as a somewhat mirthful marketing ploy. FAIRBANKS BANJO MANDOLINE. 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. Family owned since 1972, Elderly Instruments is a music store specializing in new, used & vintage guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles and more. The top-of-the-line model that Martin-Vega offered during the 1970s was the special order Ultra Vox V. At the end of the production run in 1979, the MSRP list price in the catalog was $3600 (exactly the same as the Martin D-45 guitar). Vega Tenor Banjo and Case, 1920s | Reverb Oops, Something went wrong. GREAT FORUM. The Eddie Peabody Model was actually made by Vega of Boston from 1966-ca. Vega Martin long neck PS-5 banjo SN 80 is one of eleven Pete Seeger 5-stringers manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1972 per Shop Order 2098. Many thanks to you and your friend Ron for putting me straight. 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. Age differences in the instruments might alsoalter the wood tones. Thanks for the great information on this page. Shop today! Per my files, the Pete Seeger long neck first appears in a Vega flyer in 1961 for $309. Can you tell me what year it was made and by whom? 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. Knowing the history of an instrument adds so much to the enjoyment of owning and playing it. My aunt gave me a Martin Vega banjo serial number 892 to see what it was worth since she is not internet savy and looking to sell it. Your banjo SN 990 is indeed a Pro-5, and it was one of the last five Professional banjos built by VM in 1974 per Shop Order 2211. In general, the Boston made Pete Seeger long neck banjos seem to command a greater collectors` interest than the ones manufactured in Pennsylvania. I purchased the instrument from a private dealer (Kingsport, TN) for $800. You are so kind to provide this great info to all of us banjo geeks. There is a star on the 5th fret. For reference, the name of the original owner with serial number should be in the Martin Archives. The Pro-5 model had an improved bell brass tone ring (alas, not silver) with exclusively designed audio apertures, a thick 10 ply wood rim, a double-tension neck rod, a notched brass tension hoop, nickel plated parts, a mahogany shaded finish, and white binding. Fantastic site with wonderful information. Really sounds and pays great. S.C.- Thank you for your query to the BRC. From the BRC, Barry. The 1968 Vega catalogue described the Pro II appointments as including a bell brass tone ring with exclusively designed audio apertures, a ten ply wood rim, a three-piece maple neck, a resonator of curly maple, a notched brass tension hoop, nickel-plated hardware, and a shaded mahogany finish. After 20 years, the wear and tear on a refinished instrument may reduce the value further. A fabulous example of one of the finest banjos ever made, the Vega 5-string Pete Seeger long-necked folk banjo, produced as a result of the folk craze of the late 1950s and early 1960s. They all had yellow serial number stickers. With the original Hardshell case and the rare Earl Scruggs Tuners or de- tuners if you will. Your banjo may be a hybrid from that era. Do you know anything of the type of banjo, year of manufacturing and value today? According to the C.F. Jersey Nightclubs 1980s, Syllable Stress Calculator, Title 22 Survey Checklist, Articles V

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