timsch - Posted - 11/10/2025:  16:04:25

Hello all,

I just acquired a Martin Vega Banjo, but know nothing about it other than what I read on some web pages. Number 1304 is stamped on the body.

It's missing the sliding 5th string capo. Are replacements available?

 

Emiel - Posted - 11/11/2025:  00:03:06

Here are replacement sliding capos:

elderly.com/pages/search-resul...jo%20capo

Bill Rogers - Posted - 11/11/2025:  00:08:56

Martin sticker on the peghead?

timsch - Posted - 11/11/2025:  02:21:50

Yessir, there is a Martin sticker on the backside of the peghead.

Were the 5th string banjo capos standard on these banjos?

Edited by - timsch on 11/11/2025 02:33:14

jack_beuthin - Posted - 11/11/2025:  05:05:31

Some info on Vega Martin banjos: banjorehab.com/vega-martin-banjo-info/

Records as Deering indicate that you banjo (1304) was manufactured between 1972-1978, when Vega owned Vega.

deeringbanjos.com/pages/vega-b...KM7dcBqYd

I owned a c.1975 Vega Martin VIP for a while. Fine instruments, and underrated in my opinion.  The tone ring is a Tubaphone ring with the holes in clusters of threes rather than equally distributed.  It was rebranded as an "audio-sonic" tone ring. The are great "cross over" banjos that are suitable for 3F/bluegrass as well as old time and folk styles (clawhammer, 2F, up picking).  I made several videos of me playing the VIP.  Geez, now I'm really missing it.

youtube.com/playlist?list=PL00...eN9Gq88y3

Here's a Vega catalog from 1970 that includes the VIP: acousticmusic.org/wp-content/u...log-1.pdf

If you do a search, there are a number of thread on BHO that discuss these banjos.

Great acquisition. Hope you enjoy it!

Edited by - jack_beuthin on 11/11/2025 05:21:41

timsch - Posted - 11/11/2025:  07:21:21

Thanks for the info and pointers. Nice playing on the vids.

What makes it a "cross-over"? Up til now I've mainly played clawhammer, but can fingerpick decently.

jack_beuthin - Posted - 11/11/2025:  08:25:49

quote:

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Originally posted by timsch

Thanks for the info and pointers. Nice playing on the vids.



What makes it a "cross-over"? Up til now I've mainly played clawhammer, but can fingerpick decently.

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I think it is mainly the tubaphone tong ring that makes it versatile.  Before Vega developed the VIP, they rolled out the Earl Scruggs model, also with a tubaphone ring.  I believe that Earl even was recorded playing his personal build (others more knowledgeable here can confirm/refute that).

A bit of history on the Earl's Vega banjo: americanbanjomuseum.com/2018/0...d-by-abm/

Grandpa Jones also played a VIP.  His was gold plated.

jack_beuthin - Posted - 11/11/2025:  08:28:45

quote:

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Originally posted by jack_beuthin

 

Records as Deering indicate that you banjo (1304) was manufactured between 1972-1978, when Vega owned Vega.

 

 

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Sheesh, I meant to say "when Martin owned Vega". Typing before sufficient coffee is always a hazard.

Pauls Pretty Good Stuff - Posted - 11/11/2025:  10:32:25

I'll give you a free 5th capo. Send me the distance between the holes. Paul

timsch - Posted - 11/11/2025:  10:51:15

Records as Deering indicate that you banjo (1304) was manufactured between 1972-1978, when Vega owned Vega.

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Sheesh, I meant to say "when Martin owned Vega". Typing before sufficient coffee is always a hazard.

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I make enough goofs like that to know what you meant the 1st time.  ;)

Edited by - timsch on 11/11/2025 10:52:04

timsch - Posted - 11/11/2025:  19:39:03

quote:

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Originally posted by Pauls Pretty Good Stuff

I'll give you a free 5th capo. Send me the distance between the holes. Paul

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That's mighty generous of you.  Much appreciated.

8" OAL, with the holes on the ends set in ~1/8", so distances will be ~3-7/8"

PM sent

Edited by - timsch on 11/11/2025 19:41:06

 

Bill H - Posted - 11/12/2025:  02:23:45

I have a 1971 Vega Martin VIP #999. I love it for claw hammer or three finger. Mine has had the 5th string cap removed as well, but I don't think I'd want one, I think it would get in the way.

I disagree that the tone ring is a Tubaphone tone ring. It is similar, but I find the sound much different.

Vega-Martin VIP 1971

 

The Old Timer - Posted - 11/12/2025:  11:32:35

There are/were different BRANDS of sliding 5th string capos.

Yours is not the Vega-Pittman factory installed model. That model had screw holes only at the ends. The "finger" that pressed down on the 5th strings was a curiously bent piece of spring steel wire. It had a circular curl that fit around the bar and a straight "finger" that stuck out horizontally to press down on the string. It wasn't particlarly stout and many folks had to fuss with that finger to get it to press down hard enough.

Your capo has a screw hole in the middle, so that will affect how the sliding finger is designed to slide past the center screw.

Shubb made a stout capo with a screw-levered little bar that stuck out to press on the 5th string.

There were others I'm sure.

mikehalloran - Posted - 11/12/2025:  20:09:07

quote:

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Originally posted by timsch

Hello all,



I just acquired a Martin Vega Banjo, but know nothing about it other than what I read on some web pages. Number 1304 is stamped on the body.



It's missing the sliding 5th string capo. Are replacements available?

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Shubb still makes that capo. It's the original version and Rick's first product 50 years ago, now called the Shubb FSLB 5th String Long Bar Banjo Capo – Stainless Steel. The hole spacing is identical to the Vega Pittman (great) and the Golden Gate (serviceable but barely).

Although, as a Shubb dealer, I would be happy to sell you a new replacement or a Golden Gate (don't — trust me), you can email Shubb and they can replace the missing slider assembly for you. I don't know the cost but it's bound to be less than the $70 that I would charge you for a new capo.

The pot on your banjo—perhaps the whole banjo—was made by Vega prior to the 1970 acquisition of Vega by C. F. Martin & Co. Martin got hundreds of banjos and parts in the sale. If you post detailed picture of the neck, I can tell you who made it. OK, technically, Waverly made that pot as they were doing for all Vegas in the 1960s but they were out of business before the sale to Martin and your banjo has one of the Tubaphone Variant tone rings. 

Edited by - mikehalloran on 11/12/2025 20:16:28

mikehalloran - Posted - 11/12/2025:  20:20:44

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill H

I have a 1971 Vega Martin VIP #999. I love it for claw hammer or three finger. Mine has had the 5th string cap removed as well, but I don't think I'd want one, I think it would get in the way.



I disagree that the tone ring is a Tubaphone tone ring. It is similar, but I find the sound much different.

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Disagree all you want but that is a standard, Waverly made Tubaphone ring with an additional hole drilled between every other pair. Waverly introduced three variants for Vega in the mid 1960s.

" The tone ring is a Tubaphone ring with the holes in clusters of threes rather than equally distributed."

If you look again, you'll see that the holes are evenly distributed and that a third hole is drilled in the middle of every other space.

My V-76 had the slit instead (aka the Dogbone) and then there was a third with wavy slits and no holes. All were Tubaphones.

Edited by - mikehalloran on 11/12/2025 20:35:55

 

mikehalloran - Posted - 11/12/2025:  20:41:33

quote:

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Originally posted by The Old Timer

There are/were different BRANDS of sliding 5th string capos.



Yours is not the Vega-Pittman factory installed model. That model had screw holes only at the ends. The "finger" that pressed down on the 5th strings was a curiously bent piece of spring steel wire. It had a circular curl that fit around the bar and a straight "finger" that stuck out horizontally to press down on the string. It wasn't particlarly stout and many folks had to fuss with that finger to get it to press down hard enough.



Your capo has a screw hole in the middle, so that will affect how the sliding finger is designed to slide past the center screw.



Shubb made a stout capo with a screw-levered little bar that stuck out to press on the 5th string.



There were others I'm sure.

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His is Rick Shubb's original product, still being made though the later short version is far more common nowadays. The middle screw is flush and does not impede the slider while the end screws provide the stop. Shubb sells a replacement set for $10. Not what he needs, though. He needs the slider and Shubb will sell him a replacement but I don't know the cost.

Edited by - mikehalloran on 11/12/2025 20:45:02

 

timsch - Posted - 11/13/2025:  05:25:20

Here are some more pictures.  This is after I cleaned it up as well as I could.  There's what appeared to be an adhesive residue on the back of the resonator, but it didn't respond to treatment as if it were.   I'm not aware of a finish that will turn gummy....

I played around on it using clawhammer.  It was a little brighter than I'd like it to be for that.   I don't know if any adjustments could be made to lessen that, or if that's just the nature of a banjo w/ resonator.    Fingerpicking  seemed more like what it'd be for.  I've not played 2-finger style, but would like to learn more about that.

Thanks everyone for your input.

The Old Timer - Posted - 11/13/2025:  12:07:46

Tim, don't work too hard on that gummy spot on the resonator back, it's possible the finish was loosened by something like bug spray and if you work on it too hard it could just come all the way off leaving bare wood. If/when you encounter a banjo luthier ask his opinion of what, if anything, to do.



If you want to play with old time musicians, the easiest way to dampen down your banjo's enthusiastic brashness is fold up a hand towel in the pot and play it with the resonator back in place. This was a fairly common treatment for resonator banjos played old time style.  Just take it out, to play bluegrass style.



I have always said, after hearing Grandpa Jones and Stringbean playing Vegas, that Vega resonator banjos ESPECIALLY Tu Ba Phone tone rings, sound like a brass band coming down the street! A Whyte Laydie/Electric style tone ring is a bit more subdued (the Sonny Osborne model), but you can do just fine with what you've got with a hand towel inside.



I bought an Earl Scruggs Vega years ago and when I opened the resonator there was a circle of "foam rubber" cut perfectly to fit snug inside the resonator! I guess the previous owner played with old time jams!

Edited by - The Old Timer on 11/13/2025 12:08:40