It listed for $1310 in the 1971 VM price brochure and a carved heel was extra. vega banjo identification - Pamela Hudson They made both tenor/plectrum and five-string models. From the BRC, Barry. This is a super site for banjo players and owners. Mark- Thank you for the very helpful series of photos and your kind comments about the website. But with original Whyte Laydie banjo rims being in demand for converting to 5-string instruments, this one is an ideal candidate. Great information and even better advice. In excellent condition and ready to play. Vega Tenor Banjo and Case, 1920s | Reverb pine valley golf auction; what happened to thelma from amen; roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in education; what happens when you meet your twin flame Vega Martin models (1970-1979) are less of a collector`s item and fetch about half that price range. Your Pete Seeger (PS-5) was one of eleven PS-5 long neck banjos made in early 1972 per Shop Order 2098. Photos are available. Martin V730 StringsVega struny banjo 5str 10-23,10 - 11109713090 Barry, Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. Martin Vega Banjo 5-Strings, Medium Gauge (V740) Check Price at Amazon. Save This Search Vega Vox short neck tenor banjo IiMPOSSIBLE TO FIND/ one of the best sounding Banjo's in the world> Used - Mint Condition Posted 11/15/2021 8:46:13 AM by Ronkisok - Country: United States - State: CT - ZIP: 06790 Thought you might enjoy an article in All Frets from my good friend and American Banjo Museum curator, Johnny Baier, An Ode to the Vega VoxId like to think my bad influences have moved him over to the dark side as he is now a happy owner of his own deep resonator tenor with a calfskin head (it sounds fantastic). The description of your banjo serial number 916 is curious, and I will offer my theory about the instrument per the information given. About 20 years ago I had it re-fretted , re-finished , and the gold re-plated . The new longneck was design to match the original neck in style and looks while also using some of Vega's Pete Seeger model as influence. 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. Any clues? These days, my guess is that this 5 stringer is worth about $1500 or more depending on condition. Martin built only 22 such instruments which featured a brass tone ring, gold-plating, an engraved tail piece, an ebony fretboard, and a mahogany neck. I was fortunate enough to visit the Needham factory (actually a cement-block garage-like building) in the mid-late 1960s and saw some early VIPs under construction. After the original owner, Jack Mistretta, passed away in 1998, this banjo found its way to Japan, where noted jazz-banjoist, Ken Aoki, featured it for many years in his touring act. Ive taken a number of hi-res photostoo many to attach to email. It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. 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). TMC marketed this standard neck Tu-Ba-Phone banjoas item No. Martin did not publish suggested retail prices after 1971, but I would estimate the V-76 sold for around $7-800 with case. Still as wonderful as the day I got it. Is this generally true, can one instantly recognize a Nazareth vs. Massachusetts by the stain color? Your VW-5 model Vega Wonder banjo SN 721 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in late 1973 per Shop Order 2181. I dont know much about banjos because Im a guitar man myself. it has five strings and if you would be so kind let me know something about it and if someone you know wants to play it, I guess it would be better off with them; or I will go take lessons I suppose. The resonator was hand-painted, and fancy engraved pearl inlays adorned the ebony fingerboard. 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. vega banjo identification. 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. ). The rim is 10 ply maple with a top metal tone ring, nickel-plated metal parts, and a shaded mahogany finish. 2 for $4149. vega banjo identification New and used generic flanges can be found on eBay, but getting one to fit your pot outer diameter and bracket hook sequence is tricky. 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`. vega banjo identification. It appears to be serial number 231 (engraved). So, your banjo is likely either a late 1963/early 1964 model (Vega model years ran from Oct 1st-Sept 30th at the time, much like automobiles). It took me six months to finally commit to purchasing the Vega-Martin VIP that I brought home today from a local music shop. VEGA Banjos for sale | eBay I admire the amount of effort youve put into helping the community of banjo enthusiasts I ve got serial # 129 , a 22 fret ,27 scale plectrum in for a set up..any info.about date of manufacture,potential value, and other pertinent details would be appreciatedthanks.. BRC Banjo Replies:July 14, 2016 at 1:13 pm, Darryl- Thank you for your kind comments about the BRC website. Dot inlay fret board. It looks to have some pretty fancy inlays along the fretboard and some nice detail & trim around the wooden drum. Shortly thereafter, the Martin craftsmen went on strike, and banjo parts were shipped overseas for assembly. It is the first martin-vega I have ever seen in person, or had in my hands! Elite Fiberskyn Banjo Head, 11", High. Zero fret wear. 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. If there is any other interesting information about the instrument you care to share from the Martin log book, I would be most appreciative. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC recently showcased an exhibit of pre-1900 Martin guitars. Hope this helps and thanks again for your post. Martin did not publish suggested retail prices after 1971, but I would estimate the V-76 sold for around $7-800 with case. I told her to leave cause i thought they were taking advantage of her because of her age. 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. Comparison of Best Banjo Strings Top Picks 2023 Reviews 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. very carefully, I did and its four digits # 1450. it looks very good to me as far as the condition, its just old and kind of dirty. The VIP-T is a nice mid range banjo model, and I have a VIP-5 which has a pleasant mid range tonal response. Answer: Tu-Ba-Phone 5-String made 1978-1979. All the best pickin`, and thanks for your kind words about my website. Be safe, be well. (BTW, foradditional postings select Vega Martin Stories on the homepage menu or enter Vega Martin in the search engine. Jon- Thanks much for your kind comments about the website. Vega Pete Seeger Model Longneck Model 5 String Banjo (1961), made in Boston, Mass., serial # 100971, shaded maple finish, laminated maple neck and rim, ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case. After Martin sold the Vega line to Galaxy in 1979, this generic mother of pearl pattern remained the same in the VIP model but had double-stripe engraving on it. Virtually immaculate. Subscribe to get free banjos tips, hear about new products, special offers, and more! Im assuming this is the serial number, which would put me right next to Mark, who owned #888 in previous comment 6. Of note, my Vega Martin VIP-5 banjo built in 1975 also came with a `Care of Your Banjo` memo dated 8/26/71 and a warranty that instructed the owner to call 215-759-2837 and ask for Mike (probably Mike Longworth who was C.F. 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). If in poor condition, Ive seen them sell as low as $3000-4000. 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. Fender Standard Banjo Hardshell Case Black chuya Can you identify this rare Vega Martin banjo just by the peghead markings? Martin- Thank you for your query and very useful photos. "F" Style mandolins have a carved nautilus shaped curl on the upper left-hand bout. Your aunt`s banjo sounds like a stock model, so I would estimate that it would fetch $400-$700 on the open market. Nowadays, it might fetch around $750 in the online marketplace. Bob. 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. It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. 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). Deering purchased the Vega franchise in1989 restoring the line to greatness. Nowadays, the Pro-5 would fetch around $1000-$1500 depending on condition. 403.80. 1969, probably initially at the 40 Leon Street factory the Needham Heights (just before the sale to Martin). Tim, Tim- Thanks much for your query. The local music store said they would give her 120$ for it. In the meantime, thanks again for your post. Barry. 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. Isgho Votre ducation notre priorit . Piecing the clues together of this mysterious banjo, I suspect that is was a special order item because of the unusually disparate combination of CFM parts. My estimate would be that this rare and exotic bird might fetch around $1800 or more these days. Im trying to decide wether to keep it as a memento, keep it and take some lessons, or possibly sell it because its a shame to have it sit in storage. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/307507 vinman - Posted - 08/09/2015: 18:02:24 Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the website. vega serial numbers - Discussion Forums - Banjo Hangout