Fred- Thank you for the detailed photos of your instrument. The long-neck No. The banjo shown here (serial number M130316) was the second Ultra Vox V built in 1971, shortly after C.F. 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. If you could give me your thought about what its worth, I would appreciate it. Would appreciate any information you can provide to verify the model and any original cost/current value. Martin`s beloved historian). Fender Standard Banjo Hardshell Case Black ,, kemenpppa.go.id 4kjzing@8x47evey1 Thanks again for your time & consideration. Please try again. 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. Idoubt it matches the rim, unless they changed from a plectrum to tenor atlast minute. An example of one of these 4-stringers from the 1920`s is still in the C.F. It is collecting dust since i dont play the banjo and I am thinking of passing it on. The Vega name on the head is not with the usual letters and there is no star there either. I have recently acquired from Florida another VEGA Martin VIP model #845, which sounds totally different than the other 2, almost a rich full old timey sound yet with a resonator. Martin decal on the back of your peghead and on the inner rim. 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 Martin built only 31 of the V-41 instruments: 28 of the V-41-5 model like yours, 1 plectrum and 2 tenor 4-stringers. It listed back then for $345 without to BRCcase. 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. Vega stamp to yellow stick-on labels between 99369 and 99686. switchover is between #23721 and #23800. The tailpiece does not look original, but the dual connecting rods are typical of the Martin design. Yes, the VVI banjos have the same inlay pattern as the VM Pro (Professional) 5 string model. VT2NRC in its 1979 catalogue, and Galaxy went bankrupt in a few years. 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. I have found it helpful over the years. Again, thanks for your post. Theres precious little information about these instruments online. Barry, Marc- Thanks much for the prompt and telling photos. Today I purchase Vega PS-5, serial number M-130259. cscl star vessel flag autism and narcissism differences. wyoming seminary athletic scholarship; Tags . $42 USD. My Vega VIP has the Martin decal on the back of the headstock. I has Vega and a single star on the front of the headstock. very carefully, I did and its four digits # 1450. it looks very good to me as far as the condition, its just old and kind of dirty. 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. Ive also got some remaining parts from the renovation process Id happily like to donate, including the original chrome-plated brass tailpiece, and a couple of almost unused heads. This is an early and very nice example of the classic Vega . My estimate is that your VIP-T would likely fetch in the $700-1100 range these days, and maybe a little more, depending on condition and special appointments. As Barry indicates, a photo of the yellow sticker will be helpful here. so it does say Martin on the back and its vega on the front. and CXXVI (126?). The problem is that the serial number labels at this time had printing errors, where the first numeric digit was omitted. Because so few Pro-5`s were manufactured in Nazareth, it is difficult to gauge the worth of your banjo these days. 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. He could always check the stamp on the bottomthe tone ring to see if its a match to the rim (it should say V916). Your banjo is an off shoot of the classic No. Virtually immaculate. I am a fan of the 27 scale and believe it has much to contribute tone-wise. Thanks for the great information on this page. Neck and rim look a lot like made by Martin craftsmen, and it arrived set up perfectly. So cool to have this historical data. The rim is 10 ply maple with a top metal tone ring, nickel-plated metal parts, and a shaded mahogany finish. The overseas conglomerate Galaxy purchased the Vega line in 1979 and offered the T2-5 for $775 before going bankrupt in the mid 1980`s. Your Vega Martin instrument SN 231 is a Wonder model VW-P (plectrum ) 4 stringer made in Nazareth in late 1972 per Shop Order #2121 just after production was transferred from Boston to the re-tooled Pennsylvania factory. My estimate is that it might fetch $1800-2000 these days. This banjo was made by the Vega Company in Boston, Massachusetts, around 1922. Thank you for all the information. I would love to be able to date this banjo: SN 999 as a decal under the Martin logo inside the rim with the Martin logo decal on the back side of the peghead as well. Your instrument is a tenor arch top 4-stringer made in the early 1980`s. Martin in the 1970s (I have sent you the title page illustrating your instrument). Data zakoczenia 2022-09-02 - cena 20,90 z 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 . Martin built 55 VIP-T instruments between 1972-79. With appreciation, Barry. It originally came with an arm rest, rotomatic tuning pegs, and a plastic head. The rich heritage of Vega was derelict for 5 years until Deering rescued it by acquiring rights to the brand name in 1989. Again, thanks for your post. 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. It retailed for $345 in the 1971 Vega Martin price list. It is in excellent condition but missing a resonator thumbscrew with the threaded washer. The inside of the rim has a R-D-136 in white. 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. 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 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! It is in pristine condition and is clearly a very high quality instrument. 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. In the the 1971 Vega Martin price list, the VW-Plec retailed at $345. ), though, as said earlier, neck and rim look a lot like Martin quality. Your description of your FR-5 sounds like you have a genuine Boston-made Folk Ranger. Thanks again for your query, Barry. There were forty-six Vega Martin V-45 banjos made of similar design, but the hardware was gold-plated. The PS-5 is advertised in the 1970 and 1972 Vega/Martin catalogues but is absent from the 1976 catalogue where the No. Do you know how many Scruggs or Scruggs Soloists, and Sonny Osborne models were made under the Martin ownership and where made? Barry. C.F. I dont play any instrument right now. I was disappointed because I badly wanted to see Scruggs models! Its always inspiring to see someone so dedicated to their craft! ampleforth college redundancies. Thank you so much!! But with original Whyte Laydie banjo rims being in demand for converting to 5-string instruments, this one is an ideal candidate. I have 3 Vega banjos , 1963 Earl Scruggs model A 10921(Scruggs ST-5, handwritten in red ink under that on yellow label) which I played for 23 years, she has a very mellow sound. Barry, I have purchased a Martin Vega V-45 described as 1971 production and a serial number of #327. They are 230, 243, 353, LVII (57?) The VW tenor 4 stringer was available in the 1963 and 1966 Vega catalogue, but the plectrum model did not appear in the Boston catalogue until 1968 when it listed for $325. Mike- Thanks for your post and kind remarks about the BRC website. Thats when I decided to modify this rather bluegrassy bright (and plenty of loud) sounding Folk banjo a bit. Wooden pot resonator. What A great and informative site .. For a chuckle, see the latest home page entry for BJF details. Although the genesis of your SN and date of manufacture are a puzzlement, it is no mystery that you own a lovely vintage Martin banjo. FREE SHIPPING! The Martin log book in Nazareth, PA, begins with #130248 later in 1971. Can you tell me about it? Its in excellent condition other than needing some cleaning and a little metal polish on the metal parts. VINTAGE VEGA TENOR BANJO, 1930, RESONATOR, 19 FRET, CLEAN. In the Martin log book, the last six digit (Vega) serial number was 130392 in 1972 after which began the Martin digits. In the 1970 VM catalogue, the VIP-T banjo retailed for $556, and the hard shell case was $68 extra. Congratulations on having two vintage VM banjos, and your gracious comments about the Info site are much appreciated. Hope this helps. It is important to note that there are exceptions to every rule and the following is only a general guide for identifying Gibson "A" Style mandolins. Deering rescued the Vega line by purchasing the brand name in 1989. If there is any other interesting information about the instrument you care to share from the Martin log book, I would be most appreciative. What is a spectrum banjo? Maybe, another observant reader will offer a discerning observation for us sometime. P.S. 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. In 1979, Martin sold the Vega brand to the Asian conglomerate Galaxy. 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. 2 Vega banjo from the early Boston era. 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. FAIRBANKS BANJO MANDOLINE. fender american professional ii vs ultra. Your other VIP-5 with SN 1766 was assembled from parts sent to Japan in 1977 when the Martin company had its difficult luthier strike. The `Martin Guitars: A Technical Reference` confirms that the BJF-5 banjo was a thinly disguised Pro-5 not unlike yours . Im now forced to sell several beloved instruments but have no idea how to price this gem. The banjo features a rim and resonator rosewood veneered with white binding, The tone ring was brass, and there was abalone pearl around the back edge of the resonator. I admire the amount of effort youve put into helping the community of banjo enthusiasts I ve got serial # 129 , a 22 fret ,27 scale plectrum in for a set up..any info.about date of manufacture,potential value, and other pertinent details would be appreciatedthanks.. BRC Banjo Replies:July 14, 2016 at 1:13 pm, Darryl- Thank you for your kind comments about the BRC website. S.C.- Thank you for your query to the BRC. This design of banjo retailed for $285 back then, and it was popularized by Erik Darling and Pete Seegar (who had his own Vega endorsed model for awhile). (They are NOT a 'coded' format.) Thanks you for this great site. These data were generously provided to the BRC founder in 2000 by the family owned Martin Guitar department of history. Rochester NY 14610. Photos , BRC Replies To Samantha (November 23, 2019), Reply From Dr. Ron (the BRC Vega Vox/EddiePeabody consultant). 96.90 postage. 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. Vega serial #s between 99369 and 99686, when the switch from the Vega stamp to printed yellow labels seems to have occured. Greg also originally hand made the round hole Tubaphone tone rings, but now they have a fairly well honed machine manufacturing process. By the mid 1960`s, it was usually manufactured with a connecting rod. C.F. Heres a link to a .zip file you can download. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. From the BRC, Barry. The V-45 appears on the cover of the 1972 catalogue, and it was billed as our finest Bluegrass banjo in the 1976 catalogue. 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. Buy VEGA Banjos and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! Having read the posts above I see that this is most likely not the case! 1969, probably initially at the 40 Leon Street factory the Needham Heights (just before the sale to Martin). Martin- Thank you for your query and very useful photos. Photos are always welcome, and thanks for your post. 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. Identification: "A" Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. Martin purchased the Vega brand line. Where to find your serial number. Good luck and thanks again for your post. 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). On the inner rim of the back cover is another Martin logo and the (embossed in white) number 887. Vega Tenor Banjo and Case, 1920s | Reverb Oops, Something went wrong. Thanks again. 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. It is a top-of-the-line banjo that was paired with the reissued D-45 Martin guitar as a marketing strategy. Have a great weekend as well. Any and all information you may have on my little banjo will be greatly appreciated! Your VM-5 Wonder banjo SN 720 was manufactured in 1973 per Shop Order 2181. It retailed for $775 and was probably assembled from parts left over from Nazareth, PA. vega banjo identification. Jon- Thanks much for your kind comments about the website. I then discovered my Vega VIP Martin 1972 model #1766, a beautiful banjo which I have played for the past 12 years. 1972 Vega Banjo. 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: Im not very knowledgable about banjos so please forgive my terminology. ), Wim- Congratulations on procuring such a lovely vintage instrument. Like my dad, I am a musician and physician and treasure his professional and avocational memorabilia. 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). Of note, the tubular connecting rod and the Allen head screws seen in your banjo pot are design features left-over from the Vega era in Boston. From the BRC, Barry. The inside of the banjo is also blank except for the painted serial number 2207. 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. With appreciation, Barry, S.C.-Thank you for the prompt and detailed photos of your banjo. 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.
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