Hello there, what a terrific Web page you guys have put together so interesting, i have a open back tenor banjo with the Martin logo and nos 916 it has the same pearl inlay as the 5 string pro it has 19 frets , i have no idea of its value but it has a beautiful slim neck just so easy to finger chords, cheers Rob. This banjo was made by the Vega Company in Boston, Massachusetts, around 1922. Bill's Banjos Vega Regent 5 String Banjo (1925) | RetroFret He wanted to buy it! Your site is a great resource for these instruments by the way. The back of the peghead of these rare banjos is imprinted with a C.F. Martin V720 Vega Steel/Nickel Banjo Strings - .009-.030 - Sweetwater They differed from ukulele banjos in that the uke banjos typically had smaller rims. It has dual rods running through the pot and it has the tubaphone tone ring. 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. Barry- Thanks for your queries and subsequent photos that promt me to revise my initial response. Vega #2 | Genuine Brass Tubaphone Tone Ring | Banjo.com GoldTone longneck Banjo - musical instruments - by owner - sale 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 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. Its always inspiring to see someone so dedicated to their craft! This is a beautiful banjo! Vega Martin Banjo Info | Banjo Rehab Center, Banjo Restoration Galaxy went bankrupt around 1984 and vanished. Martin built only 101 PS-5 long necks. Martin in Nazareth, PA, in 1973. Good luck with your vintage Seeger long neck and photos of this prize would be most welcome for posting here if you are so inclined. It retailed for $775 and was probably assembled from parts left over from Nazareth, PA. 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. No M130097 Model: Wonder 5 St. Mike- Thanks for your post and kind remarks about the BRC website. Of course she did a beautiful job with it including turning its blond color into a brunette! 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. 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. It look and plays great. . Wow! . 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. Thanks again for your query. In good condition, the range today is $4000-6000 ($4500-5000 is more reasonable); rare that a tenor would sell at high end, as that market is very soft now and more vintage IV tenors from 1930-50s are pursued and better value (those with dowel sticks tend to be more highly sought after today in the tenor crowd). Your VW-5 with SN 1519 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in 1976 per Shop Order 2285. 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. One thing that I have noticed is that Massachusetts-made resonator banjos generally had a yellow/orange stain. The rim is 10 ply maple with a top metal tone ring, nickel-plated metal parts, and a shaded mahogany finish. C.F. 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). vega banjo identification. fender american professional ii vs ultra. Knowing the history of an instrument adds so much to the enjoyment of owning and playing it. Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items. Please try again. Shop today! Do you know how many tenor V41 banjos were made? PA. The VIP model featured a unique `audio-sonic` bell brass tone ring, a scrolled peg head with ultra filagree pearl work, engraved pearl inlay in the ebony fretboard, a 10 ply maple rim with a heavy notched tension hoop, geared tuners, a walnut finish, and marquetry around the resonator. I knew nothing about it until I found this site. Your VM-5 Wonder banjo SN 720 was manufactured in 1973 per Shop Order 2181. Do you have any information on it? It retailed for $345 in the 1971 Vega Martin price list. 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. In the meantime, keep on pickin` that Pro-5. The VM price list in 1971 quoted a sales tag of $545 for the Pro-5 without case. Since that day in 1989, Deering has breathed new life into the Vega name, blending over a century of tradition with Deering's banjo building expertise, to create a range of heritage rich open back and longneck banjos that are as integral to the modern folk sounds of The Avett Brothers as they were to Pete Seegers personal revolution. Hope this helps, and thanks again for your post. Is this an old genuine Vega in the lower price class, Sten- Thanks for your query about the FR-5 banjo. 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? Linda- Thanks much for your query and hearing about your three vintage banjos. The `41` engraved on the tailpiece no doubt refers to the model V-41 designation. The build quality is quite immaculate, both wood and hardware. Vega Martin models (1970-1979) are less of a collector`s item and fetch about half that price range. my Martin/Vega PS5 #481 is about a month into my possession. Barry, I have purchased a Martin Vega V-45 described as 1971 production and a serial number of #327. Can you tell me what year this banjo was made and what my aunt could legitimately ask for it? Again, thanks for your query and photos. From the BRC, Barry. $42 USD. Look for decals and a serial number on the interior of the rim to help document its story. TMC marketed this standard neck Tu-Ba-Phone banjoas item No. Martin briefly built a lightweight tenor banjo between 1923-26 to compete with Vega and other manufacturers whose heavier and more popular banjos had greater tone, volume, and sales. In your e-mail, you mention being told when acquiring the instrument that it was a prototype design. The Wonder model had a metal tone ring, white fingerboard binding, a heavy notched tension hoop, a 10 ply rim, geared tuners, a 3 piece maple neck, a blackwood fretboard, pearl dots, a resonator with 4 section metal tone flanges, nickel-plated parts, a plastic head, an armrest and shaded mahogany finish. VINTAGE VEGA TENOR BANJO, 1930, RESONATOR, 19 FRET, CLEAN. The number will be 6-12 digits long depending on what year it was made. Depending upon condition, it is probably worth somewhere around $750 these days. vega banjo identification Im happy to find Banjorehab as it is the first site Ive seen to have useful information on Vega-Martin banjos. He could always check the stamp on the bottomthe tone ring to see if its a match to the rim (it should say V916). ANTIQUE S.S. STEWART UNIVERSAL FAVORITE BANJO with INTERESTING HISTORY C $146.35 My estimate would in the neighborhood of $1.5K depending on condition. The Item # was VT2NRC. Can you identify this rare Vega Martin banjo just by the peghead markings? Is it possible to tell me what model or style and year it was built also the value? Vega Long Neck Banjo $5,399.00 Vega White Oak Long Neck Banjo 11" from $2,599.00 Vega Kingston Trio Tom Dooley Long Neck Banjo $15,599.00 Vega Woodsongs Campfire Long Neck Banjo $2,399.00 Sold Out Vega Professional 19-Fret Tenor Banjo $7,499.00 Vega Kingston Trio Long Neck Banjo $6,299.00 Vega Kingston Trio - Bob Shane Plectrum Banjo Maybe, the R-D prefix stands for Research and Development. This instrument was a special order for banjoist, Jack Mistretta, from Grand Rapids, Michiganwho happened to be a friend of Eddie Peabody. 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. The #24 on the tone ring is probably an assembly feature to separate the V-41 parts from its upscale gold-plated cousin the V-45 top of the line banjo. I dont know much about banjos because Im a guitar man myself. In my files, the PS-5 is seen in a Vega (Boston) flyer in 1961 where it lists for $309. Reverb Homepage Contact Support 539673d7daac40d5a6fd870a259b9813 Shop Gear Categories Brands Shops Deals and Steals Price Drops 0% Financing New and Popular Handpicked Collections Sell on Reverb In PACTware software. Hope this helps. Every Martin Vega I have seen has a more dark brown mahogany-colored stain. What is it worth today, and what did it sell for when new? Any idea where I might find one? 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. Martin D-45 guitar. The metal parts were gold plated and engraved. Photos , BRC Replies To Samantha (November 23, 2019), Reply From Dr. Ron (the BRC Vega Vox/EddiePeabody consultant). Jim, Jim -Thanks for your query. In the 1972 Martin catalogue, the Professional appears identical to yours, but it is absent from the 1976 catalogue. I do not know anything about banjos but the label inside the rim says VEGA of Boston. 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. Evidently, there was a marketing strategy to partner the 5-string V-41 instrument with Martin`s popular D-41 guitar, but this ploy did not come to fruition. Martin era. This fascinating collection of vintage stringed instruments chronicles luthier C.F. Roger- Thanks for your challenging follow-up query. Fender Standard Banjo Hardshell Case Black chuya Vega banjos were marketed in the US thereafter by TMC (Targ & Dinner 20 Century Music Company) via a catalogue published in May of 1979. The well preserved CFM decals on the rim and back of the peg head clearly document that the parts were made in Nazareth, PA, circa 1974. Used 5-String Open-Back Banjos | Intermountain Guitar & Banjo 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. Martin decals on the inner rim and back of the peghead. VEGA Vintage Banjos for sale | eBay C.F. Ironically, C.F. Unbeknownstto most 5 string aficionados, the Martin Guitar Company manufactured Vega banjos from 1970 through 1979. 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. According to the C.F. As C.F. FAIRBANKS BANJO MANDOLINE. vega banjo identification. Ive attached a photo of that Coat of Arms resonator next to my Vox Vit was a spare they had made for Eddie Peabody. I appreciate having some of the history around my banjo and will cherish it even more knowing it is somewhat rare. 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 0 bids. Martin did not publish retail prices after 1971, so my guess is that this up scale model sold back then for around $600. For those interested in the genealogy of banjo manufacturers, I have included a page summarizing some important relationships between manufacturers, . The 1971 Vega Martin price listed this model to retail at $556 without case. 1972 Vega Banjo. Of note, the PS-5 had the `famous Vega Tube-a-phone tone ring rim`, a 3 piece ebony fingerboard, pearl dots, a neck-tension rod, nickel-plated rim parts, a shaded mahogany neck, and a 10 ply maple rim. Not a fancy top-line model, but still built with the typical extremely high quality components and a simple but . The six digit Boston serial numbers were replaced by the Martin SN`s beginning with #2 in 1972. Thanks so much! thanks for your help and keep up the good work. Unfortunately, many 4-string players of a certain generation seem to think that their banjos will command higher priceseven the Gibson flat heads used for 5 string conversion have taken a tumble and are are half on what they were 5 years ago. Micky- Thanks for your narrative on your Pete Seeger long neck. It appears to be serial number 231 (engraved). The tone ring is stamped 24, and the tail piece is stamped 41. post . I have a Martin Vega Banjo, #324. The Vega No.2 is a banjo made of top grade curly maple stained light amber and buffed to a high gloss. 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. The Vega Vox model was a 4 string gem that featured a brass tone ring. The distinct disadvantage to having a rare banjo is finding replacement parts. Deering now owns the Vega brand, and it is rumored that they may revive the deep resonator design. The shoes (instead of Vox next nut shoes) and the round hook and nutassemblies are probably from stock, as I have some still lying around athome that I bought from Martin back then to replace on a 1929 Vegaphone(which are slightly different). Comparison of Best Banjo Strings Top Picks 2023 Reviews My Dad & I went to our music lessons back to back on Thursday evenings during my teen years some 40 years ago. The Vega serial number files still available do not specify the specific models of banjo manufactured in Massachusetts. 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. Martin decal photographed on the back of the VIP Vega peg head. In the Martin price list of 1971, it is listed at $488 without case. Be safe, be well, keep on picking. Barry, Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. Im just getting back into my love of music. VEGA Banjos for sale | eBay C.F. Im the happy owner of a Vega-Martin VW-5 Wonder 5 string, serial #1516. Martin manufactured only 33 VW-plectrum banjos. vega banjo identification Save This Search Your search returned 20 results View Sold and Expired Ads Matching Your Search I also did replace all of the cheapish plastic knobs with ivoroid ones of much better quality. 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. Prices subject to change without notice. In 1979, Martin sold the Vega brand to the Asian conglomerate Galaxy. 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. vega banjo identificationvega banjo identification January 31, 2022 . The Vega franchise was sold overseas in 1979 but reacquired in the US by Deering in 1989. About 20 years ago I had it re-fretted , re-finished , and the gold re-plated . Martin logbook, banjo SN 1450 was an entry level Wonder model 4 string plectrum banjo made in 1975. How much Galaxy (or Martin) produce new parts vs. assemble old stock bought from Vega? March 13, 2017 at 3:46 pmRob- Thank you for your query and very kind comments about the BRC website.
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