The serial # is 448. I would appreciate it very much. 403.80. Another side note, Greg Deering has made two prototype Voxes alreadyI have played one of them, which is basically an identical design to the 1967 Vox I with a paddle peghead and crown inlays. I have a Vega Martin five string that my father special ordered around 76-77 Supposedly it was #10 of 10. Best wishes with your VIP and thanks again for your post, Barry. Vega Tenor Banjo and Case, 1920s | Reverb Oops, Something went wrong. 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. This is a super site for banjo players and owners. I would be grateful if you could inform me when it was made. 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. # 1713? Your VW-5 model Vega Wonder banjo SN 721 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in late 1973 per Shop Order 2181. Again, thank youmuchfor your post. Thanks for your post. VIP is printed on the truss rod cover. I think Ill go look up a local banjo instructor and take a few lessons. 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. Guess I stated it wrong, not really carvings, just in lays. It is a beauty. 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. I was told by someone at C. F. Martin that they only made 11 of them ( mine is ser # 7 ) . Resale prices for this type of banjo vary widely from a couple of hundred to several thousand dollars depending on unique features. 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. Martin Vega Banjo 5-Strings, Medium Gauge (V740) Check Price at Amazon. From the BRC, Barry. Joshua- Send me some detailed photos of your banjo inside and out. Martin decal, is the original pot for the plectrum 4 stringer SN 1450, but the neck was replaced after production with a 5 string neck by a previous owner. The rhinestones on the flanges, tension bolts, and peghead differ from Peabodys prototype and the later Martin production Vox V models. The tailpiece does not look original, but the dual connecting rods are typical of the Martin design. Do you have any additional information you could share regarding this instrument? Barry. I have a vegavox 4 tenor banjo by Martin . thanks for your help and keep up the good work. Here's a bit of description on the various models: This was also the case for their mandolin banjo lines. If there is any other interesting information about the instrument you care to share from the Martin log book, I would be most appreciative. After the difficult 1977 luthier strike at the C.F. Thanks! Photos of the banjo might possibly shed some light on the mystery, if you are so inclined. After its Martin Guitar era, the Vega brand name ownership was sold overseas, and the banjo line fellinto obscurity. vega banjo identification. 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. Any info including your estimate of current value would be very much appreciated. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you for your query to the BRC and the abovephoto link. If your Vegaphones and Tubaphone have serial numbers, you can more closely date them by visiting Whitetreeaz banjo serial numbers online. Look for decals and a serial number on the interior of the rim to help document its story. Thanks again. it in 1970 through a music store in Norwich , Ct run by Cliff Tidd . Landis- Thanks for your post. gamefowl breeders in texas; 0 comments. Jim _Thanks for your query. 10" Rim. 1921 Vega Style L Whyte Laydie Mandolin Banjo. Id appreciate your comments please & thanks, Linda. So happy to find this site. Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. In the meantime, keep on pickin` that Pro-5. Tom- Thank you for the prompt and detailed photos of your instrument. Knowing the history of an instrument adds so much to the enjoyment of owning and playing it. These data were generously provided to the BRC founder in 2000 by the family owned Martin Guitar department of history. (BTW, foradditional postings select Vega Martin Stories on the homepage menu or enter Vega Martin in the search engine. The Folk Ranger was a no-frills entry level banjo that Vega made in response to the folk music revival era. Photos are always welcome, and thanks for your post. Im assuming this is the serial number, which would put me right next to Mark, who owned #888 in previous comment 6. On PLICSCOM menu under 'Information'. 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. I have 2 Martin Vegas. PA. Subject: Help with ID of Vega Banjo please. I lived in Needham MA for 20+ years, and Im wondering if that tone ring possibly came from Vegas final days in Needham. 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. Data zakoczenia 2022-09-02 - cena 20,90 z I have a Vega V.I.P. Because so few Pro-5`s were manufactured in Nazareth, it is difficult to gauge the worth of your banjo these days. The hardware on the V-41 is chrome-plated, so maybe a nearby metal shop could patch it for you or at least identify the alloy. When C. F. Martin took over Vega in 1970, they dropped the A-xxxxxx serial numbers and replaced it with M-xxxxxx series, until starting a new four digit numbering system in 1972 at the Nazareth factory. TH, Tom- Thanks for your query. There are some folklore stories why the Seeger banjo was discontinued. Micky- Thanks for your narrative on your Pete Seeger long neck. Martin also made 1976 model D-76 guitars to partner the banjo. A few months later, the old six digit number system was replaced with new sequence starting with #2 and progressing sequentially to a four digit number over the ensuing years. Gold and ivory hard wear with a butterfly mop inlay on the back of the body. Deering purchased the Vega franchise in1989 restoring the line to greatness. 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. Like the Tubaphone listed above, this banjo needs a neck reset to be a playable banjo mandolin. Martin did not publish suggested retail prices after 1971, but I would estimate the V-76 sold for around $7-800 with case. How do you date a banjo? So there are gaps at the high end of each thousand series -- since Fairbanks Ed Britt, Jim Bollman, or Bob Smakula would be the most likely people to be able to give you the most exact identification of the model possible. Bob. Again, thanks for your query and photos. Family owned since 1972, Elderly Instruments is a music store specializing in new, used & vintage guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles and more. Thanks for the photo of your Vega/Martin Pro-5 banjo. Is this an old genuine Vega in the lower price class, Sten- Thanks for your query about the FR-5 banjo. It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. As such, it is also unique in that is the only Ultra Vox V to be modified and finished by Peabodys other ex-Marine buddy and master luthier, Larry Kellens (widely known as the Vega Doctor during the 1950-70s). Be safe, be well. 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. Steve in Oz, April 24, 2016 at 1:23 pmSteve- Thanks for your post and glad to hear that a `Wonder` banjo made it `Down Under` during the Vega Martin era. I cant remember exactly when I bought it but I think it was around the early 70s. What can you tell me about the history and value of this one. Thanks again for your query. Barry. From the BRC, Barry. I tried to find your email address at your Banjo homepage without any success. Martin was winding-down its banjo production, the metal engraving was subcontracted to Liberty Banjos. 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. Martin upgraded the maple rim to 10 ply after purchasing the Vega/Boston franchise in May of 1970. In the 1972 Martin catalogue, the Professional appears identical to yours, but it is absent from the 1976 catalogue. Today I purchase Vega PS-5, serial number M-130259. Wow, I glad to find your website! Barry. 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). The Martin log book in Nazareth, PA, begins with #130248 later in 1971. Dick- Thank you for being a frequent reader of the BRC website. The Voxes have endured a bit more that others in the market place, however. Martin built 55 VIP-T instruments between 1972-79. It has almost all the hallmarks of a stock model VIP banjo. Thanks again. 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. Martin Museum collection. Im happy to find Banjorehab as it is the first site Ive seen to have useful information on Vega-Martin banjos. Thanks to BRC Consultant and Vega Vox scholar Dr. Ron from everyone at the BRC for providing representative images typical of this historic crowning jewel (see below correspondences #24). 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. The Vega Company reportedlyintroduced the first wooden sectioned pie resonator in mid 1923 for their Vega Professional 4-stringer. 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. 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. Your 5-stringer was one of seven V-76E instruments manufactured per Shop Order 2310, and the `E` designation indicates that these seven banjos were made for employees. My estimate is that your VV IV-T can fetch about $1000-4500 these days depending on the online vendor or estate auction. A previous owner had deeply scratched a Social Security number into its heel. From the BRC, Barry, Only a handful of Martin/Vega banjos made it down to Australia. Hope this helps and thanks again for your post. Both are in wonderful condition. Just wondering if you have any interesting data on this ax. 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. Many thanks and keep pickin & grinning. Really sounds and pays great. 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. Maybe, the R-D prefix stands for Research and Development. 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 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 openbacks are made entirely of white oak and feature a midnight maple fingerboard and peghead overlay. About 20 years ago I had it re-fretted , re-finished , and the gold re-plated . Ive attached a photo of that Coat of Arms resonator next to my Vox Vit was a spare they had made for Eddie Peabody. used speakers for sale craigslist; pioneer woman carne guisada; vega banjo identification; By . It is a Four-String Banjo, Tu-ba-phone Model No. The mother of pearl inlay fretboard pattern in your Pro-5 is similar to that found in the popular VIP-5 banjo, but the latter has single-stripe engraving in the mother of pearl. 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. So cool to have this historical data. Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. Being unable to find anything on the internet, I began to think I had been scammed. Martin began shipping parts overseas for assembly. Is 887 also a Pro5? If this banjo has some more of the early prewar design features, add $1000-1500.Hope this helps, Dr. Ron. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. Kudos to Greg Deering who rescued the Vega brand name from extinction in 1989 and restored it to greatness. Give it a try and good luck. senior living sun prairie, wi; blueberry sweet rolls joanna gaines; miguel cardona family; shooting in newport beach last night; st albans swim club drowning; where was the 3 godfathers filmed; southwest chicken bake; My guess is that the lugs in your resonator have American (inch fraction) thread features, and it is doubtful that an original VIP thumb screw 4 decades old will appear on eBay- but who knows. 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. 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. Hopes this helps. Thank you. All original except the tailpiece cracked at the bend not long after I got it, and I replaced it with the Stew-Mac version. Just bought a martin-vega banjo from an old man in North Carolina. There is no #1 Martin banjo listed, but banjos #6-8 were Vega Vox-4-T tenors built per Shop Order 2087. The PS-5 is advertised in the 1970 and 1972 Vega/Martin catalogues but is absent from the 1976 catalogue where the No.2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL long neck premieres instead. The Martin Co. sold the Vega franchise to the Asian conglomerate `Galaxy Trading Company` in 1979, and thereafter Vega banjos were manufactured in South Korea. Is has a hard case with blue interior. Perhaps a bit more cutting. Have a bunch of pics I can forward, any particular area to focus on that would help? I was fortunate enough to visit the Needham factory (actually a cement-block garage-like building) in the mid-late 1960s and saw some early VIPs under construction. Thats when I decided to modify this rather bluegrassy bright (and plenty of loud) sounding Folk banjo a bit. 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. Replyfrom our Vega Vox scholar Dr. RonHi Ernie. The Style K was Vega's least expensive banjo-mandolin, not having a "tone ring" installed, unlike the pricier Tu-Ba-Phone and Whyte Laydie models. The tiny screws adjacent to it are an adaptation by the Vega franchise to afford fine-tuning of the side-to-side alignment of the neck. The Wonder-5 was an entry level instrument with a metal tone ring, white fingerboard binding, a notched tension hoop, a 10 ply rim, a 3 piece maple neck, a blackwood fingerboard, 4 section flanges, nickel plated metal parts, and shaded mahogany finish. The Folk Wonder is an open-back banjo that features a maple neck, a white bound ebony fretboard with pearl dots, and geared pegs in the headstock. Good luck and thanks again for your post. I love the story. 28 de mayo de 2018. ejemplos de hombres perezosos en la biblia; social juventus porto; china eastern trip report; Hello world! Note the unique cluster of 3 sound apertures spaced around the tone ring of the below VIP-5 model owned by the BRC founder (SN 1364). Per the 1971 price list, the V-45-5 sold for $1650 with case included, and it was available by special order only. The C.F. Roger- Thanks for your challenging follow-up query. I live near Portland, Oregon. Tim, Tim- Thanks much for your query. What a wealth of information! Zero fret wear. C.F. The information looks just finethere were yet a number of the Mxxxxxx series banjos still made in the Needham Heights factory outside Boston. The Vega Regent is one of the classic 5-string banjos of the Vega line. 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. The story of how Greg Deering came to own the 130 year old Vega trademark is one of childhood dreams and an unmissable opportunity. Martins acquisition of Vega of Bostonand, the only other one completed in the old Needham Heights factory before banjo production finally moved to Nazareth. Serial # 1795. C.F. 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. In 1979, Martin sold the Vega brand to the Asian conglomerate Galaxy. The earliest reported is F&C #1000. After a loooong wait I finally got it in 1971 . 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. Be safe, be well, keep on picking. Martin decal photographed on the back of the VIP Vega peg head. Best wishes for happy pickin`, Barry, I have an Vega 5-string banjo, open back, bought around 1965. P.S. Im the happy owner of a Vega-Martin VW-5 Wonder 5 string, serial #1516. If you had a picture archive, Id be happy to post some pictures. If it has a wooden pot resonator, remove it and check the inner rim for identifiers. Martin purchased the Vega brand in May of 1970, the Martin factory in Nazareth, PA, began to re-tool for banjo production. The Vega franchise was sold overseas in 1979 but reacquired in the US by Deering in 1989. The Vega name on the head is not with the usual letters and there is no star there either. The banjo had a 3 piece maple neck and a signature tubaphone tone ring clearly shown in the pictures that you provided. Your banjo is item # VB120C which sold for $360 back then. After the original owner, Jack Mistretta, passed away in 1998, this banjo found its way to Japan, where noted jazz-banjoist, Ken Aoki, featured it for many years in his touring act. June 7, 2022; homes for sale by owner in berwick, pa . Check Price at Amazon. The first SN#720 I know is a VW-5 because it has the original hang tag. Services; vega banjo identification The Vega Ultra Vox V is among the rarest of the limited, special order edition banjos made by either Vega of Boston or Martin. The back of the peghead of these rare banjos is imprinted with a C.F. Have a great weekend as well.
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