Martin decals on the inner rim and back of the peghead. Vega Pete Seeger 5-string Folk Banjo - 1958-1970 - The Canada Site I live near Portland, Oregon. Hope this helps and thanks again for your post and e-mails, Barry, Lynne- Thanks for your query. 28 de mayo de 2018. During this transitional period, Boston parts were shipped to Nazareth for assembly, and Martin pre-fixed the traditional six digit Vega serial number with the letter `M`. From the BRC, Barry. Barry. Hope this helps, and I am sending you the circa 1978 C. F. Martin Tubaphone model promotional flyer . 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 two legendary musicians in the camp photo are banjo godfather Tony Trischka and Grammy award winner Eric Weissberg. Hi guys, great website. Only 101 model PS-5 banjos were made by C.F. Martin & Co. Organisation, NEEDHAM, MASS. Hit a few licks on the tenor- you might find that you like it. The information looks just finethere were yet a number of the Mxxxxxx series banjos still made in the Needham Heights factory outside Boston. Do you know how many Scruggs or Scruggs Soloists, and Sonny Osborne models were made under the Martin ownership and where made? Hope this helps and best wishes from the BRC, Barry, Gary- Thanks for your query. 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). Vega #2 | Genuine Brass Tubaphone Tone Ring | Banjo.com Fairbanks Banjos - Serial Numbers and Features by year The Vega Vox IV of that era featured burnished gold-plated parts, engraved flanges, an all white pyralin deep resonator with elaborately engraved back and sides, a fretboard with fancy pearl inlays, and an engraved and colored scroll shaped peg head. Thanks Again! The banjo shown here (serial number M130316) was the second Ultra Vox V built in 1971, shortly after C.F. Dave- Thank you for your kind words about the website and the narrative about your Vega Vox IV tenor banjo. We've been notified and are looking into it. If in poor condition, Ive seen them sell as low as $3000-4000. vega banjo identification. In the 1972 Martin catalogue, the Professional appears identical to yours, but it is absent from the 1976 catalogue. Despite showing its age as a workhorse performance instrument with extensive wear-and-tear, a friend of mine in San Diego purchased this one-of-a-kind banjo in Vega and Martin history in 2007 and had it beautifully restored to its current condition by the American Banjo Hall-of-Fame member, Renee Karnes. To generally confirm that your banjo is a Nazareth built instrument, check for a C.F. The Vega 1961 flyer and 1963 catalogue describe that the Earl Scruggs model had a sunburst finish on the resonator. Also, I can send pictures, if this would help, or just be fun! Used 5-String Open-Back Banjos | Intermountain Guitar & Banjo Joshua- Send me some detailed photos of your banjo inside and out. There is no evidence that Vega actually made banjos prior to buying out Fairbanks. Be safe, be well, keep on picking. Vega Martin banjo SN 324 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973. Knowing the history of an instrument adds so much to the enjoyment of owning and playing it. Theres precious little information about these instruments online. post . The openbacks are made entirely of white oak and feature a midnight maple fingerboard and peghead overlay. A previous owner had deeply scratched a Social Security number into its heel. 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. Your F-VIP (Folk-Very Important Player) banjo #1456 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1975 in a lot of 3 such instruments per Shop Order 2274. Barry, Marc- Thanks much for the prompt and telling photos. Both of these models had block mother of pearl inlays, with fewer inlays appearing on the new scaled-down Pro fretboard. Barry. The 1971-72 VM log books show 22 VIP banjos (most 5-stringers with a few tenor and plectrums) bearing the 6 digit Boston serial numbers, and thereafter the SN`s convert to digits #1 through #1969. In the 1970 transitional Vega/Martin banjo catalogue, their Pro model line is conspicuosly absent; and instead, is seen a nearly identical twin Bobby Joe Fenster style banjo named after a fictitious nerdy folk musician invented by Martin in 1967 as an insider marketing joke. The banjo listed for $556 in the 1971 price list without case. Do you know how many tenor V41 banjos were made? Here's a bit of description on the various models: This was also the case for their mandolin banjo lines. It took me six months to finally commit to purchasing the Vega-Martin VIP that I brought home today from a local music shop. Thanks for sharing your fascinating banjo with the BRC, Barry. Your banjo was built circa 1964, and the A pre-fix to the serial number means `adjustable truss rod`. Each of the men is posed in front of a Vega model 131 amplifier, identical to the unit which remains with the banjo today. . sir- need some help. Therefore it became dissembled. 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. Again, thanks for your post. Martin V720 Vega Steel/Nickel Banjo Strings - .009-.030 - Sweetwater How much would it be worth? 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. Deering now owns the Vega line and offers open-back Tubaphones in their inventory. Barry. If you need photos I can take a few and send them to you on a subsequent time. Can you tell me what year this banjo was made and what my aunt could legitimately ask for it? Hey, Ive got a Martin Vega Tubaphone 5 string banjo sn# 1603 that I acquired in the mid-1980s. 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. Having read the posts above I see that this is most likely not the case! Banjo SN 1648 is a `Folk Wonder` model (FW-5) which first appears in the Vega (Boston) catalogue in 1961 per my files. Really sounds and pays great. Martin era. vega banjo identification. Thats when I decided to modify this rather bluegrassy bright (and plenty of loud) sounding Folk banjo a bit. Vega Pete Seeger Model Longneck 5 String Banjo (1961) 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. Close study of the flange can sometimes reveal, however, that it is left-over Vega hardware from the Needham Heights factory. Shortly thereafter, the Martin craftsmen went on strike, and banjo parts were shipped overseas for assembly. Hope this helps. The Vega No.2 is a banjo made of top grade curly maple stained light amber and buffed to a high gloss. Replacing a broken flange on a rare and vintage instrument is a tough task. Barry, Samantha Thanks for the extensive and helpful photos of your above banjo. Excellent condition. 96.90 postage. They all had yellow serial number stickers. What is it worth today, and what did it sell for when new? For those interested in the genealogy of banjo manufacturers, I have included a page summarizing some important relationships between manufacturers, . Martin did not publish retail prices after 1971, so my guess is that this up scale model sold back then for around $600. Its also featuring the two small hexagon bolts inside the rim (Quite handy for fine-centering the neck! Martin was winding-down its banjo production, the metal engraving was subcontracted to Liberty Banjos. 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. My estimate would be that this rare and exotic bird might fetch around $1800 or more these days. From the BRC, Barry. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. 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. Martin upgraded the maple rim to 10 ply after purchasing the Vega/Boston franchise in May of 1970. Serial numbers became unreliable during that era. 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. Im happy to find Banjorehab as it is the first site Ive seen to have useful information on Vega-Martin banjos. 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 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. The 1971 Vega Martin price listed this model to retail at $556 without case. Fingerboard engraved pearl inlays in the ebony were going through a transition (modernization) as well, from very elaborate designs that they used since the 1920s to to simplified block styles. Best wishes with your VIP and thanks again for your post, Barry. Martin did not develop or cultivate such a banjo line, a dozen such BJF-5 entries are recorded in their shop files from 1971-1972. CL. 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. The Vega Company reportedlyintroduced the first wooden sectioned pie resonator in mid 1923 for their Vega Professional 4-stringer. The Galaxy serial number is not a continuum of the Martin serial number sequence. I actually have a customized 75 Martin D28 to go with my 75 Vega. The Vega line was then marketed in the USA by TMC Company (Targ & Dinner 20 Century Music Company). Im not very knowledgable about banjos so please forgive my terminology. Martin Vega Banjo Strings Features: Tin-plated steel core is responsive, lively, and resilient Nickel alloy wrap wire is consistently smooth and tonally flexible for a variety of playing styles Medium gauge for full-bodied tone and strong midrange response Tech Specs Number of Strings: 5 String Material: Steel Winding Material: Nickel Alloy 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). The melody banjo was the equivalent of a 4 string mandolin banjo. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you for your query to the BRC and the abovephoto link. Look for decals and a serial number on the interior of the rim to help document its story. C.F. 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. Greg Deering acquired rights to the Vega brand name in 1989 and restored the banjo line to greatness. Anders- Thanks for your query. I have two theories about your instrument. vega banjo identification - nutrir.cl 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. Again, thanks for your query and photos. Where to find your serial number. My VIP-5 is SN 1364 and was made about one year after your 5-stringer, and it has a nice mid range tone. The flanges, tension hoop, tailpiece and extended armrest are deeply and elaborately engraved, and were originally finished in a special hardened 24K gold electroplate. Is it possible to tell me what model or style and year it was built also the value? 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. 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). Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. my Martin/Vega PS5 #481 is about a month into my possession. I love the story. Thank you for all the information. Galaxy went bankrupt around 1984 and vanished. Hope this helps and thanks again for your post. Hopes this helps and thanks again for the detailed pictures. So cool to have this historical data. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Vega stamp to yellow stick-on labels between 99369 and 99686. switchover is between #23721 and #23800. Fairbanks Vega Banjos Specifications - Mugwumps The rare T-2 and T-2XL had serial numbers in the #1607-1945 range. He could always check the stamp on the bottomthe tone ring to see if its a match to the rim (it should say V916). The distinct disadvantage to having a rare banjo is finding replacement parts. If someone could help her post it on eBay, it would probably get a decent price and a good home. Many thanks to you and your friend Ron for putting me straight. (BTW, foradditional postings select Vega Martin Stories on the homepage menu or enter Vega Martin in the search engine. In general, the Boston made Pete Seeger long neck banjos seem to command a greater collectors` interest than the ones manufactured in Pennsylvania. vega banjo identification - Pamela Hudson Eric- Thanks for your kind comments about the website and prompt photos. Barry. The C.F. Do you know anything of the type of banjo, year of manufacturing and value today? The Vega Company manufactured of this era were assembled at the 40 Leon Street factory in Boston from 1961-1966, and subsequently at the 155 Reservoir Street facility outside Boston in suburban Needham Heights from 1966-1971(C. F. Martin acquired the company in May 1970 and continued some manufacturing/assembly there until moving fully to Martins factory in Nazareth, PA). Thank-you for your kind words about my website, and all blessings to you and yours this coming holiday season. In my files, the PS-5 is seen in a Vega (Boston) flyer in 1961 where it lists for $309. 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. bouffant scrub cap pattern. 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. cscl star vessel flag autism and narcissism differences. It sounds like your banjo is maybe a hybrid made overseas after 1976-1977 when Vega Martin parts were shipped to Japan and later Canada for assembly. Your banjo may be a hybrid from that era. George Gruhn might also know. I have a Martin Vega Banjo, #324. We have a bunch of new Deering merch for you whether it be socks, shirts, tote bags, mugs, and more! It was advertised to feature a rosewood veneered rim and resonator trimmed in abalone pearl like the C.F. (They are NOT a 'coded' format.) Martin made 76 commemorative V-76 banjos in 1976 to celebrated the bicentennial of the USA. I have a Vega Martin five string that my father special ordered around 76-77 Supposedly it was #10 of 10. Barry. Your instrument SN 448 is one of 11 Pete Seeger extra long neck (PS-5) models manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in 1973 per Shop Order 2153. Flanked by interactive faculty at a northeastern banjo camp, the BRC founderproudly shows-off his Vega VIP banjo built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1975. I told her to leave cause i thought they were taking advantage of her because of her age. what I know about banjos right now I learned from you!! The VM price list in 1971 quoted a sales tag of $545 for the Pro-5 without case. 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. Just found you today . Thank you so much!! The Vega name on the head is not with the usual letters and there is no star there either. 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 Vega Regent is one of the classic 5-string banjos of the Vega line. But with original Whyte Laydie banjo rims being in demand for converting to 5-string instruments, this one is an ideal candidate. 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. The tone ring is stamped 24, and the tail piece is stamped 41. 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. For reference, the name of the original owner with serial number should be in the Martin Archives. Both are in wonderful condition. Ending Thursday at 9:33PM GMT 2d 23h. This Vox uses brass (rather than the late model Vega/Martin aluminum) hex nut shoes for the tension bolts, and thinner dual brass coordinator rods (again, instead of aluminum). Fred- Thank you for the detailed photos of your instrument. Vega Banjos for Sale, New and Used Search Agent: Get notified when new ads meet your criteria! Wow, I glad to find your website! 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. 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. SOLD Vega Earl Scruggs Banjo and Original hard case Price: $695.00 USD a 1969 Earl Scruggs on rim inside :TRB 13746 . I have a vegavox 4 tenor banjo by Martin . Vega Banjo Identification Vega Tenor Banjo Serial Numbers Chart Vega Tenor Banjo Serial Numbers Vintage Mandolin Banjo Fairbanks Vega Company Boston USA 1920 6 Saiten Einige der Spanner samt Schrauben und sowie die Saiten sind nicht vorhanden. vega banjo identification. Its in excellent condition other than needing some cleaning and a little metal polish on the metal parts. Im mostly a guitar player. 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. 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. FAIRBANKS BANJO MANDOLINE. The last SN from Boston was probably #130049, and the Vega Martin logbook in Nazareth starts with SN 130248. These days, the banjo would probably fetch around $1000 if marketed online. Guess I stated it wrong, not really carvings, just in lays. The V-45 appears on the cover of the 1972 catalogue, and it was billed as our finest Bluegrass banjo in the 1976 catalogue. Your aunt`s banjo sounds like a stock model, so I would estimate that it would fetch $400-$700 on the open market. Just found you today . it in 1970 through a music store in Norwich , Ct run by Cliff Tidd . 1969, probably initially at the 40 Leon Street factory the Needham Heights (just before the sale to Martin). Device Search - VEGA 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). I think it is a Pro-5. Ive taken a number of hi-res photostoo many to attach to email. Do you have any information on it? Martin manufactured only 33 VW-plectrum banjos. After a loooong wait I finally got it in 1971 . 2 Vega banjo from the early Boston era. Jack. From the BRC, Barry. so it does say Martin on the back and its vega on the front. Just found this wonderful site. The VIP-5 is known for its mellow sound, and the tone of my VIP-5 (SN 1364 circa 1974) was admired by a faculty member at a northeastern banjo camp a few years ago. C.F. Vega serial #s between 99369 and 99686, when the switch from the Vega stamp to printed yellow labels seems to have occured. Thanks from the BRC, Barry, Hi Barry! I really appreciate your orientation. Barry. Thank you. In the Martin log book, the last six digit (Vega) serial number was 130392 in 1972 after which began the Martin digits. As you have observed, the VIP tonering has holes grouped in threes, so maybe yours might be a lucky survivor from the early days of the VIP line when the model first appeared in the 1970 Vega Martin catalogue. Bill Keith Stainless Steel D-Tuners, for 2nd & 3rd strings. 403.80. Thanks, I have really enjoyed reading the material on this site.RowdyArizona, Rowdy- Thanks for your kind words about the website. It look and plays great. Depending upon condition, it is probably worth somewhere around $750 these days. Martin workshop logbook, open back Tu-Ba-Phone 5-string banjo SN 1707 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1976. It is a top-of-the-line banjo that was paired with the reissued D-45 Martin guitar as a marketing strategy. vega banjo identificationvega banjo identification January 31, 2022 . Ernie- It would be helpful if you could send a photo of your yellow sticker, as I suspect that your Vega Vox IV was manufactured in Boston in 1964 after Vega reconverted to a six digit serial number during the pre- C.F. It is not to be confused with the metal pie plate or hubcap resonator manufactured by Elton in the 1930`s. $42 USD. The PS-5 is advertised in the 1970 and 1972 Vega/Martin catalogues but is absent from the 1976 catalogue where the No. This workshop numbering system continued uninterrupted to #2355 in 1977 when the banjos went overseas for assembly.