It has only a tape serial number inside the pot of 1124. 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). 1833 decal is absent from the inner rim. The smaller one has 2 small set screws installed on either side of the rod to adjust the neck heel . However, its a beautifully crafted banjo with a great sound. The V-45(5) featured a heavy one-piece flat head tone ring of brass so popular among Bluegrass pickers. With hard case. The top-of-the-line model that Martin-Vega offered during the 1970s was the special order Ultra Vox V. At the end of the production run in 1979, the MSRP list price in the catalog was $3600 (exactly the same as the Martin D-45 guitar). Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items. Could you tell me where it was built and what its value is today ? Your banjo is an off shoot of the classic No. 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. 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. These were used on the Wonder, VIP,Folklore, etc (non-Pro II, V-45, V-41 styles). 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 model was discontinued after Martin Guitar bought Vega in 1970. Note below the C.F. Banjo SN 1648 is a `Folk Wonder` model (FW-5) which first appears in the Vega (Boston) catalogue in 1961 per my files. Barry, Marc- Thanks much for the prompt and telling photos. 0 bids. On the back side of your device. From its early Boston beginnings, the Vega Banjo Company made splendidand now vintage instruments, including the Earl Scruggs signature model heendorsed in the 1960s. As your banjo bears no C.F. The five number labels were found in banjos made from 1962 through February 1964, involving serial numbers A10300 through A12400. Your banjo is item # VB120C which sold for $360 back then. I have attached photos comparing the label printing difference. Im hoping I can find a V41 pot. Your comments about the color tone differences of Vega/Boston vs. Martin/Nazareth resonator banjos are curious, and I do not have an accurate answer for it. Categories . In the 1971 price list, it retailed at $545 without case. This is an early and very nice example of the classic Vega . For those interested in the genealogy of banjo manufacturers, I have included a page summarizing some important relationships between manufacturers, . I orderedit in 1970 through a music store in Norwich , Ct run by Cliff Tidd . In 1979, Martin sold the Vega brand to the Asian conglomerate Galaxy. According to the C.F. We have a bunch of new Deering merch for you whether it be socks, shirts, tote bags, mugs, and more! vega banjo identificationvega banjo identification January 31, 2022 . Thanks! Vega banjos were marketed in the US thereafter by TMC (Targ & Dinner 20 Century Music Company) via a catalogue published in May of 1979. My estimate is that your vintage instrument is worth $1500-1700. The Vega Regent is one of the classic 5-string banjos of the Vega line. It is indeed a sweet banjo with plenty of talk in it. Banjoman- C.F. The Voxes have endured a bit more that others in the market place, however. I love the story. 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. These days, my guess is that this 5 stringer is worth about $1500 or more depending on condition. The inside of the rim has a R-D-136 in white. Thank you. 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. Ive got a couple of pictures in case of interest, but Id need a mail-address for sending, me supposing. SF bay area > east bay > for sale > musical instruments - by owner. From the BRC, Barry, Only a handful of Martin/Vega banjos made it down to Australia. The banjo is featuring an interesting mix of particulars: The connecting rods are of the (much earlier?) Search online for Earl Scruggs Vega Banjo Images, and you will see a photo of him with his endorsed Vega instrument bearing the signature square inlays on the neck that offered its distinctive stage appearance. Your Vega Martin VIP-5 with SN 845 was made in Nazareth, PA, in 1974 as one of four manufactured per Shop Order #2193, and it sold for $556 without case in the 1971 price list (after which VM did not publish recommended retail prices). 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. 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. I bought a Vega Martin 5 string some time in 2000. Your Vega Wonder (VW) plectrum banjo SN 129 was one of six `VW-Plec` 4 string banjos made in Nazareth, PA, by C. F. Martin per Shop Order #2105 in mid 1972. Again, thanks for your post. 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. - ORDERS OVER $199 SHIPPED TO THE CONTINENTAL U.S. Add to cart SKU: 2959 Categories: 5-String Openback Banjos, Banjos, Vega Description Additional information Reviews (1) Shipping, Returns & Exchanges About this Banjo 7. 1972 Vega Banjo. 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. Thanks, I have really enjoyed reading the material on this site.RowdyArizona, Rowdy- Thanks for your kind words about the website. Your banjo with SN 1046 was one of five PS-5 instruments manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in 1974 per Shop Order 2218, and after that C.F. It has dual rods running through the pot and it has the tubaphone tone ring. You banjo parts were probably shipped in 1977 to Japan for assembly where all serial number assignments were in disarray. 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. C.F. Although a mystery to me, this top of the line resonator banjo was introduced by C.F. Thanks for your query, Barry. The long neck banjo is less popular nowadays with the surge in Bluegrass music, but I have two of them and value their mellow wife-friendly tone. Martin Vega Banjo 5-Strings, Medium Gauge (V740) Check Price at Amazon. These data were generously provided to the BRC founder in 2000 by the family owned Martin Guitar department of history. Deering purchased the Vega franchise in1989 restoring the line to greatness. From the BRC, Barry. 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). 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. Hopes this helps and thanks again for the detailed pictures. From the BRC, Barry. Hope this helps, and thanks again for your post. The V-45 appears on the cover of the 1972 catalogue, and it was billed as our finest Bluegrass banjo in the 1976 catalogue. I have an ornate 5 string Martin Vega banjo with pie-plate style resonator. I actually have a customized 75 Martin D28 to go with my 75 Vega. Your aunt`s banjo sounds like a stock model, so I would estimate that it would fetch $400-$700 on the open market. 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. C.F. 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. 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 4-string tenor gauge is mellow and warm and accents low to midrange frequencies Tech Specs Number of Strings: 4 String Material: Tin-plated Steel Your Pete Seeger (PS-5) was one of eleven PS-5 long neck banjos made in early 1972 per Shop Order 2098. 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. vega banjo identification. Of note, banjo SN 136 manufactured in 1972 was a Vega Vox I plectrum and not a 5-stringer like yours. C.F. Item # 9126. 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. Galaxy went bankrupt around 1984 and vanished. 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. $260 USD. Your VW-5 model Vega Wonder banjo SN 721 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in late 1973 per Shop Order 2181. Barry. They are on the second and 3rd strings and allow that Buck Trent kind of thing. Best wishes for happy pickin`, Barry, I have an Vega 5-string banjo, open back, bought around 1965. Learning how to play the banjo is no different. I inherited a Vega 5-string resonator banjo and have been trying to find out additional information about it. It has almost all the hallmarks of a stock model VIP banjo. This model appears in the 1972 and 1976 catalogues. It is great to hear from someone who actually visited the Vega factory in Needham Heights, Massachusetts. Is this generally true, can one instantly recognize a Nazareth vs. Massachusetts by the stain color? Home; Meet Darlene; ISI Mission; What is Coaching? Wooden pot resonator. 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). This is a stock neck off a Martin-made tenor from that erathe fingerboardblock inlay is what would be found on only the Vox I or Pro. 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: Per the 1971 Martin price list, the recommended retail price back then was $545 with out case which cost another $68 for the hard shell version. Vega serial #s between 99369 and 99686, when the switch from the Vega stamp to printed yellow labels seems to have occured. Many thanks to you and your friend Ron for putting me straight. Therefore it became dissembled. VINTAGE VEGA TENOR BANJO, 1930, RESONATOR, 19 FRET, CLEAN. The Eddie Peabody Model was actually made by Vega of Boston from 1966-ca. Informacje o Martin V740 StringsVega strun banjo RETRO 10-23,10 - 11109692503 w archiwum Allegro. I has Vega and a single star on the front of the headstock. The neck has crown-and-football inlays and the Martin logo is on the back of the pegboard. gamefowl breeders in texas; 0 comments. Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. Could you tell me where it was built and what its value is today ? I ordered. 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. A total of 98 model D-76E guitars were also made for employees. Sold out. sir- need some help. . It looks like the banjo is in ok/decent condition. Martin- Thank you for your query and very useful photos. 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 banjo was manufactured in Pennsylvania in 1976 per Shop Order #2299 just before Martin began to ship parts to Japan for assembly (after which serial numbers became goofy). In the meantime, keep on pickin` that Pro-5. 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. With appreciation, Barry. There are no other identification markings on the instrument and it definitely does not say Martin anywhere. The mahogany neck had an ebony fingerboard with distinctive inlays including the peg head. Thanks for sharing your fascinating banjo with the BRC, Barry. Is it possible to tell me what model or style and year it was built also the value? Having read the posts above I see that this is most likely not the case! He uses the one piece neck design typical of the other Deering models with the SN stamped on the back of the peghead. 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. Just found you today . Im hoping you can check both in your archives and tell me the going prices. Please try again. John, just an old Missouri banjo picker transplanted in Arizona. It is a VEGA MARTIN tenor 4 string on which is written a number: 1040 .On the handle, it is engraved VIP and the back of the handle, there is the CF Martin logo.I want to know the date of construction , its positioning in the range of tenor banjos and possibly the price it may be worth now .Thank you in advance and best wishes !Bernard, BRC Banjo Replies:June 1, 2016 at 2:33 pm, Bonjour Bernard- Your VIP (Very Important Player) tenor banjo serial number 1040 was one of three VIP-T banjos manufactured by C.F. Flanked by interactive faculty at a northeastern banjo camp, the BRC founderproudly shows-off his Vega VIP banjo built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1975. From the BRC, Barry. vega banjo identification. Im assuming this is the serial number, which would put me right next to Mark, who owned #888 in previous comment 6. 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. I have a Vega V.I.P. FAIRBANKS BANJO MANDOLINE. All original except the tailpiece cracked at the bend not long after I got it, and I replaced it with the Stew-Mac version. Jack. 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. 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. thanks for the very informative web site Martin built only 20 F-VIP 5 stringers, and to my count 11 were made in Pennsylvania per the shop log book. Jim, Jim -Thanks for your query. Thanks again for your post. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout.

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