just bought my first Seeger, T-B-phone banjo...built by C.F.Martin in 1971...#481 Anyone have any experience with one?
12 Comments |
 | kwfolk1 says:
2/21/2017 1:24:53 PM
I sure do! I also have a Martin built Seeger T-Bone (dog bone) tone ring longneck #847. I'm the original owner. I've been told it's 1 of 100 or 101 of PS model LN or 1 of the 1,001 Vegas Banjos that Martin produced altogether. However, while a very nice banjo, IMHO it doesn't hold a candle to my two Odes or my Baldwin longneck. The Vega's neck is slightly wider than my other longnecks which makes some tricky drop-thumb tunes a little easier to manage. On the down-side, often, when doing a pull-off on the 1st string, the string will catch (hang-up) on a fret, where as, I don't have that problem on my other banjos.
John, is there anything else you like to know about the PS longneck? I'd be interested in knowing your banjo's serial number to see if it preceded mine. I'd also like to hear your opinion of the Martin built PS LN.
Pictures - We need pictures. I believe that I might have posted a few of mine on my Hangout page.
Chris
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 | john bange says:
2/21/2017 1:41:26 PM
thanks Chris, I follow all of your comments on BHO. I will add photos when I get it along with my thoughts. I like the slightly wider neck and have grown fond of the 1 1/4 nut on my Deering Vega.
It is amazing how soft the l/n market has become. I will have to part with an instrument to afford this transaction but I doubt if I will try to sell a long neck.
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 | pastorharry says:
2/21/2017 2:08:40 PM
kwfolk, if the 1st string is getting caught on the fret, it may just need to have the fret re-seated and beveled correctly..I bet a good luthier could clean that up in a jiffy. Keep us posted and play on!
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| kwfolk1 says:
2/21/2017 3:18:18 PM
Pastorharry, it's on the list. Trouble is: it's a long list.
Chris
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| john bange says:
2/22/2017 10:07:43 AM
new PS-5 should get here Saturday or Monday. I'll see the serial # then. I am going to sell my Deering Vega long neck shortly thereafter. I am not sure what case I will keep...either the mint Lifton or the TKL American Vintage. It will depend on the fit of the Lifton. they are often a little large at the pot for 11" banjos.
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| john bange says:
2/22/2017 10:13:57 AM
reverb-res.cloudinary.com/imag...ezqhb.jpg
here's the Reverb photo
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| pastorharry says:
2/22/2017 3:33:46 PM
Although it may be a moot point, the Lifton case would probably increase re-sale value.
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| john bange says:
2/28/2017 2:39:16 PM
#481 is here and it is minty
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 | Pauls Pretty Good Stuff says:
3/1/2017 7:16:45 AM
John, Nice banjo! I have #1233. Paul
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| john bange says:
3/1/2017 7:44:48 AM
Hi Paul.
My understanding is that yours would be all Martin built and mine, with a 3 digit number is assembed by Martin out of Vega parts. Is that correct?
John
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| Pauls Pretty Good Stuff says:
3/1/2017 8:14:37 AM
John, I don't know enough about about Martin/Vegas (although I have a couple). There is a Martin decal on the back of the headstock, 'dogbone' holes, two allen head neck adjusters, and 10 15/16" head. Paul
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| john bange says:
3/4/2017 10:28:53 AM
well, here's my assessment of the Martin built Vega to date. I just love it!
I once told Paul from Shop the Folk that I didn't need a t-b-phone because I used nylon harp strings and that there would be no volume benefit, only a weight increase. I was wrong. while heavier, my PS-5 is way, way louder with harp strings than any banjo I have had...a much crisper, cleaner tone with a metallic hint.
my serial # is 481. I guess it is Martin built out of Vega parts but, I am not sure. All I know for sure is that it looks like it was built last month rather than 1971.
I am selling my Deering Vega because of it. I know, I will never pick it up again as long as I have the new one. I thought I would be buried with it.
I am taking PastorHarry's advise and selling the Lifton case with the Deering just to try and make the sale happen. It is amazing, how soft the long neck market has become, even though the reason is sadly obvious.
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