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This Vega Artist was hand built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, USA in 1975 by the Martin Guitar Company. They manufactured a range of Vega models from 1970 through to 1979 with the ‘Artist’ being one of their top of the range models. Designed on the famous prewar Vega Artist deluxe the head stock features the elaborate inlay MOP which continues up the neck with beautiful position markers. The neck is three piece figured maple with ebony fret board and white binding up the sides and fancy MOP design on the ebony heel cap. There are a total of 20 frets and a scale length of 23″ which is the same as a 19 fret banjo, the action is set low and it plays beautifully from top to bottom. The back of the head stock has the Vega Artist design mother of pearl and the geared tuners are quality Gotoh type. The multiply maple rim is 1/2″ thick and is attached to the neck with dual coordinator rods. The banjo gets its sound from the tubaphone phone tone ring which had long lasting sustains with punchy mid tones and low bass. I have recently fitted a new renaissance head and a new Waverly tail piece. The chrome plated shoes are attached to a chrome rim which hold the flange plate and the 28 hooks and nuts. The resonator really sets this banjo off  which is constructed from 6 pie crust sections in beautiful figured maple and the little Vega star logo in the centre. The banjo comes with the original quality brown leatherette hard shell case with plush blue crushed velvet lining with centre pocket and in very good condition. Overall the banjo is in fine condition for an instrument of 40 years and looks to have been stored rather than played going by the non-fret wear. If you are looking for a modern banjo that has the looks, the branding and the sound, then look no further.

SOLD

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A very rare vintage Vega Style M tubaphone short scale tenor banjo which were made only for two years in 1922 and 1923.

These particular models with extended board and unusual 11 1/2 inch head with tubaphone tone ring were only made between 1922 and 1923 and are very hard to come by making them extremely collectable. This one originated in Germany and i have never seen another. Normal Vega tubaphone banjos have heads which are just under 11″ (10- 15/16th) or 12 inch dependant on the model
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upgraded with ABM german engineered geared tuners, which have the 7.5mm barrel to fit vintage banjos without the need to re-drill 10mm holes to fit modern made tuners.

• Fitted with new 11 1/2″ clear Remo head.
• It has 16 frets to the tension hoop and 4 frets over the head.
• It has a long version vintage kerschner tailpiece, from the Lyon & Healy Company
• and vega stamped hot dog armrest.

Original close fit pie crust resonator with NO FLANGES which was a period upgrade option to a normally open backed banjo. This therefore means that it can be used with or without the resonator fitted.

All hardware is in excellent condition with complete original inlays to the neck.

It has a straight neck and low action and is a delight to play.

A very nice collectible rare Banjo in its original pink lined vega case.

For Sale £1250

A Little Vega History

Vega built and marketed a line of four types of tenor banjos of varying grades but all of high quality. The first type and base model was the Style N, followed by the Style Little Wonder. Both of these have the same size rim and tone ring system, comprised of a simple “steel wire” on top of the laminated wood rim. Style N’s had 26 hooks and were dyed a mahogany colour and Little Wonders had 28 hooks and were left a natural maple tone. Third in line is the unique and beautiful Style R, Whyte Laydie tenor banjo, a formidable instrument in design and tone. The three-piece scalloped tone ring is bright and resonant and has been much copied. Style Rs are distinctive with the double star inlay on the head and fingerboard and, like the tubaphones (below) have a unique steel band inset with hooks, so no drilling in the sides of the rim.

This particular model I have for sale is similar to the photo plate (B.) with the figured mapleneck but of course with the extended fret board. Checkout the vega catalogue at this link.