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I've taken this instrument more than any other that I have out camping, to festivals, wherever I needed a musical anxiety-relief stick with me.
I just looked up the serial number for this banjo today. I had no idea an instrument that is 100 years old could look so good!
I've dug around and educated myself a little more on the banjos of this era. By the 1920's, were 5 string banjos relatively rare? Everything seems to be tenors.
The serial matches on the dowel and rim.
22 frets; the rim looks to be a little under 11 1/4"?
Would love to hear any fun facts about this instrument.
Edited by - Apophenia Savant on 01/30/2023 19:06:02
Sorry, not sure if I am attaching these correctly....
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293845
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293844
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293846
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293847
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293848
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293849
It's a Style M. Does that mean this is a reproduction neck? Or is this going to cause a fight? XD
I'm trying to attach more images but the forum is being difficult.
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293853
I see a truss rod. Looks like the dowel is original and the neck is a reproduction?
I would say that the neck is a reproduction / conversion neck (converting the banjo from a tenor to a 5 string), but I'm far from being an authority on Vega's.
What's up with hiding the serial number with your thumb or finger?
No one is going to "steal" your number ! 
There are people on this forum that could tell you just about everything about your banjo with the full number.
Edited by - RioStat on 01/30/2023 20:09:04
Style M was a tenor. The original 5-strings were #3 and #9. They had carved heels.
Haha I guess it's one of those things that I've seen other people being cautious about. If there is really any useful info in those last 2 numbers then i'll post them but it looks like apart from falling into the 68100-77999 range for 1924 there isn't more info? 4stringbanjos.com/vega-serial-numbers
quote:Originally posted by RioStatI would say that the neck is a reproduction / conversion neck (converting the banjo from a tenor to a 5 string), but I'm far from being an authority on Vega's.
What's up with hiding the serial number with your thumb or finger?
No one is going to "steal" your number ! There are people on this forum that could tell you just about everything about your banjo with the full number.
Vega style M was a professional grade tenor banjo model, featuring their Tubaphone tone ring.
It's a banjo of high quality. Vega was one of the best makers of the period.
And yes, by the 1920's, 5 string banjos had faded in popularity and tenor banjos were in.
The neck on yours is a reproduction, and appears to have been made by a skillful craftsman. The dowel stick is the original.
The majority of the style M's had rims just under 11" in diameter. Some were also built with a diameter of around 11 13/16" - 11 7/8". If your measurement of ~ 11 1/2" is accurate, yours is an unusual size that is rarely seen.
Edited by - rcc56 on 01/30/2023 22:50:28
Lots of gun guys hide the last digits of serial numbers, but it's hard to see how it matters there either. Also, many have found difficulty measuring rim size on this forum; it can be difficult unless some disassembly is attempted. Bob (above) offers good suggestions there, but hey, perhaps in addition to being a rare friend to you, your banjo is also a rare example! My family Vegas are a skosh older but in the same realm, and we LOVE the Tubaphone sound!
My number is 70457 with a "transition surgery" neck from my 1970s Wildwood.
do you have more pictures of the neck? it could be a conversion neck. pictures showing it all will help us determine that. if its original to the banjo it would be pretty rare for a vega five string from that era.
What was the original peghead inlay for a style M with tubaphone
quote:The majority of the style M's had rims just under 11" in diameter. Some were also built with a diameter of around 11 13/16" - 11 7/8". If your measurement of ~ 11 1/2" is accurate, yours is an unusual size that is rarely seen.
According to the 1923 Vega catalogue, the regular size rim for a Style M was 10 3/4". I have one with a conversion neck and it is a fabulous banjo.
10 3/4" rims were quite common on Fairbanks banjos, including Electrics, Regents and Whyte Laydies.
I've been trying to post more pictures; I have one of the head with a measuring tape, i'm probably measuring it wrong.
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=293849
The forum software doesn't seem to be cooperating, but I'll post a youtube video with some close ups of the banjo tonight! Thanks!
It is likely that I am likely not measuring the rim correctly. I will include this in the youtube video.
I disassembled the neck the other night and it is indeed a reproduction with the original dowel included.
Edited by - Apophenia Savant on 01/31/2023 19:24:08
quote:
Originally posted by kylebdo you have more pictures of the neck? it could be a conversion neck. pictures showing it all will help us determine that. if its original to the banjo it would be pretty rare for a vega five string from that era.
It is a conversion neck. A five string would be stamped "No. 3", not "Style M".
It's funny but it looks EXACTLY like the neck on this banjo; only mine is matched/contoured to my body better than this one is.
Everything else is 100% exact.
reverb.com/item/52607823-1924-...ion-banjo
Here is a clip just showing the head and a measuring tape
youtube.com/shorts/PVTj_2YdXtI
Here are the rest of the details of the banjo
youtube.com/watch?v=IKcKEnEVSSA
Thanks for taking a look!
Edited by - Apophenia Savant on 01/31/2023 21:54:44
quote:
Originally posted by banjo5280Lots of gun guys hide the last digits of serial numbers, but it's hard to see how it matters there either. Also, many have found difficulty measuring rim size on this forum; it can be difficult unless some disassembly is attempted. Bob (above) offers good suggestions there, but hey, perhaps in addition to being a rare friend to you, your banjo is also a rare example! My family Vegas are a skosh older but in the same realm, and we LOVE the Tubaphone sound!
Laugh now, but just wait until they declare martial law and come for your banjos. 
quote:
Originally posted by rcc56Vega style M was a professional grade tenor banjo model, featuring their Tubaphone tone ring.
It's a banjo of high quality. Vega was one of the best makers of the period.
And yes, by the 1920's, 5 string banjos had faded in popularity and tenor banjos were in.
The neck on yours is a reproduction, and appears to have been made by a skillful craftsman. The dowel stick is the original.The majority of the style M's had rims just under 11" in diameter. Some were also built with a diameter of around 11 13/16" - 11 7/8". If your measurement of ~ 11 1/2" is accurate, yours is an unusual size that is rarely seen.
I have a circa 1924 Tubaphone conversion with an 11 1/2" pot and an 1898 Fairbanks Electric with an 11 1/2" pot. Some have questioned the accuracy of my measurements, but after fifty years of carpentry I am fairly confident reading a tape measure and ruler. I don't think that an 11 1/2" Vega is as rare as some believe.
Perhaps "uncommon" would have been a better choice of words than "rare."
Which of the two measurements in my video are correct? I wasn't sure if to use the outside diameter of the rim or the inside diameter.
It would be the outside of the rim. You should take measurements from several places to see if the rim is circular or out-of-round.
It's pretty symmetrical from other angles. So is the measurement of a little less than 11 1/2" correct?
youtube.com/shorts/PVTj_2YdXtI
Based on comparing my banjo and this one on reverb (reverb.com/item/52607823-1924-...ion-banjo), I would say that this neck was a catalog mail-order, and custom fit to the instrument by whoever bought the neck.
That would account for the difference in quality between how my neck was fit and how this other one was.
Edited by - Apophenia Savant on 02/01/2023 21:42:34
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