Martin Vega Banjo 5-Strings, Medium Gauge (V740) Check Price at Amazon. I have a vegavox 4 tenor banjo by Martin . Go online to `Images for Vega Folk Ranger banjo and enjoy (but don`t confuse your FR-5 with its cousin the Folk Wonder model FW-5). My estimate is that your VV IV-T can fetch about $1000-4500 these days depending on the online vendor or estate auction. Your F-VIP (Folk-Very Important Player) banjo #1456 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in mid 1975 in a lot of 3 such instruments per Shop Order 2274. Barry, Marc- Thanks much for the prompt and telling photos. 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. 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. This 5-stringer was manufactured circa 1845 in Baltimore, MD, by luthier William Boucher, Jr.. The 10-1/8" diameter rim has a calf skin head and most of it's original . Home; Meet Darlene; ISI Mission; What is Coaching? The PS-5 is advertised in the 1970 and 1972 Vega/Martin catalogues but is absent from the 1976 catalogue where the No. Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items. The V-45 appears on the cover of the 1972 catalogue, and it was billed as our finest Bluegrass banjo in the 1976 catalogue. In my files, the PS-5 is seen in a Vega (Boston) flyer in 1961 where it lists for $309. Ironically, C.F. 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. There is no #1 Martin banjo listed, but banjos #6-8 were Vega Vox-4-T tenors built per Shop Order 2087. Hello and thank you so much for your hard work and dedication. I purchased the instrument from a private dealer (Kingsport, TN) for $800. Vega/Fairbanks open-back banjo designs are exemplary classics. 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. Remo Frosted Top Banjo Head, 11 Inch Diameter, High Crown (1/2 Inch) $19 USD. The Pro-5 does not appear in the 1976 Vega Martin catalogue. Best wishes for happy pickin`, Barry, I have an Vega 5-string banjo, open back, bought around 1965. !Gary, Gary- Thanks for your query. In excellent condition and ready to play. Nowadays, the Pro-5 would fetch around $1000-$1500 depending on condition. The resonator back and sidewall colored engravings are probably the key feature that might bring more value than lessthere were two likely designs at this time a tiffany-style web pattern with a floral vine on the side (first used in 1930) or the late 1940s Indian blanket Art Deco design.I have an original 1948 model that has the older style neck, with the new resonator designso , its a mixed bag during this time as Vega was experimenting with parts off the shelf when banjo sales were extremely low (maybe 20 per year) and their focus was on guitar and ukulule production instead.Pricing for 4 strings (and 5 strings) have dropped considerably over last 2-3 years for vintage banjosVoxes have held more than others. 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. 1972 Vega Banjo. This is a beautiful banjo! The inside of the banjo is also blank except for the painted serial number 2207. The Vega serial number files still available do not specify the specific models of banjo manufactured in Massachusetts. It was a student model that Eddie convinced long time friend and Vega owner/president to make positioned as a lower cost alternative to the Vox I/Professional IIit was an upgrade over the Little Wonder/Ranger banjos. 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). It was advertised to feature a rosewood veneered rim and resonator trimmed in abalone pearl like the C.F. Hope this helps, and I am sending you the circa 1978 C. F. Martin Tubaphone model promotional flyer . 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). From the BRC, Barry. Martin workshop log book, your V-45-5 serial number 327 banjo was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973 per Shop Order 2138. P.S. In general, the Boston made Pete Seeger long neck banjos seem to command a greater collectors` interest than the ones manufactured in Pennsylvania. I told her to leave cause i thought they were taking advantage of her because of her age. Martin purchased the Vega brand line. 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. 2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL long neck premieres instead. Best wishes with your VIP and thanks again for your post, Barry. It is in excellent condition but missing a resonator thumbscrew with the threaded washer. Wow, I glad to find your website! Here's a bit of description on the various models: This was also the case for their mandolin banjo lines. Buckbee(1861-1897) banjos can frequently be identified by their Banjos with pegheads like that shown in the first picture below are usually made by Buckbee. Vega Martin banjo SN 324 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973. He on his banjo and me with my guitar. 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. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Its mostly been in storage since I purchased it in the late 1970s. From the BRC, Barry. If you need photos I can take a few and send them to you on a subsequent time. Neck and rim look a lot like made by Martin craftsmen, and it arrived set up perfectly. Barry, Samantha Thanks for the extensive and helpful photos of your above banjo. The last two Vox Vs (serial numbers 1964-1965) were built in 1979, and still exist to this day. . The banjo featured a bell brass audio-sonic tone ring, different from the tubaphone tone ring, and a ten ply maple rim. Its paper label says it was made by Vega of Boston, part of the CF Martin Co. but it does not have the CF Martin decal on the back of the peg-head. Jack. Mark- Thank you for the very helpful series of photos and your kind comments about the website. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you for your query to the BRC and the abovephoto link. 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. Banjoman- C.F. In the meantime, keep on pickin` that Pro-5. Although C.F. 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 Hi there Folks.A few weeks ago i bought a Vega martin 5 string banjo, tubaphone tonering, the screws to attach the shoes to the bracket band go through the bracketband but also through the rim.The banjo is almost in unplayed condition, sounds wonderfull, the original case is also there.serial numer is 1707. The seller advertised it (in 2016) as verified by BRC made in 1976 in Nazareth. Id love to learn more about it, etc. If your Vegaphones and Tubaphone have serial numbers, you can more closely date them by visiting Whitetreeaz banjo serial numbers online. 2 Vega banjo from the early Boston era. tone ring that you have. port melbourne players; fair lawn high school graduation; vega banjo identification; By . Published by at 16 de junio de 2022. 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. A few months later, the old six digit number system was replaced with new sequence starting with #2 and progressing sequentially to a four digit number over the ensuing years. This classic and ornate Vega series dates back to the 1920s but did not appear in the 1970 and 1972 Vega Martin catalogues. My VIP-5 is SN 1364 and was made about one year after your 5-stringer, and it has a nice mid range tone. Thank you so very much for this information! Vega serial #s between 99369 and 99686, when the switch from the Vega stamp to printed yellow labels seems to have occured. The Vega/Martin PS-5 would probably fetch in the $1000- 2500 range these days depending on appointments and condition, whereas the Vega/Boston Seeger banjo seems to be valued more by collectors and would command a higher price. Martin also made 1976 model D-76 guitars to partner the banjo. Ive taken a number of hi-res photostoo many to attach to email. 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. 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. Deering now owns the Vega line and offers open-back Tubaphones in their inventory. C.F. The Vega Ultra Vox V is among the rarest of the limited, special order edition banjos made by either Vega of Boston or Martin. I know this is a Vega Martin site, however maybe you can help me or know of someone who can provide me with more information about my dads Vega banjo.It is a 1951 Vega vox iv plectrum with with s/n 98786.What does the iv mean? Bob- Thanks for the remembrance narrative about you and your Dad learning music together- your are a lucky father and son. By my count, Martin made 16 V-45 banjos that were 5-stringers, 3 plectrums (V45-P), and one (V45-T) tenor model. 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). Still as wonderful as the day I got it. Specs are equal to the popular Gold Tone MM-150 with the addition of three extra frets allowing the banjo to tune to EBEG#B. Buy VEGA Banjos and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! Hope this helps, and thanks again for your post. 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. used speakers for sale craigslist; pioneer woman carne guisada; vega banjo identification; By . post id: 7593773670. posted: 2023-02-27 00:34. A couple of years ago I started to develop increased interest in clawhammer style, and with all the lessons available online nowadays, finally Im finding myself back on the tracks. All the best, Barry. 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. After a loooong wait I finally got it in 1971 . Many thanks and keep pickin & grinning. He was told that it was made by Martin, but I do not find any Martin labels. Id appreciate your comments please & thanks, Linda. So, the rim and rods appear be from a Vox I, and dogbone Tubaphone tonering would be typical of the 1970s period under Martin (some the later Voxesmade by Vega in Needham Heights before moving to Nazareth used these, aswell as slotted Tubaphones). Dave- Thank you for your kind words about the website and the narrative about your Vega Vox IV tenor banjo. 17,378. 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. Thanks you for this great site. Barry, My Vega VIP 5-string has S/N 2316 painted inside the rim, which I presume means it was assembled by Galaxy in Asia.