Im assuming this is the serial number, which would put me right next to Mark, who owned #888 in previous comment 6. Shop today! Martin did not publish suggested retail prices after 1971, but I would estimate the V-76 sold for around $7-800 with case. I have a seperate label thats still in the case showing the serial # 1199. Im happy to find Banjorehab as it is the first site Ive seen to have useful information on Vega-Martin banjos. Barry, I have an open back Vega long neck with C F Martin Co logo on the back of the machine head and inside the rim. Many thanks to you and your friend Ron for putting me straight. nike nationals track and field backpack; 0 comments. The Vega No.2 is a banjo made of top grade curly maple stained light amber and buffed to a high gloss. Martin also made 1976 model D-76 guitars to partner the banjo. It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. Hope this helps and best wishes from the BRC, Barry, Gary- Thanks for your query. 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). It is a beauty. Dave- Thank you for your kind words about the website and the narrative about your Vega Vox IV tenor banjo. Let me know if you might have any questionsI really appreciate the work youre doing here. As Barry indicates, a photo of the yellow sticker will be helpful here. Vega Martin models (1970-1979) are less of a collector`s item and fetch about half that price range. Your banjo neck is from a Martin Tu-Ba-Phone 5-string banjoas advertised in a Martin flyer circa 1978, and the potalso looks like a left-over rim inherited from theNazareth, PA, company. Then by ink its written Folk Ranger. The six digit Boston serial numbers were replaced by the Martin SN`s beginning with #2 in 1972. Martin built only 20 F-VIP 5 stringers, and to my count 11 were made in Pennsylvania per the shop log book. THE BRC THANKS YOU FOR VISITING THE VEGA MARTIN BANJO INFO PAGE. If you could give me your thought about what its worth, I would appreciate it. 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. 7. Where to find your serial number. By that time, parts were being shipped to Canada and Japan for assembly, and record keeping soon deteriorated and serial numbers were inconsistent. Your 5-stringer serial #993 is one of six Pro-5`s manufactured per Shop Order # 2211 in mid 1974 by C.F. Vega Banjo Identification Professional Had Black. No M130097 Model: Wonder 5 St. What a wealth of information! Just came across your site, I was wondering if you would be able to help identify what model Martin Vega banjo that I have, I believe it is from the 70s. 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. These were followed by banjos #9-14 which were Vega Vox-4-P plectrums per Shop Order 2088. Martin initiated its own serial number system in early 1972 which ran sequentially from #2 through #1945. Joshua, Joshua-Thank you for your kind comments and the very detailed pictures. Its a Vega VIP with the Martin Co. logo on the back of the peg head. Barry. On the neck, there usually should be a pencil written serial number at theheel where it meets the rim (at least all my Martins have one there). Jon- Thanks much for your kind comments about the website. 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. I cant find that picture, but Ill see if I can locate it, as someone else may have sent it to me playing the banjo out at afestival in Arizona. Could you tell me where it was built and what its value is today ? Some C.F. 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. I have found it helpful over the years. I have two theories about your instrument. It has dual rods running through the pot and it has the tubaphone tone ring. Roger- Thanks much for your query. Not a fancy top-line model, but still built with the typical extremely high quality components and a simple but . 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. Thanks for sharing your fascinating banjo with the BRC, Barry. Ernie Ball 5-String Medium Stainless Steel Banjo Strings, 10-10 Gauge (P02309) Check Price at Amazon. Good luck and thanks again for your post. It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. Just bought a martin-vega banjo from an old man in North Carolina. The openbacks are made entirely of white oak and feature a midnight maple fingerboard and peghead overlay. SF bay area > east bay > for sale > musical instruments - by owner. I have attached photos comparing the label printing difference. Barry, Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. An example of one of these 4-stringers from the 1920`s is still in the C.F. My other theory is that the pot, which bears a C.F. 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. Thanks for letting us see this fascinating and unique instrument. Fairbanks & Cole Your 5 string model was featured in the subsequent 1979 TMC Vega catalogue as an instrument similar to old style Vega Tu- Ba-Phone No.9.. banjo, and it listed then for $1250. Hopes this helps and thanks again for the detailed pictures. Deering rescued the Vega line by purchasing the brand name in 1989. i replaced the head but it still sounds the same. Martin did not publish retail prices after 1971, so my guess is that this up scale model sold back then for around $600. It is a top-of-the-line banjo that was paired with the reissued D-45 Martin guitar as a marketing strategy. A nice banjo- enjoy. The problem is that the serial number labels at this time had printing errors, where the first numeric digit was omitted. He was told that it was made by Martin, but I do not find any Martin labels. 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: Isgho Votre ducation notre priorit . 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. Your banjo is an off shoot of the classic No. Vega Banjos - Deering Banjo Company Thanks so much! 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. Best of luck and thanks for your query, Barry. 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. The Vega brand was subsequently sold overseas in 1979. The larger connecting rod inside the pot is a spare part inherited from the Boston days of the Vega company. Hope this helps and all the best in 2019, Barry. built in 1971, my long neck looks like it was built yesterday and all I added was a geared 5th string pegstuck it in an American Vintage case and screwed a CF Martin brass medallion to the side. Recently purchased a Vega Vox iv plectrum banjo. Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. VINTAGE VEGA TENOR BANJO, 1930, RESONATOR, 19 FRET, CLEAN. Is has a hard case with blue interior. A previous owner had deeply scratched a Social Security number into its heel. Excellent condition. Both the VW-5 and FW-5 appear in the 1961 Vega ((155 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA) catalogue but featuring a 5 ply rim in the early design. Martin V740 Strings Vega strun banjo 5-strunowego RETRO 10-23,10 I was disappointed because I badly wanted to see Scruggs models! I call him Rory, although much louder he has a beautiful rich tone, but is quite punchy.. From the BRC, Barry. Please take detailed photos of your banjo inside and outside. I think im in heaven. 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. 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. Thanks for your very kind words about the BRC website. Bob- Thanks for the remembrance narrative about you and your Dad learning music together- your are a lucky father and son. Hope this helps and best wishes from the BRC, Barry. Tim, Tim- Thanks much for your query. Well, this is a hybrid banjo, and doubtful that is a Galaxy banjo. The five number labels were found in banjos made from 1962 through February 1964, involving serial numbers A10300 through A12400. vega banjo identification - Aviator Land 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. 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. Hi guys, great website. From its early Boston beginnings, the Vega Banjo Company made splendidand now vintage instruments, including the Earl Scruggs signature model heendorsed in the 1960s. I will trade for a good Octave Mandolin or Bouzouki I knew nothing about it until I found this site. Wim, (Ed.- Note the classic Tubaphone tone ring. It took me six months to finally commit to purchasing the Vega-Martin VIP that I brought home today from a local music shop. Thank-you for your kind words about my website, and all blessings to you and yours this coming holiday season. 0 bids $10.96 shipping Ending Oct 14 at 5:44AM PDT5d 4hFrom GermanyBrand: VEGA Depending upon condition, it is probably worth somewhere around $750 these days. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. For reference, the name of the original owner with serial number should be in the Martin Archives. Gold and ivory hard wear with a butterfly mop inlay on the back of the body. The fascinatingwooden pie (sectioned) resonator is probably inherited from the Boston era Vega inventory. By history, C.F. P.S. vega banjo identificationvega banjo identification January 31, 2022 . 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. About 20 years ago I had it re-fretted , re-finished , and the gold re-plated . The first SN#720 I know is a VW-5 because it has the original hang tag. 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. The number is painted on the bottom not pressed in the wood. The description of your banjo serial number 916 is curious, and I will offer my theory about the instrument per the information given. Im curious to know if it is possible to learn whether this banjo came from the factory with a resonator or was originally sold as an open back. Greg Deering acquired rights to the Vega brand name in 1989 and restored the banjo line to greatness. On PLICSCOM menu under 'Information'. Martin manufactured 561 VW-5 banjos but only 124 FW-5 instruments. Vega Martin banjo SN 324 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973. The story of how Greg Deering came to own the 130 year old Vega trademark is one of childhood dreams and an unmissable opportunity. Hello and thank you so much for your hard work and dedication. Great information and even better advice. 1929 Vega Tubaphone Longneck Conversion Banjo This banjo started its life in 1929 as a Vega Vegaphone tenor banjo. Each of the men is posed in front of a Vega model 131 amplifier, identical to the unit which remains with the banjo today. Zero fret wear. Resale prices for this type of banjo vary widely from a couple of hundred to several thousand dollars depending on unique features. Im hoping you can check both in your archives and tell me the going prices. In excellent condition and ready to play. Martin historian Mike Longworth. Vega Tenor Banjo and Case, 1920s | Reverb Oops, Something went wrong. After Martin purchased Vega in 1970, the factory transitioned from Needham Heights to Nazareth, PA. Bob- Thanks for your query and kind words about my website. It is great to hear from someone who actually visited the Vega factory in Needham Heights, Massachusetts. Thank you so very much for this information! The metal parts were chrome-plated. $42 USD. 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. If you want a more Bluegrass sound, try a 5-Star head from Stew Mac. The ebony fingerboard was on a mahogany neck, and a butterfly adorns the back of the resonator. I was told by someone at C. F. Martin that they only made 11 of them ( mine is ser # 7 ) . post . Posts. Congratulations on having two vintage VM banjos, and your gracious comments about the Info site are much appreciated. The resonator was hand-painted, and fancy engraved pearl inlays adorned the ebony fingerboard. I actually picked up a banjo that had a resonator that was sitting on the shelf in that 1970-72 period as Martin was transitioning and shutting down the factory there. Although the genesis of your SN and date of manufacture are a puzzlement, it is no mystery that you own a lovely vintage Martin banjo. Is this generally true, can one instantly recognize a Nazareth vs. Massachusetts by the stain color? This is an early and very nice example of the classic Vega . 22 frets. The tone ring really had me confused! I have an ornate 5 string Martin Vega banjo with pie-plate style resonator. I would send pictures but was not sure just where to post them. vega banjo identification Although a mystery to me, this top of the line resonator banjo was introduced by C.F. Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. From the BRC, Barry. Be safe, be well, keep on picking. Martin Vega banjo #892 should be a long neck open back Folklore Model manufactured in the latter half of 1973 per shop order 2198. From the BRC, Barry. 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. The Vega 1961 flyer and 1963 catalogue describe that the Earl Scruggs model had a sunburst finish on the resonator. Be safe, be well. 96.90 postage. Please try again. Hope this helps, and all the best picking, Barry. Data from these logbooks are available per e-mail request from the BRC founder. 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. VIP is printed on the truss rod cover. 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. 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. All the best pickin`, and thanks for your kind words about my website. I was told by someone at C. F. Martin that they only made 11 of them ( mine is ser # 7 ) . 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. Where is the serial number on a Vega banjo? 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). Rettberg & Lange(1898-1920) banjos were initially similar to Buckbee-made I have a vegavox 4 tenor banjo by Martin . Martin purchased the Vega brand in May in 1970 and just before the factory was transferred to Pennsylvania. Your PS-5 Pete Seeger long neck # M-130259 was assembled in Nazareth in early 1971 per Shop Order 2012. This is a beautiful banjo! All the very best from the BRC, Barry, Thank you, Barry. Your Vega Martin instrument SN 231 is a Wonder model VW-P (plectrum ) 4 stringer made in Nazareth in late 1972 per Shop Order #2121 just after production was transferred from Boston to the re-tooled Pennsylvania factory. 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. Being unable to find anything on the internet, I began to think I had been scammed. While the Martin factory in Nazareth, PA, retooled to build banjos, interim yellow stickers were affixed to the inner rims of Boston banjos citing the merger and identifying the model of the instrument (which was inscribed by pen). In the the 1971 Vega Martin price list, the VW-Plec retailed at $345. Today I purchase Vega PS-5, serial number M-130259. The rim and shoe screws/washer are likely homemade/cut down and tone ring is not Galaxy stock, but more of a Gibson knockoff. Also, the banjo has some ornate details carved in it. Martin upgraded the maple rim to 10 ply after purchasing the Vega/Boston franchise in May of 1970. Vega Martin SN 1199 is one of five VIP-T (tenor) banjos made per shop order # 2233 in late 1974 in Nazareth, PA. In the final VM 1976 catalogue, the F-VIP is displayed in full advertising detail. Thanks you for this great site. Cobra hooks first appear circa 1881 on Fairbanks & Cole banjos. Jim, Jim -Thanks for your query. The PS-5 is not seen in the 1976 Vega Martin catalog but is replaced by the No. 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 You banjo parts were probably shipped in 1977 to Japan for assembly where all serial number assignments were in disarray. There are no other identification markings on the instrument and it definitely does not say Martin anywhere. It is collecting dust since i dont play the banjo and I am thinking of passing it on. Location. These days, my guess is that this 5 stringer is worth about $1500 or more depending on condition. For several years, the Vega Martin banjo was an amalgam of parts from Massachusetts and Nazareth, PA. Old 6 digit Vega serial numbers persisted on a yellow sticker on the inner pot until production was moved to Pennsylvania in 1972. 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. I own Martin Vega Wonder serial no. Martin manufactured 100 Pro-5 banjos including the temporary Bobby Joe Fenster variation. 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. The Vega Regent is one of the classic 5-string banjos of the Vega line. Rob- Thank you for the below photos. 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. I live near Portland, Oregon. TMC marketed this standard neck Tu-Ba-Phone banjoas item No. vega banjo identification Martin`s beloved historian). Again, thanks for your post. 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. Barry. With hard case. Heres a link to a .zip file you can download. Thats a lot of information! From the BRC, Barry, Barry, i have an extended neck (25 fretts) Vega/Martin banjo with a serial number of 80. If you need photos I can take a few and send them to you on a subsequent time. Deering purchased the Vega franchise in1989 restoring the line to greatness. 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 serial number is found on a white tag on the inside of the resonator or if you have an openback banjo, it is a smaller white tag on the inside of the rim. 3, Serial #50232, with a patented brass top hoop and bracket band over a seven-lap sectional maple hoop, 28 brackets, mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard with22 frets and inlaid pearloid dots and star position marks, carved heel, peghead with flowerpot inlay . Hope this helps, and thanks again for your post. Best wishes with your VIP and thanks again for your post, Barry. 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. From the BRC, Barry. Enjoy. 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. 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. Ive taken a number of hi-res photostoo many to attach to email. Dick- Thank you for being a frequent reader of the BRC website. 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 label on the peg head reads Martin & Co and inside the rim reads Martin & Co and the number 993. In the 1970 VM catalogue, the VIP-T banjo retailed for $556, and the hard shell case was $68 extra. Wow, I glad to find your website! It looks to have some pretty fancy inlays along the fretboard and some nice detail & trim around the wooden drum. Maybe, the R-D prefix stands for Research and Development. The last SN from Boston was probably #130049, and the Vega Martin logbook in Nazareth starts with SN 130248. Martin Museum collection. 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; Barry- Thanks for your queries and subsequent photos that promt me to revise my initial response. These data were generously provided to the BRC founder in 2000 by the family owned Martin Guitar department of history. Landis- Thanks for your post. Neck and rim look a lot like made by Martin craftsmen, and it arrived set up perfectly. Im just getting back into my love of music. Thanks for your post and happy pickin`, Barry. 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. 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. Any info including your estimate of current value would be very much appreciated. In my files, the PS-5 is seen in a Vega (Boston) flyer in 1961 where it lists for $309. Thanks for the photo of your Vega/Martin Pro-5 banjo. Your VM-5 Wonder banjo SN 720 was manufactured in 1973 per Shop Order 2181. The model was discontinued after Martin Guitar bought Vega in 1970. 2 Vega banjo from the early Boston era. Any ideas on contacts for such a beast?
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