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. Martin did not publish suggested retail prices after 1971, but I would estimate the V-76 sold for around $7-800 with case. The tone ring holes are grouped in sets of three rather than equally spaced as on a tubaphone ring. 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. I bought it in Stockholm, Sweden as a student, so it was not so expensive, as i remembered. The VIP banjo last appeared in the 1976 VM catalog as an open back instrument but still featuring the V.I.P. If this banjo has some more of the early prewar design features, add $1000-1500.Hope this helps, Dr. Ron. My personal suggestion, however, is to preserve it as a tangible keepsake of the priceless moments spent with your father years ago. Landis- Thanks for your post. Would appreciate any information you can provide to verify the model and any original cost/current value. Please try again. It listed back then for $345 without to BRCcase. C.F. Rob- Thank you for the below photos. I love the story. 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. Retail price was $1300.00 ; I paid $900.00 . Many thanks for your efforts. Martin 1970 catalogue described ashaded mahogany finish on the Wonder model, and the 1976 Martin catalogue reported thatthe Wonder banjo bore a mahogany color finish. Have a bunch of pics I can forward, any particular area to focus on that would help? ), Wim- Congratulations on procuring such a lovely vintage instrument. This uniquestyle resonator was verypopular for many years, and it still hasvalue as a vintage part. 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. Gold and ivory hard wear with a butterfly mop inlay on the back of the body. C.F. In the the 1971 Vega Martin price list, the VW-Plec retailed at $345. Further investigation related to your comments in the abovefirst paragraph might shed some light on the wood tone finish differences. The Vega brand was subsequently sold overseas in 1979. The Pro-5 does not appear in the 1976 Vega Martin catalogue. Deering now owns the Vega brand, and it is rumored that they may revive the deep resonator design. Typically, the number would be preceded with an A (indicating an adjustable truss rod) followed by a six-digit number. Martin Company acquired the Vega rights from the Bostonian Nelson Family in May of 1970 and sold the franchise overseas in March of 1979. Tony Trsichka wants Greg to make a 5-string model, much like Vega did on very rare occasions in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Great sound and in excellent condition. 0 bids $10.96 shipping Ending Oct 14 at 5:44AM PDT5d 4hFrom GermanyBrand: VEGA 2 for $4149. Just found this wonderful site. Your tenor 4-stringer was built in early 1972 per Shop Order 2051. Im not very knowledgable about banjos so please forgive my terminology. The ebony fingerboard was on a mahogany neck, and a butterfly adorns the back of the resonator. Thank you very much for your quick answer. I got an old Vega banjo from my father. Replyfrom our Vega Vox scholar Dr. RonHi Ernie. Linda- Thanks much for your query and hearing about your three vintage banjos. Having read the posts above I see that this is most likely not the case! Enjoy. 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. From the BRC, Barry. The F-VIP is first mentioned briefly on a front page of the 1970 Vega Martin catalogue, and it retailed for $490 in the VM price list of 1971. Shop today! The C.F. After the difficult 1977 luthier strike at the C.F. TH, Tom- Thanks for your query. Vega banjos were marketed in the US thereafter by TMC (Targ & Dinner 20 Century Music Company) via a catalogue published in May of 1979. Vega Banjos - The Mandolin Pages vega banjo identification. If you had a picture archive, Id be happy to post some pictures. He is credited with being one of the first banjo-builders to install side brackets with hooks to adjust the tension of the head. Your mellowed 1963 SR-5 sold for $400 in the 1963 Vega catalogue, and it was advertised to feature a brilliant tone back then. I was told by someone at C. F. Martin that they only made 11 of them ( mine is ser # 7 ) . Of note, when the Professional 5-stringer was made in Boston in the early 1960`s, it had square MOP inlays with dots on the neck compared to the nicely designed inlays on your fretboard and seen in the 1966 catalogue. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you for your query to the BRC and the abovephoto link. Galaxy marketed its 4 and 5 stringers in the USA via a remarkably unimaginative TMC catalog in which each banjo was identified only with an Item number but no model moniker to give it personality like the Pro-5 or Wonder banjos named by the earlier corporate owners. He uses the one piece neck design typical of the other Deering models with the SN stamped on the back of the peghead. I purchased the instrument from a private dealer (Kingsport, TN) for $800. The number is painted on the bottom not pressed in the wood. In the Martin log book, the last six digit (Vega) serial number was 130392 in 1972 after which began the Martin digits. If it has a wooden pot resonator, remove it and check the inner rim for identifiers. vega serial numbers - Discussion Forums - Banjo Hangout My guess is that most of the left-over parts from near your home in Massachusettes were used up over the next ensuing 7 years of production, but there is an outside chance that a few spare parts like an occasional tonering survived and were transferred to Galaxy when it purchased Vega in 1979. Buy VEGA Banjos and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! Hello and thank you so much for your hard work and dedication. Any ideas on contacts for such a beast? Barry, Marc- Thanks much for the prompt and telling photos. George Gruhn might also know. 2 Tu-Ba-Phone model which is part of an historic production series started in the 1920`s in Boston, continued in Nazareth, PA, and sustained today by Deering in Spring Valley, CA. vega banjo identification - americanuzbekistan.org (#26) Dr. Ron about " Vega Vox V: The Vega Martin Apogee of 4 String Banjos", A Lone (Pre Vega Martin ) Banjo at the Art Museum, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14ES67V1VHbMR-GfbQpvWWGD1RUJrtyTv?usp=sharing. All of these extra upgrades were reportedly worth an additional $1000 at the time. Then by ink its written Folk Ranger. My Dad left me a Martin VegaIm thinking I want to pass it on to someone wholl play it and care for it more than I can. It is mentioned again on a back page of the 1972 catalogue. My estimate would in the neighborhood of $1.5K depending on condition. In 1970, C.F. According to the C.F. Photos would be necessary to give an accurate price range, as design styles were still changing in the post war period and overall condition (all original parts) would bring a higher price. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. 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. Also, I can send pictures, if this would help, or just be fun! What is it worth today, and what did it sell for when new? Can you tell me about it? Smakula Fretted Instruments; Banjos Everywhere! 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. Barry. Although C.F. ), though, as said earlier, neck and rim look a lot like Martin quality. 22 frets. The BRC Archives contain the serial numbers of these unique Vega-Martin banjos. Flanked by interactive faculty at a northeastern banjo camp, the BRC founderproudly shows-off his Vega VIP banjo built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1975. The Wonder was an entry level resonator instrument that featured a metal tone ring, white fingerboard binding, a notched tension hoop, a 10 ply rim, 3 piece maple neck, blackwood fretboard, pearl dots, nickel-pate parts and a shaded mahogany finish. In a 1971 price list, the FW-5 sold for $345. I have 2 Martin Vegas. About 20 years ago I had it re-fretted , re-finished , and the gold re-plated . Martin V730 StringsVega struny banjo 5str 10-23,10 - 11109713090 After 20 years, the wear and tear on a refinished instrument may reduce the value further. Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. Martin logbook, banjo SN 1450 was an entry level Wonder model 4 string plectrum banjo made in 1975. This 5-stringer was manufactured circa 1845 in Baltimore, MD, by luthier William Boucher, Jr.. I gave alot of money for this, just hoping a made a decent deal. The 1971 Vega Martin price listed this model to retail at $556 without case. 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. I think im in heaven. ! - Vintage Vega #2 Gp With appreciation, Barry. The two legendary musicians in the camp photo are banjo godfather Tony Trischka and Grammy award winner Eric Weissberg. Like Mark whom you cite from Comment #6 above, your banjo is one of 14 Pro-5 instruments manufactured per Shop Order #2197 in 1974 in Nazareth, PA. Martin built 100 Pro-5 banjos from 1971-79, including the whimsical Bobby Joe Fenster 5 stringer which was a thinly disguised Pro-5. Fairbanks & Vega banjos, Dating & Identifying - Mugwumps Published by at 16 de junio de 2022. This is a super site for banjo players and owners. The inside of the rim has a R-D-136 in white. Identification: "A" Style mandolins were symmetrical and shaped like a teardrop. So cool to have this historical data. The mahogany neck had an ebony fingerboard with distinctive inlays including the peg head. 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). In the 1971 price list, it retailed at $545 without case. Learning how to play the banjo is no different. In the Vega Martin shop files, banjo SN 916 is a VVI-P (Vega Vox Style 1 plectrum) resonator banjo made in 1974 in Nazareth, PA. Plectrum 4 stringers have 22 frets compared to the tenors that have 17 to 19 frets. In the Martin price list of 1971, it is listed at $488 without case. 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. However, its a beautifully crafted banjo with a great sound. Of historical interest, when Martin initiated its own four digit serial number system in 1972 to replace the Vega six digit system, banjos SN 2-5 were the V-45(5) model. Thanks for your reply. About 20 years ago I had it re-fretted , re-finished , and the gold re-plated . An example of one of these 4-stringers from the 1920`s is still in the C.F. The seller advertised it (in 2016) as verified by BRC made in 1976 in Nazareth. 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). 7. Id love to learn more about it, etc. Despite its puzzling serial number, your instrument is a Tu-Ba-Phone Deluxe 5-string. Well, this is a hybrid banjo, and doubtful that is a Galaxy banjo. It has only a tape serial number inside the pot of 1124. I do not know anything about banjos but the label inside the rim says VEGA of Boston. The openbacks are made entirely of white oak and feature a midnight maple fingerboard and peghead overlay. In recent years, Deeringrecreated andmarkets its ownVega Professional 4-stringer model with a classic wooden pie sectioned resonator. 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. 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. 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. Thanks Again! Vega Short Scale 4 string banjo neck model? - Mandolin Cafe Martins acquisition of Vega of Bostonand, the only other one completed in the old Needham Heights factory before banjo production finally moved to Nazareth. The inside of the banjo is also blank except for the painted serial number 2207. 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. A.C. Fairbanks (by Vega) "Regent" 5-string banjo, S/N 25121, Circa 1909 A.C. Fairbanks (by Vega) "Tubaphone" #9, 5-string banjo, S/N 25516, Circa 1909 . It look and plays great. It is a Four-String Banjo, Tu-ba-phone Model No. The Pro II model was advertised in the 1966 Vega catalogue with an up-graded and fancy mother of pearl inlay pattern as seen on your banjo. This workshop numbering system continued uninterrupted to #2355 in 1977 when the banjos went overseas for assembly. vega banjo identification 1519. Shortly thereafter, the Martin craftsmen went on strike, and banjo parts were shipped overseas for assembly. Its always inspiring to see someone so dedicated to their craft! Thanks for the great information on this page. P.S. Martin decals on the inner rim and back of the peghead. Save This Search Your search returned 20 results View Sold and Expired Ads Matching Your Search My VIP-5 is SN 1364 and was made about one year after your 5-stringer, and it has a nice mid range tone. Martin made 76 commemorative V-76 banjos in 1976 to celebrated the bicentennial of the USA. C.F. 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 differentiating feature is the deeper resonator than the VIP/Pro II/Osborne/Scruggs Mk II/Bobby Joe Fenster standard resonator modelsnot quite as deep as the Vox and not top tension (standard hook and nut with Pro II flanges). . Martin built only 20 F-VIP 5 stringers, and to my count 11 were made in Pennsylvania per the shop log book. The rare T-2 and T-2XL had serial numbers in the #1607-1945 range. You are so kind to provide this great info to all of us banjo geeks. Jack. The five number labels were found in banjos made from 1962 through February 1964, involving serial numbers A10300 through A12400. As Barry indicates, a photo of the yellow sticker will be helpful here. Elite Fiberskyn Banjo Head, 11", High. This did include the instalment of a Fiberskyn head to mellow down the tone somewhat, of a geared 5th string tuner, and of a (very nice) tailpiece to replace the chrome plated Waverly (everything else nickel). The long-neck No. 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. Prices subject to change without notice. In the 1972 Martin catalogue, the Professional appears identical to yours, but it is absent from the 1976 catalogue. The VM price list in 1971 quoted a sales tag of $545 for the Pro-5 without case. C.F. Location. 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. The PS-5 appears in the transitional 1970 Vega Martin catalog, and again in the 1972 product brochure; but it is absent from the 1976 catalog. I would love some photos of your V-45 to upload with this post. For those interested in the genealogy of banjo manufacturers, I have included a page summarizing some important relationships between manufacturers, . Bob- Thank you for your kind words about my website, and I reply with compliments to your luthier shop with which I am familiar. The original prototype was designed and built by the Vega Company in 1969, for the legendary King of the Banjo Eddie Peabody to commemorate his 50th year in show business. The earliest reported is F&C #1000. 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. Unless refinished, the decal on the back alsomakes it post-1972. Aside a changed bridge it remained un-modified and rarely played until about two years ago, as by the time I had bought it, I more and more began concentrating on the guitar. sir- need some help. Your banjo was built circa 1964, and the A pre-fix to the serial number means `adjustable truss rod`. 28 de mayo de 2018. March 13, 2017 at 3:46 pmRob- Thank you for your query and very kind comments about the BRC website. As C.F. Ending Thursday at 9:33PM GMT 2d 23h. Martin in the 1970s (I have sent you the title page illustrating your instrument).
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