vega banjo identification

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. Home; Meet Darlene; ISI Mission; What is Coaching? The Martin Co. dropped the 6 digit serial number system in mid 1971 and then began again with #2- #1945, although a few special banjos up to #1969 were produced. Vega Martin banjo SN 324 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973. set of identifying characteristics can be found at http://www.mugwumps.com. model serial number 1990. The Vega line was then marketed in the USA by TMC Company (Targ & Dinner 20 Century Music Company). C.F. The retail price for this banjo in the 1970 catalogue was $488 without case, and Martin did not published price lists after 1971. It was one of the last batch of fourteen Wonder 5-stringers made in the USA before C.F. Eric- Thanks for your kind comments about the website and prompt photos. JC If you need photos I can take a few and send them to you on a subsequent time. 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 They all had yellow serial number stickers. Although a Bluegrass resonator banjo musician, my daily practice exercises are conducted sans picks on one of two long neck Ode 5-stringers that are wife-friendly in tone. Have a restful weekend and be well, Barry. Be safe, be well, keep on picking. This uniquestyle resonator was verypopular for many years, and it still hasvalue as a vintage part. Martin factory in Nazareth, PA, parts were shipped overseas to Japan and Canada for assembly. Retail price was $1300.00 ; I paid $900.00 . Published by at 30, 2022. port melbourne players; fair lawn high school graduation; vega banjo identification; By . If you could give me your thought about what its worth, I would appreciate 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. I dont know much about banjos because Im a guitar man myself. This workshop numbering system continued uninterrupted to #2355 in 1977 when the banjos went overseas for assembly. The ebony fingerboard was on a mahogany neck, and a butterfly adorns the back of the resonator. I appreciate having some of the history around my banjo and will cherish it even more knowing it is somewhat rare. Also, Deering uses a 3-ply 1/2 rock maple rim, compared to the 5/8 10-ply rim typically found in most Martin Nazareth produced Voxes in the 1970s. Im assuming this is the serial number, which would put me right next to Mark, who owned #888 in previous comment 6. 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. 2 classic model. From the BRC, Barry, Sir: What kind of info can you give me on a V-76E banjo, Ser. It looks like a well-preserved and fun mid range banjo waiting to be enjoyed by an appreciative musician like yourself. 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. The 10-1/8" diameter rim has a calf skin head and most of it's original . So, your banjo is likely either a late 1963/early 1964 model (Vega model years ran from Oct 1st-Sept 30th at the time, much like automobiles). From the BRC, Barry. Not quite as universally imitated as, say, Stradivari's violins or Martin's dreadnought guitars, but close. TMC marketed this standard neck Tu-Ba-Phone banjoas item No. In the Martin SN files, banjo #1302252 manufactured in 1971 is designated as a BJF-5 (Pro) style instrument. The Wonder was an entry level resonator instrument that featured a metal tone ring, white fingerboard binding, a notched tension hoop, a 10 ply rim, 3 piece maple neck, blackwood fretboard, pearl dots, nickel-pate parts and a shaded mahogany finish. 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. The use of a brass band on the wood rim also appeared on some models at this time, to improve sound.What would be more telling is the peghead (where strings are attached) design at the time as they were in the process of changing from a scrolled shape to paddle peg head. (#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. Do you know how many tenor V41 banjos were made? It is number E-5 in a limited edition of 16 instruments made in 1976. I am assuming someone may have penciled in an extra 1 on yours, but my best guess is that it was made sometime in the last half of 1963 (A12130 was the first banjo produced in Jan 64). PA. C.F. Also, I can send pictures, if this would help, or just be fun! Its a Vega VIP with the Martin Co. logo on the back of the peg head. The serial numbers for the overseas-produced instruments were in the 2000+ range in sequence with the last official VM banjo manufactured in Nazareth, PA, which bore #1969. Micky- Thanks for your narrative on your Pete Seeger long neck. Knowing the history of an instrument adds so much to the enjoyment of owning and playing it. 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. Jim _Thanks for your query. Barry, My Vega VIP 5-string has S/N 2316 painted inside the rim, which I presume means it was assembled by Galaxy in Asia. Martin manufactured 561 VW-5 banjos but only 124 FW-5 instruments. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. Hopes this helps. Thanks! Just found this wonderful site. 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. He was told that it was made by Martin, but I do not find any Martin labels. 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. 1972 Vega Banjo. bouffant scrub cap pattern. CL. These days, my guess is that this 5 stringer is worth about $1500 or more depending on condition. How do you date a banjo? I cant remember exactly when I bought it but I think it was around the early 70s. These three top-of-the-line instruments were sent to Japan for assembly. Although mostly a collector`s item these days, the current price range of the V-76 is $2.3-5K. Martin decal on the back of your peghead and on the inner rim. Thanks again for your time & consideration. Barry, I want to thank you very much for the research on my Vega. The label on the peg head reads Martin & Co and inside the rim reads Martin & Co and the number 993. Barry. Banjos were simply stamped 'The Vega Company' From 1913, the firm started using style designations instead of names: * The banjorine (or banjeaurine) was a 5 string banjo, but with a shorter neck like a banjolin It would have been around this time that Tenor Banjos first appeared, as the Tango craze hit America between 1910 and 1914. Its always inspiring to see someone so dedicated to their craft! Thank you for all the information. Martin built only 29 model T-2 instruments which were a reproduction of the classic Tu-Ba-Phone No. It retailed for $488 without case in the 1970 Vega Martin catalog, and it last appeared in the 1972 VM catalogue without a suggested price. $260 USD. Data zakoczenia 2022-09-02 - cena 20,90 z Hence, my theory is that this ornate banjo was assembled overseas after Martin began shipping parts to Japan and Canada for assembly in 1976, and this would explain the mysterious serial number. You are so kind to provide this great info to all of us banjo geeks. Your banjo appears to be a hybrid assembled sometime in the 1980`s after C. F. Martin sold the Vega franchise overseas to the Galaxy conglomerate in 1979. Fantastic site with wonderful information. SOLD Vega Earl Scruggs Banjo and Original hard case Price: $695.00 USD a 1969 Earl Scruggs on rim inside :TRB 13746 . Be safe, be well. The two legendary musicians in the camp photo are banjo godfather Tony Trischka and Grammy award winner Eric Weissberg. Below are more Letters from the BRC Archives. Perhaps a bit more cutting. Your banjo may be a hybrid from that era. From its early Boston beginnings, the Vega Banjo Company made splendidand now vintage instruments, including the Earl Scruggs signature model heendorsed in the 1960s. This banjo has all hand-machined bell brass parts to replace the cheaper, more commonly used aluminum alloys used by both Vega and Martin during that era (including coordinator rods, top-tension rim lugs/shoes and bolts), and Kellens other signature upgrades that includes an 1/8 brass shim between the heel of the neck and rim and lacquered, highly polished inner resonator to enhance tone depth and volume projection. Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. They are 230, 243, 353, LVII (57?) best of . I recently had a luthier friend do setup on it and he found the pot metal rim flange to be broken and wont allow me to have the head at proper tension. Your site is a great resource for these instruments by the way. The local music store said they would give her 120$ for it. The Vega Ultra Vox V is among the rarest of the limited, special order edition banjos made by either Vega of Boston or Martin. pine valley golf auction; what happened to thelma from amen; roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in education; what happens when you meet your twin flame The Folk Wonder model does not appear in the 1972 or 1976 Vega Martin catalogues, but its resonator version the `Wonder` model does. Ive got a couple of pictures in case of interest, but Id need a mail-address for sending, me supposing. cscl star vessel flag autism and narcissism differences. 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. The Voxes have endured a bit more that others in the market place, however. In 1979, Martin sold the Vega brand to the Asian conglomerate Galaxy. 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). It is not seen in the 1970 transitional Vega/Martin catalogue. The metal parts were chrome-plated. There is a star on the 5th fret. Only 101 model PS-5 banjos were made by C.F. It look and plays great. Martin also made 1976 model D-76 guitars to partner the banjo. This email will be copied to my Vega Vox scholar Dr. Ron for his insights and comments.From the BRC, Barry. vega banjo identification. sir- need some help. Martins acquisition of Vega of Bostonand, the only other one completed in the old Needham Heights factory before banjo production finally moved to Nazareth. The circa 1978 brochure that I sent you confirms that your instrument is a Tu-Ba-Phone Deluxe 5 stringer. The open back Folk Wonder 5-stringer does not appear in the 1976 Vega/Martin catalogue where the Vega Wonder resonator series is still advertised featuring a brass tone ring and ebony fingerboard. In May of 1970, C.F. I am wondering what you can tell me about a Vega long neck banjo with Martin stamp on the back of the headstock and inside, serial number 82? John, just an old Missouri banjo picker transplanted in Arizona. My estimate would be that this rare and exotic bird might fetch around $1800 or more these days. 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. Galaxy went bankrupt in a few years, and the Vega brand was purchased in 1989 by Deering in California who restored the instrument line to greatness. 721 which I have had a number of years. THE BRC THANKS YOU FOR VISITING THE VEGA MARTIN BANJO INFO PAGE. 2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL is seen in the 1976 catalogue. Of course she did a beautiful job with it including turning its blond color into a brunette! After Martin sold the Vega line to Galaxy in 1979, this generic mother of pearl pattern remained the same in the VIP model but had double-stripe engraving on it. The SN 1456 on the outside of your tone ring is a fascinating and new discovery to me, and we VM banjo owners should inspect our tone rings for this hidden marking the next time a head gets exchanged. Fred- Thank you for the detailed photos of your instrument. Martin built 55 VIP-T instruments between 1972-79. Your banjo is an off shoot of the classic No. VT2NRC in its 1979 catalogue, and Galaxy went bankrupt in a few years. Being unable to find anything on the internet, I began to think I had been scammed. On the back side of your device. Barry. This is a beautiful banjo! Martin logbook, banjo SN 1450 was an entry level Wonder model 4 string plectrum banjo made in 1975. 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. P.S. Martin`s transition from traditional Spanish, Viennese, and Renaissance structural features towards innovating a modern acoustic guitar with a unique cross brace design. Martin & Co. Organisation, NEEDHAM, MASS. Your Pete Seeger (PS-5) was one of eleven PS-5 long neck banjos made in early 1972 per Shop Order 2098. From the BRC, Barry. The rhinestones on the flanges, tension bolts, and peghead differ from Peabodys prototype and the later Martin production Vox V models. Barry. The Vega 1961 flyer and 1963 catalogue describe that the Earl Scruggs model had a sunburst finish on the resonator. rocket and teresa administrative leave; I call him Rory, although much louder he has a beautiful rich tone, but is quite punchy.. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. Of note, when the Professional 5-stringer was made in Boston in the early 1960`s, it had square MOP inlays with dots on the neck compared to the nicely designed inlays on your fretboard and seen in the 1966 catalogue. Photos would be necessary to give an accurate price range, as design styles were still changing in the post war period and overall condition (all original parts) would bring a higher price. My other theory is that the pot, which bears a C.F. The VIP banjo last appeared in the 1976 VM catalog as an open back instrument but still featuring the V.I.P. The banjo is featuring an interesting mix of particulars: The connecting rods are of the (much earlier?) used speakers for sale craigslist; pioneer woman carne guisada; vega banjo identification; By . If this banjo has some more of the early prewar design features, add $1000-1500.Hope this helps, Dr. Ron. There were forty-six Vega Martin V-45 banjos made of similar design, but the hardware was gold-plated. Your description of your FR-5 sounds like you have a genuine Boston-made Folk Ranger. The `Martin Guitars: A Technical Reference` confirms that the BJF-5 banjo was a thinly disguised Pro-5 not unlike yours . It has only a tape serial number inside the pot of 1124. After the difficult 1977 luthier strike at the C.F. safety tips; prohibited items; product recalls; I have attached photos comparing the label printing difference. The serial number is stamped in the wooden rim below the Martin decal. Galaxy went bankrupt around 1984 and vanished. Do you have any additional information you could share regarding this instrument? Deering rescued the Vega line by purchasing the brand name in 1989. Do you have any information on it? My estimate is that it might fetch $1800-2000 these days. Kudos to Greg Deering who rescued the Vega brand name from extinction in 1989 and restored it to greatness. The neck has crown-and-football inlays and the Martin logo is on the back of the pegboard. Services; vega banjo identification 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. Maybe, the R-D prefix stands for Research and Development. Congratulations on having two vintage VM banjos, and your gracious comments about the Info site are much appreciated. One of the 2 rods inside rim is a larger diameter then the other one. It was advertised to feature a rosewood veneered rim and resonator trimmed in abalone pearl like the C.F. A previous owner had deeply scratched a Social Security number into its heel. Isgho Votre ducation notre priorit . The beautiful Tu-Ba-Phone Deluxe and its plectrum and open back permutations appear only in a 3 page marketing pamphlet issued by C.F. In PACTware software. vega banjo identification. 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. Joshua- Send me some detailed photos of your banjo inside and out. There are no other identification markings on the instrument and it definitely does not say Martin anywhere. George Gruhn might also know. To unravel most of the curious mystery of the legendary Bobby Joe Fenster, please scroll back to the Sept. 12, 2014 homepage posting devoted to this interesting figure from the annals of Vega Martin banjo history, or just enter fenster in the search engine on the home page. There is no evidence that Vega actually made banjos prior to buying out Fairbanks. 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. Can you tell me more like age and value? By my count, twelve VV IV-tenor banjos were built in Nazareth with the last one, #1678, in 1976. 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 . Please try again. 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. Can`t find anything about it on line. 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). I bought a Vega Martin 5 string some time in 2000. Still as wonderful as the day I got it. According to the C.F. Per the 1971 price list, the V-45-5 sold for $1650 with case included, and it was available by special order only. I bought it in Stockholm, Sweden as a student, so it was not so expensive, as i remembered. My Vega F-VIP #1456 got chosen from the 72 catalogue in spring of 76 in a music shop in Stuttgart / Germany, and was delivered only about ten weeks later. The last two Vox Vs (serial numbers 1964-1965) were built in 1979, and still exist to this day. post id: 7593773670. posted: 2023-02-27 00:34. If someone could help her post it on eBay, it would probably get a decent price and a good home. Its also featuring the two small hexagon bolts inside the rim (Quite handy for fine-centering the neck! I have had the opportunity to do this only once for a friend who traded some vintage parts with me for an old flange that I had by serendipity on my workshop shelf. Unless refinished, the decal on the back alsomakes it post-1972. my Martin/Vega PS5 #481 is about a month into my possession. Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. It is in pristine condition and is clearly a very high quality instrument. Fairbanks Banjos - Serial Numbers and Features by year Fairbanks Banjos SERIAL NUMBERS A.C. Fairbanks - Maker ~1875 - 1880 Sporadic numbers have been found written in the wooden hoops of 5 of these earliest Fairbanks banjos. Just found you today . In the meantime, thanks again for your post. Any idea where I might find one? The tailpiece does not look original, but the dual connecting rods are typical of the Martin design. I play it weekly (weakly) on Monday nights at restaurant in Anaheim, California and love its sound. Just found you today . They differed from ukulele banjos in that the uke banjos typically had smaller rims. Your Wonder-5 string banjo #(Martin)130097 was made in Boston in early 1971 after C.F. It originally came with an arm rest, rotomatic tuning pegs, and a plastic head. I have a seperate label thats still in the case showing the serial # 1199. A total of 101 PS-5 instruments were manufactured in Pennsylvania. Can you tell me what year it was made and by whom? I received a letter(martin memo) along with my banjo covering head adjustment, plastic Vegalon heads, string action, bridge and nut and neck rod adjustment dated 8/26/71also a warranty card with the phone number 215-759-2837ask for miketelling me to use string type V750.having wanted one all my adult life, this banjo is the pinnacle of my banjo collecting desires. Deering owns the Vega brand name nowadays, and its T-2 lists for $4149. The C.F. My estimate is that the banjo might be worth $500-$700 depending on condition. The Vega/Martin PS-5 would probably fetch in the $1000- 2500 range these days depending on appointments and condition, whereas the Vega/Boston Seeger banjo seems to be valued more by collectors and would command a higher price. Id love to learn more about it, etc. ampleforth college redundancies. Bill- Thanks for your query. The story he told was that it was a distress sale for a friend, and that the banjo was one of 1000 limited editions and had a solid silver tone ring, and was worth at least twice the price. Martin Vega banjo #892 should be a long neck open back Folklore Model manufactured in the latter half of 1973 per shop order 2198. Where is the serial number on a Vega banjo? What can you tell me about the history and value of this one.

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