So lately Ive been considering attempting to trade a 1890/1 Fairbanks Electric for a later model Vega Regent (possibly even a Senator) but I’ve seen some ridiculous prices people are asking for some of these lower end Vegas and it has me wondering if it’s even worth trying.
It seems insane to me that Regents would be selling more than some WL’s and I’m hoping these are just sellers looking to find a mark for an overpriced instrument.
I’m curious what y’all think? Have these lower end Vegas really jumped substantially in value in the past year and am I wasting my time offering such a trade?
I appreciate any insight and have a great day,
Matthew
I'm a big fan of the Regent but am having a hard time believing some of the asking prices. Just remember that asking is rarely getting.
For those unfamiliar, the neck and rim of the Regent and WL are the same—maple neck and bound ebony fretboard—the pot could be blonde or stained brown. The differences are that the Regent has plain inlays, bracket shoes and a Little Wonder tone ring; the Whyte Laydie has an Electric tone ring, a bracket band and fancier inlays.
Sometime in the late '20s, Vega switched to machine carved necks on many models including the Regent. These are easy to identify by the brown stain over the heel and the back of the headstock covering the scorch marks on the maple. WL necks remained blonde indicating that they were still hand carved. This practice remained into the 1960s when blonde PS-5 necks were a $100 upcharge as they had to be carved by hand.
Edited by - mikehalloran on 05/12/2026 09:53:56
I think it all depends on what you want out of your banjo, if you possibly can just play them and see what you think, I own and play several Vega and Fairbanks banjos and, I love em all ! I would not be thinking of trading an older electric for a Regent or a senator but, that is just me, I love my bracket bands .
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