Hope this helps and best wishes from the BRC, Barry, Gary- Thanks for your query. Martin manufactured 561 VW-5 banjos but only 124 FW-5 instruments. In addition to the unusual R-D-136 serial number, the C.F. I own a Vega VIP fivestring banjo, with serial number 130056. Thank You With the original Hardshell case and the rare Earl Scruggs Tuners or de- tuners if you will. Martin era. Maybe, the R-D prefix stands for Research and Development. Thank you for all the information. 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 . Barry. Data zakoczenia 2022-09-02 - cena 20,90 z If someone could help her post it on eBay, it would probably get a decent price and a good home. Ernie Ball 5-String Medium Stainless Steel Banjo Strings, 10-10 Gauge (P02309) Check Price at Amazon. Barry. 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. Im sure theres a story behind this banjo and why it was made. The distinct disadvantage to having a rare banjo is finding replacement parts. Thank you very much for your quick answer. Martin purchased the Vega company on May 5, 197O. Landis- Thanks for your post. The serial numbers for the overseas-produced instruments were in the 2000+ range in sequence with the last official VM banjo manufactured in Nazareth, PA, which bore #1969. In the 1970 transitional Vega/Martin banjo catalogue, their Pro model line is conspicuosly absent; and instead, is seen a nearly identical twin Bobby Joe Fenster style banjo named after a fictitious nerdy folk musician invented by Martin in 1967 as an insider marketing joke. 219203099161mmDA107 , . With appreciation, Barry, S.C.-Thank you for the prompt and detailed photos of your banjo. 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). I bought a Vega Martin 5 string some time in 2000. The rhinestones on the flanges, tension bolts, and peghead differ from Peabodys prototype and the later Martin production Vox V models. The V-41 was available by special order only, and it listed back then for $850. Jim _Thanks for your query. 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 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. ! - Vintage Vega #2 Gp 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. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. The Vega era PS-5 banjos sell for up to $3-4K these days. Close study of the flange can sometimes reveal, however, that it is left-over Vega hardware from the Needham Heights factory. SF bay area > east bay > for sale > musical instruments - by owner. Thank you. Martin sold the Vega brand to the Asian conglomerate Galaxy Trading Company in March of 1979. I have a vegavox 4 tenor banjo by Martin . 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. In those years there was not a college student who didn't dream of owning a Vega Pete . Thanks you for this great site. Also, the banjo has some ornate details carved in it. Vega Regent 5 String Banjo (1925) | RetroFret Martin decal photographed on the back of the VIP Vega peg head. $260 USD. From its early Boston beginnings, the Vega Banjo Company made splendidand now vintage instruments, including the Earl Scruggs signature model heendorsed in the 1960s. The Eddie Peabody Model was actually made by Vega of Boston from 1966-ca. 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. Ive owned one for 30 yrs though I dont play it very well. Would appreciate any information you can provide to verify the model and any original cost/current value. Reply from our BRC consultant and Vega Vox scholarDr. Ron: The Vega Vox IV was the top of the line banjo in the Vox (deep resonator) line for Vega Co. of Boston in the 1950sthe serial number is consistent with a 1951 model. Hope this helps. Hello. Of note, banjo SN 136 manufactured in 1972 was a Vega Vox I plectrum and not a 5-stringer like yours. Like my dad, I am a musician and physician and treasure his professional and avocational memorabilia. Theres barely a mark on the banjo (except for the binding where it was put on a stand) and this will probably buff out. If your Vegaphones and Tubaphone have serial numbers, you can more closely date them by visiting Whitetreeaz banjo serial numbers online. It looked like it belonged on a Gibson. Hope this helps and thanks again for your post. 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. 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. However, current thinking (thanks to Hank Schwartz) is that 999 numbers were assigned per year -- from the start, in 1880. Virtually immaculate. Thanks Again! Hopes this helps. There are 13 stars on the banjo fretboard, and there should be a plaque on the back of the headstock. P.S. Rob- Thank you for the below photos. Thanks again. The V-45(5) featured a heavy one-piece flat head tone ring of brass so popular among Bluegrass pickers. C.F. This is an early and very nice example of the classic Vega . 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 This instrument debuted in 1952, and featured a single cutaway body, a distinctive "fire stripe" tortoiseshell pickguard, and a pair of thin blade-style pickups . 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. Identifying Unmarked Banjos - Bill's Banjos Vega Tenor Banjo and Case, 1920s | Reverb Buy VEGA Banjos and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! It has the famous Vega `Tu-Ba-Phone` tone ring and notched tension hoop both made of bell brass, an ebony fingerboard, and a 10 ply maple rim. Rob- Thank you for your kind comments about the BRC website, You are a lucky guy to have two Vega Martin 5-stringers, both made in Nazareth, PA. Do you know anything of the type of banjo, year of manufacturing and value today? Martin in Nazareth, PA, in 1973. Is this an old genuine Vega in the lower price class, Sten- Thanks for your query about the FR-5 banjo. Linda- Thanks much for your query and hearing about your three vintage banjos. Martin purchased the Vega brand line. They are on the second and 3rd strings and allow that Buck Trent kind of thing. It did not have a tone ring or simply a steel ring like the Wonder, to keep the cost down. It appears to be serial number 231 (engraved). Unless refinished, the decal on the back alsomakes it post-1972. If you want a more Bluegrass sound, try a 5-Star head from Stew Mac. aluminum variety, one slim one large, with the larger one closer to the head. Greg also originally hand made the round hole Tubaphone tone rings, but now they have a fairly well honed machine manufacturing process. 6. Hope this helps and au revoir, Barry. The neck has crown-and-football inlays and the Martin logo is on the back of the pegboard. The Vega No.2 is a banjo made of top grade curly maple stained light amber and buffed to a high gloss. The rich heritage of Vega was derelict for 5 years until Deering rescued it by acquiring rights to the brand name in 1989. The Folk Wonder model does not appear in the 1972 or 1976 Vega Martin catalogues, but its resonator version the `Wonder` model does. The Vega Vox model was a 4 string gem that featured a brass tone ring. 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? The Eddie Peabody Model was actually made by Vega of Boston from 1966-ca. PA. I cannot find any pictures remotely close online. The openbacks are made entirely of white oak and feature a midnight maple fingerboard and peghead overlay. This workshop numbering system continued uninterrupted to #2355 in 1977 when the banjos went overseas for assembly. Hello, I have enjoyed reading your posts on Vega-Martin banjos. In the 1970 VM catalogue, the VIP-T banjo retailed for $556, and the hard shell case was $68 extra. 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. The year 1970-1971 was a time of transition of tools and parts from Boston to Nazareth, PA. Be safe, be well. 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. Martin & Co. Organisation, NEEDHAM, MASS. In my files, the PS-5 model first appears in a 1961 Vega product flyer from Boston, but it may have been manufactured there starting in 1958. Bill's Banjos Martin manufactured 100 Pro-5 banjos including the temporary Bobby Joe Fenster variation. Your tenor 4-stringer was built in early 1972 per Shop Order 2051. Is this original? Martin did not develop or cultivate such a banjo line, a dozen such BJF-5 entries are recorded in their shop files from 1971-1972. 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). It turned out the owner had another banjo that also resembled a Vega but had the same lack of Vega ID, turns our the name "W Fawly" was on the wooden center dowel . Elite Fiberskyn Banjo Head, 11", High. Hope this helps. P.S. Your peghead and resonator are clearly marked with C.F. Not a fancy top-line model, but still built with the typical extremely high quality components and a simple but . The VIP-5 is known for its mellow sound, and the tone of my VIP-5 (SN 1364 circa 1974) was admired by a faculty member at a northeastern banjo camp a few years ago. I tried to find your email address at your Banjo homepage without any success. Vega enthusiasts Help with this mystery - Discussion Forums - Banjo Hangout These were followed by banjos #9-14 which were Vega Vox-4-P plectrums per Shop Order 2088. thanks for the very informative web site All original except the tailpiece cracked at the bend not long after I got it, and I replaced it with the Stew-Mac version. 10" Rim. The C.F. In the the 1971 Vega Martin price list, the VW-Plec retailed at $345. From the BRC, Barry, Sir: What kind of info can you give me on a V-76E banjo, Ser. 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). They are 230, 243, 353, LVII (57?) 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. vega banjo identification Martin manufactured only 33 VW-plectrum banjos. John, John- Thank you much for your kind words about my website and letting my readers share in your joy of procuring a VM Pete Seeger long neck 5-stringer (PS-5). Photos , BRC Replies To Samantha (November 23, 2019), Reply From Dr. Ron (the BRC Vega Vox/EddiePeabody consultant). 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. Joshua, Joshua-Thank you for your kind comments and the very detailed pictures. In the final Martin price listed published in 1971, it listed for $345 without case.