2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL long neck. Rob- Thank you for the below photos. Hope this helps, and thanks again for your post. 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. Services; vega banjo identification Barry. My suggestion would be to take you banjo down to the local hardware store and cobble together a workable thumb screw (some have collars) and washer combination. No markings saying Martin but looks identical to fancy ones I saw in an old Martin sales flyer. The V-41 was available by special order only, and it listed back then for $850. Martin built only 20 F-VIP 5 stringers, and to my count 11 were made in Pennsylvania per the shop log book. 96.90 postage. 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. What A great and informative site .. My personal suggestion, however, is to preserve it as a tangible keepsake of the priceless moments spent with your father years ago. Despite its puzzling serial number, your instrument is a Tu-Ba-Phone Deluxe 5-string. Barry, I want to thank you very much for the research on my Vega. Isgho Votre ducation notre priorit . Martin built 55 VIP-T instruments between 1972-79. 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 10-1/8" diameter rim has a calf skin head and most of it's original . Reply from our BRC consultant and Vega Vox scholar Dr. Ron: Looks like something that might have put together from parts, either insideor outside the factoryI suspect the latter as there have been lots of Voxchop shop conversions going back in time (even to the 1920s). Vega/Fairbanks open-back banjo designs are exemplary classics. The C.F. Martin workshop log book, your V-45-5 serial number 327 banjo was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in early 1973 per Shop Order 2138. The information looks just finethere were yet a number of the Mxxxxxx series banjos still made in the Needham Heights factory outside Boston. My other theory is that the pot, which bears a C.F. 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. When C. F. Martin took over Vega in 1970, they dropped the A-xxxxxx serial numbers and replaced it with M-xxxxxx series, until starting a new four digit numbering system in 1972 at the Nazareth factory. The Ranger sold for $125 in 1961 and $158 in 1966. How do you date a banjo? Martin manufactured only 33 VW-plectrum banjos. Heres a link to a .zip file you can download. ), Wim- Congratulations on procuring such a lovely vintage instrument. Gold and ivory hard wear with a butterfly mop inlay on the back of the body. 5. 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: It is a Vega Martin model VW-5 called a Vega Wonder and sometimes referred to as the Wonder-5. The construction features were changing on the Vox IV (most different from catalog images), but at this point Vega was still using dowel stick (rather than metal coordinator rods) to attach and adjust the neck, and adjustable truss rods in the neck were not added until 1955the early prewar type-construction was desired by many collectors. Deering rescued the Vega line by purchasing the brand name in 1989. By the mid 1960`s, it was usually manufactured with a connecting rod. The Vega Ultra Vox V is among the rarest of the limited, special order edition banjos made by either Vega of Boston or Martin. 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. Is it possible to tell me what model or style and year it was built also the value? If you could give me your thought about what its worth, I would appreciate it. What a wealth of information! With appreciation, Barry. I have a Vega V.I.P. ). It retailed for $488 without case in the 1970 Vega Martin catalog, and it last appeared in the 1972 VM catalogue without a suggested price. Thanks for the great information on this page. Like the Tubaphone listed above, this banjo needs a neck reset to be a playable banjo mandolin. Martin upgraded the maple rim to 10 ply after purchasing the Vega/Boston franchise in May of 1970. The last Vega Martin banjo manufactured in Nazareth, PA, was SN 1969 as reportedly documented by a letter of authentication signed by C.F. 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. The hardware on the V-41 is chrome-plated, so maybe a nearby metal shop could patch it for you or at least identify the alloy. 10" Rim. The number is painted on the bottom not pressed in the wood. 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 Martin SN files, banjo #1302252 manufactured in 1971 is designated as a BJF-5 (Pro) style instrument. A total of 98 model D-76E guitars were also made for employees. Your banjo is item # VB120C which sold for $360 back then. 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. 2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL is seen in the 1976 catalogue. In 1970, C.F. Look for decals and a serial number on the interior of the rim to help document its story. Data from these logbooks are available per e-mail request from the BRC founder. It is the first martin-vega I have ever seen in person, or had in my hands! The banjo had a 3 piece maple neck and a signature tubaphone tone ring clearly shown in the pictures that you provided. This model appears in the 1972 and 1976 catalogues. From the BRC, Barry. 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. Thanks from all of us! Vega Tenor Banjo and Case, 1920s | Reverb Oops, Something went wrong. Your VW-5 resonator banjo is not to be confused with its cousin the open back FW-5 model Folk Wonder which retailed for $280. 2 Tu-Ba-Phone XL long neck premieres instead. 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. Therefore it became dissembled. Galaxy went bankrupt around 1984 and vanished. Jim, Jim -Thanks for your query. Tony Trsichka wants Greg to make a 5-string model, much like Vega did on very rare occasions in the late 1950s/early 1960s. 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. 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. what I know about banjos right now I learned from you!! I would send pictures but was not sure just where to post them. It looks like a well-preserved and fun mid range banjo waiting to be enjoyed by an appreciative musician like yourself. Martin decal photographed on the back of the VIP Vega peg head. Martin Vega banjo #892 should be a long neck open back Folklore Model manufactured in the latter half of 1973 per shop order 2198. The melody banjo was the equivalent of a 4 string mandolin banjo. It looks like the banjo is in ok/decent condition. Many thanks and keep pickin & grinning. I really appreciate your orientation. Subscribe to get free banjos tips, hear about new products, special offers, and more! Your aunt`s banjo sounds like a stock model, so I would estimate that it would fetch $400-$700 on the open market. Still as wonderful as the day I got it. You banjo parts were probably shipped in 1977 to Japan for assembly where all serial number assignments were in disarray. 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. It may have been removed some time before I got it. Thanks for sharing your fascinating banjo with the BRC, Barry. Martin also made 1976 model D-76 guitars to partner the banjo. By that time, parts were being shipped to Canada and Japan for assembly, and record keeping soon deteriorated and serial numbers were inconsistent. Cobra hooks first appear circa 1881 on Fairbanks & Cole banjos. Just found this wonderful site. 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. Recently purchased a Vega Vox iv plectrum banjo. One thing that I have noticed is that Massachusetts-made resonator banjos generally had a yellow/orange stain. 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. S.C.- Thank you for your query to the BRC. Vega banjos were then marketed in the USA by TMC (Targ & Dinner Music Company). Resale prices for this type of banjo vary widely from a couple of hundred to several thousand dollars depending on unique features. The Martin Co. dropped the 6 digit serial number system in mid 1971 and then began again with #2- #1945, although a few special banjos up to #1969 were produced. I cant remember exactly when I bought it but I think it was around the early 70s. 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. Mark- Thank you for the very helpful series of photos and your kind comments about the website. It has dual rods running through the pot and it has the tubaphone tone ring. Could you tell me where it was built and what its value is today ? These days, the Wonder would sell for $700-$1000 depending on condition. All of these extra upgrades were reportedly worth an additional $1000 at the time. 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. Only 101 model PS-5 banjos were made by C.F. From the BRC, Barry. I have two Ode long neck banjos, and one of them is my daily practice instrument because of its wife-friendly tone. Thanks for posting the information on Martin mage Vega banjos. . Hope this helps and best wishes from the BRC, Barry. I have a seperate label thats still in the case showing the serial # 1199. Martin upgraded the maple rim to 10 ply after purchasing the Vega/Boston franchise in May of 1970. The Vega Vox model was a 4 string gem that featured a brass tone ring. thanks for the very informative web site The Item # was VT2NRC. So happy to find this site. Is 887 also a Pro5? Your VW-5 model Vega Wonder banjo SN 721 was manufactured in Nazareth, PA, in late 1973 per Shop Order 2181. There is a star on the 5th fret. The larger connecting rod inside the pot is a spare part inherited from the Boston days of the Vega company. It appears to be serial number 231 (engraved). John- Thank-you for the detailed photos. And recently I installed a new Elite head, which made a wonderful difference. It is not clear why Martin initiated this product line. My estimate is that your VV IV-T can fetch about $1000-4500 these days depending on the online vendor or estate auction. All the best from the BRC, Barry. From the BRC, Barry, Only a handful of Martin/Vega banjos made it down to Australia. As such, it is also unique in that is the only Ultra Vox V to be modified and finished by Peabodys other ex-Marine buddy and master luthier, Larry Kellens (widely known as the Vega Doctor during the 1950-70s). Any model F-V or Vega banjo with serial #s between 52669 and 52684 (a 15 number range), when the switch from "Fairbanks Banjo, Made by Vega" stamp to the "Made by Vega" stamp seems to have occurred. The well preserved CFM decals on the rim and back of the peg head clearly document that the parts were made in Nazareth, PA, circa 1974. For reference, the name of the original owner with serial number should be in the Martin Archives. Dave- Thank you for your kind words about the website and the narrative about your Vega Vox IV tenor banjo. Cited in the Vega price list of 1971, the last one VM published, the retail price tag was $488 without case. 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. 17,378. C.F. So there are gaps at the high end of each thousand series -- since Fairbanks 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. In those years there was not a college student who didn't dream of owning a Vega Pete . The PS-5 is advertised in the 1970 and 1972 Vega/Martin catalogues but is absent from the 1976 catalogue where the No. 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. Im mostly a guitar player. Then by ink its written Folk Ranger. 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. Your VW-5 would fetch $700-$1000 these days. Barry, Eddie- Thanks for your query and kind comments about the 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. It is not seen in the 1970 transitional Vega/Martin catalogue. This item has been sold. Micky- Thanks for your narrative on your Pete Seeger long neck. Martin built only 29 model T-2 instruments which were a reproduction of the classic Tu-Ba-Phone No. Hope this helps and au revoir, Barry. According to the factory logbook, banjo # 481 was one of eleven PS-5 banjos made per Shop Order # 2155 by C.F. Each of the men is posed in front of a Vega model 131 amplifier, identical to the unit which remains with the banjo today. Tuned 1-1/2 steps lower than a standard 5-string banjo, the Maple Mountain Series MM-150LN is set up for the best singing keys. No M130097 Model: Wonder 5 St. Martin Company acquired the Vega rights from the Bostonian Nelson Family in May of 1970 and sold the franchise overseas in March of 1979. It retailed for $345 in the 1971 Vega Martin price list. Maybe, the R-D prefix stands for Research and Development. Martin made only about a dozen more PS-5 banjos. Of note, the PS-5 had the `famous Vega Tube-a-phone tone ring rim`, a 3 piece ebony fingerboard, pearl dots, a neck-tension rod, nickel-plated rim parts, a shaded mahogany neck, and a 10 ply maple rim. 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. Your VW-5 resonator banjo is not to be confused with its cousin the open back FW-5 model Folk Wonder which retailed for $280. Martin and Co., Est. . How much would it be worth? On the back side of your device. As your banjo bears no C.F. Retail price was $1300.00 ; I paid $900.00 . The Vega No.2 is a banjo made of top grade curly maple stained light amber and buffed to a high gloss. Let me know if you might have any questionsI really appreciate the work youre doing here. P.S. 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. JC Theres barely a mark on the banjo (except for the binding where it was put on a stand) and this will probably buff out. Hope this helps. The last SN from Boston was probably #130049, and the Vega Martin logbook in Nazareth starts with SN 130248. The finish was shaded mahogany, and the metal rim parts were nickel plated. The mahogany neck had an ebony fingerboard with distinctive inlays including the peg head. C.F. The mother of pearl inlay fretboard pattern in your Pro-5 is similar to that found in the popular VIP-5 banjo, but the latter has single-stripe engraving in the mother of pearl. Any help with identifying it (I cant find a serial number anywhere) or locating buyers would be so gratefully welcomed! Thanks Again! Linda- Thanks much for your query and hearing about your three vintage banjos. Typically, the number would be preceded with an A (indicating an adjustable truss rod) followed by a six-digit number. Thanks for your post. 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. 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. I have two 1930 Vegaphones and an earlier Tubaphone conversion, and this VIP is certainly able to hold up its weight tone wise. Your banjo may be a hybrid from that era. Best wishes with your VIP and thanks again for your post, Barry. Thanks! Today I purchase Vega PS-5, serial number M-130259. Ironically, C.F. Thanks again. The rare T-2 and T-2XL had serial numbers in the #1607-1945 range. Thank You Bill Keith Stainless Steel D-Tuners, for 2nd & 3rd strings. 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). Roger- Thanks for your challenging follow-up query. The Wonder-5 retailed for $345 without case per the CFM 1971 price list. C.F. Barry, I have purchased a Martin Vega V-45 described as 1971 production and a serial number of #327. The banjo features a rim and resonator rosewood veneered with white binding, The tone ring was brass, and there was abalone pearl around the back edge of the resonator. The Voxes have endured a bit more that others in the market place, however. Also, Deering uses a 3-ply 1/2 rock maple rim, compared to the 5/8 10-ply rim typically found in most Martin Nazareth produced Voxes in the 1970s. From the BRC, Barry. To generally confirm that your banjo is a Nazareth built instrument, check for a C.F. June 7, 2022; homes for sale by owner in berwick, pa . My estimate is that your vintage instrument is worth $1500-1700. However, its a beautifully crafted banjo with a great sound. 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. 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. Martin made 101 of the PS-5 instruments which listed for $488 without case in the final V/M price list in 1971. Thanks for the photo of your Vega/Martin Pro-5 banjo. 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. rocket and teresa administrative leave; The VW tenor 4 stringer was available in the 1963 and 1966 Vega catalogue, but the plectrum model did not appear in the Boston catalogue until 1968 when it listed for $325. Thanks again for your query, Barry. Anders- Thanks for your query. The openbacks are made entirely of white oak and feature a midnight maple fingerboard and peghead overlay. Hopes this helps. He is credited with being one of the first banjo-builders to install side brackets with hooks to adjust the tension of the head. Im hoping I can find a V41 pot. Vega Banjo Identification Professional Had Black. It has the original hardshell case also with no markings. 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.