Vintage Banjo Identification
Banjos
Replacement parts damage a banjo’s value in a number of ways. First, it interferes with the authenticity of the banjo, a highly-prized quality for collectors. Second, it can compromise the banjo’s sound. For example, a common repair since the 1980s has been to replace a vintage banjo’s friction tuners with easier-to-use modern gear turners. Apr 16, 2019 - A study of banjo head peg heads. See more ideas about banjo, guitar inlay, bluegrass. It is likely a no-name import, and there is no easy way to identify a modern no-name import banjo; there are hundreds of import makers. This is not made by any of the well-known vintage makers. (speaking as one who is a banjo-picker and owner of several vintage banjos myself). Despite the patent, it didn’t take long for other clockmakers to jump on the bandwagon and copy the Willards’ design. Unfortunately for collectors of antique banjo clocks, many Willard banjo clocks do not carry their maker’s name, so it is often difficult to identify who made it. Originally called an 'Improved. Continue Reading. Free to use, reference database of over 200 pre 2nd WW banjo makers.
Latest Arrivals
DB - 00809 ca. 1912 'The Dayton' 5 string Banjo EXC+ Here's another one from my personal collection that has been a 'keeper' for many years. In beautiful condition and with the unique metal head which gives it a distinctive deep sound. You can hear it in the video clip below. Laminated walnut and mahogany 5/8ths inch thick 11 3/4' rim with 28 brackets, one of which is missing. 26 1/2' scale length and an extended fingerboard giving it 26 frets. Attractive fretboard inlays and 'The Dayton' inlaid on the peghead . Straight mahogany neck with good frets. Fricton tuning pegs function well. (loosen the screw, tune it a bit sharp, tighten the screw and adjust to pitch). The label is in fine shape with serial #809. NoKnot tailpiece. Chipboard case.
Price: $2250.00
UK - 0003 1920's Fancy No Name Banjo Uke EXC + What a cutie this is. And it is in splendid condition. The fancy cutouts in the metal clad rim are exquisite and there is a bigmetal tone ring that gives it a big butmellow tone. The two tiny screw holes in the head stock and the oval shadow indicate that there was once an oval placque residing there as is typical of British instruments.The original tuning pegs have a screwadjustment that allows quick and slip proof tuning. Themahogany resonator has a large knurled screw for quick easy removal.Some fancy inlays on the fingerboard.Orginal bridge and tailpiece . Chipboard case .Rim = 7 1/2' Scale Length = 13 1/4' Nut Width = 1 1/4'.
Price: $1350.00
VB 00033 ca. 1931 Vega Vegavox IV Deluxe Tenor Banjo EXC ++ This is one of the very nicest, classiest banjos I have ever seen. And it rings out loud and clear and plays perfectly. It has been restored by Renee Karnes several years ago and has received basically no wear since then. Here is the original catalog picture and the catalog description. ( $425.00 in 1931 = $7,144.81 in 2019 dollars) Elegance abounds everywhere on this gold plated instrument from the engraved tailpiece to the engraved inlay on the back of the peghead. Also beautifully engraved are the fingerboard inlays and the intricate inlay on the headstock which is as beautiful viewed from the side as it is from the front. There is a comforting feel to the warmth of a gold plated banjo and I think it makes for a richer sound but that could be just psychological. The resonator sides are fancy, it's true, but the back is exquisite with its elegant 'De-Luxe Vegavox' star in the middle. Elegance is also evident in the long back strap extending down the back of the 5 piece laminated neck and the carving on the inlaid heel. Modern hard shell case.
Price: $5250.00
DBM - 0003 mid teens 'The Dayton' Banjo Mandolin' EXC ++ We have another gem here in museum quality that is not only rare but a great sounding instrument. Made by Charles Rauch in (guess where) Dayton, Ohio known for his high quality and innovative instruments. Unique horizontally laminated thick rim of maple and walnut with a metal tone ring. Pearl inlaid 'The Dayton' on the headstock with metal ferrules surrounding the posts of the original tuning pegs. Ebony pearl inlaid fingerboard is extended and elevated over the head. Nice original cloud taiplpiece cover over a replacement tailpiece (original is in the case with one broken tab). The metal label is present and excellent displaying serial number #1506. And the original hard shell case is in fine condition with corduroy interior and in the pocket an original 'D' Dayton tuning key, the original bridge, and tailpiece. 10' Rim 14' Scale Length 1 3/32' Nut width
Price: $1750.00
GB - 00035 1935 KelKroyden (by Gibson) Conversion VG++ Here's the real dealand you can hear it in the tone. You got your one piece flange full thickness rim same as a Mastertone without a tone ring. The flange is a Nashville Plating Co. replacement since the old one (included) was broken. And we had Larry Cohea install a Mc Peake flat head tone ring and a second co-ordinator rod (the KKrim is originally drilled for it but has only one installed) as well as anice Wreath Patternfive string neck and then set it up perfectly with spikes at frets 7,8,9, and10. It plays beautifully and sounds incredible. Gibson script on the headstock and Planettuning pegs and the fabulous M.O.T. resonator with original lugs. Original case and tenor neckwith original pegs, flange (and broken pieces), and brass rod 'tone ring' are available if you so desire.
Price: $5850.00
PB - 00404 1924Paramount Style C Plectrum Banjo EXC This is a fineexample with good strong sound and great playability. Good neck, frets,etc. and wonderful condition. Nice old skin head. The dove pattern fingerboard inlay is Paramounts most beautiful in my opinion. The Cupid or Ludwig Van Beethoven on the first fret is a pleasureable puzzlement. And the high grade mahogany used in the neck and the maple capped rim and the resonator are beautifully accented by the colorful marquetry usedthroughout. Original Pagetuning pegs in fine condition. Fancy headstock inlay. Carved heel. Lovely volute. (Don't ya justlove volutes?) Original tailpiece and .... it's wired for .... light. (Perhaps you noticed) The serial number on the rim matches that on the dowel. The label proudly states 'Piano Volume - Harp Quality Tone'.No lie. Original Paramount double pocket blue lined hard shell case in pretty niceshape.
Price: $1795.00 SOLD
VB 00032 1928 Vega Style N 5 StringConversion EXC - This is a wonderful player as well as abeautiful piece of art. The 10 15/16' head is graced with a lovely, whimsical art deco illustration of two frolickingnudes. It has the simple 'rolled over' tone ring. The bottom of the metal pot cladding sits in aledge that locates the cladding precisely on the pot. The rolled-over tone ring doesn't sit on wood,but is held a little less than a millimeter above the wood of the pot, so the simple tone ring doesn't touch wood. All thehardware is original and in good shape including the No Knot Tailpiece.There are a few nicks and scratches on the rim butnothing major. It has the original dowel stickand the serial numbers match on thedowel and the rim. (87793) The 26 1/2' scale length neck is mint and appears to be the work ofWyatt Fawley. Simple (and proper) star on the headstock and Planet style tuning pegs.Here's a video clip of it:
Nice newer hard shell 'bump' case. Price: $3350.00.00
EB - 0007 Mid teens CliffordEssex 5 String Banjo EXC With its 11 inch rim spunover what looks like mahogany and a simple hooptonering and nice skin head, this old feller gets a mighty sweet oldtimey sound. Scale Length is 26 3/4' and the nut width is 1 3/16' and themahogany neck shows wear on the back and is very comfortable to play.Ebony fingerboard has lovely abalone and pearl inlays in it as does the headstock. The tuning pegs work fine. All partsappear original and match nicely and the 15a Grafton Street label proudly graces the dowelstick. Oversize chipboard case.
Price: $1195.00
BU - 0004 ca. 1935 JohnGrey Banjo Uke EXC Very nice little banjo ukefrom the esteemed English maker John Grey. Birds eye maple back and blue striped maple sides. 10 1/4' head and 13 1/4' scale length.Maple rim and mahoganyneck and dowel. Resonator attaches with a single thumb knob. There is a dark grain line that definitelyis not a crack in the heelof which we have large pictures. The letters R B E are stamped intothe bottom of the heel. Friction tuning pegs with the number 13797 stamped into the back of the peghead. John Grey& Sons, London on the headstock. The piano shaped case is unique.
Price: $795.00
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DATING A.C. FAIRBANKS AND VEGA BANJOS
For an in depth discussion about important dating information visit the Fairbanks Research article.
The A.C. Fairbanks Company (incorporated 1875) was succeeded in 1903 by the Vega Company (established 1889). Vega continued to mark their banjos 'A.C. Fairbanks' until the middle teens.
During 1880-1890 Fairbanks joined with William A. Cole, a successful performer and teacher, and produced approximately 9000 banjos as Fairbanks & Cole. They split in 1890 and
Fairbanks restarted the numbering at about 1, as did W.A. Cole. From 1890 to 1914 Fairbanks (later Vega) made Fred Bacon banjos. Between 1903 and 1914 Vega made some S.S. Stewart banjos. The years matched to the serial numbers are an educated approximation; they are accurate within a year or two, and even the dates of introduction of major improvements are based on ads, catalogs, and contemporary news releases.
In the 1960s, urban renewal in Boston forced Vega to move from the Columbus Avenue location where they had been from 1917 to c1961, to Leon Street in Boston, where they stayed until 1966. They moved to Needham Heights, where the owners were closer to home. They weren't there for long before selling to Martin.
Vega continued in business in the Nelson Family until March 15, 1970 when the name, equipment, and all the rights were sold to C.F. Martin, a respected guitar manufacturer, in Nazareth, PA. Martin made some banjos, and marketed import instruments, under the Vega brand name until March, 1979 when they sold the Vega rights to the Galaxy Trading Company, an Asian conglomerate. All Vegas from the Galaxy period are imported. In the mid-1980s, The Deering Banjo Company purchased the Vega name and rights from Galaxy and brought this venerable banjo name back to the US and their Spring Valley, CA factory.
For a listing of instrument models and a discussion of some of Fairbanks' and Vega's products, visit the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) article and the web sites listed at the end of this article.
To use the chart below, find the serial number closest to yours and interpolate between the listed numbers to get a best approximation.
| YEAR | LAST NO. | YEAR | LAST NO. | YEAR | LAST NO. |
| 1875 | Earliest #243 | 1875 | 300 | 1880 | 980 |
| 1885 | 5600 | 1890 | (Electric #65) | 1891 | 1400 |
| 1895 | 14900 | 1896 | (Metal nameplate) | 19001 | 19000 |
| 1901 | (Whyte Laydie #20343) | 1904 | (Fire #23070) | 1905 | 23500 |
| 1909 | (Tubaphone #25052) | 1910 | (F-V stamp) | 1910 | 27000 |
| 1915 | 32200 | 1920 | 40000 | 1922-3 | (Vega stamp c.53000) |
| 1925 | 67500 | 1930 | 95000 | 1935 | 98224 |
| 1940 | 98429 | 1945 | 98604 | 1950 | 98779 |
| 1953 | 98989 | 1954 | 99067 | 1955 | 99212 |
| 1956 | 99427 | 1957 | 99581 | 1958 | 99716 |
| 1959 | 100021 | 1960 | 100559 | 1961 | 101998 |
| 19621 | start# 10300 | 1962 | last#.10522 | 1963 | 12130 |
| 1964 | 12564 | 19642 | 124001 | 1964 | 125641 |
| 1965 | 126771 | 1966 | 127681 | 1967 | 128564 |
| 1968 | 129119 | 1969 | 129682 | 05/15/70 | Sold to CFM |
| 1970 | 130048 | 1971 | 139400 | 1972 | New series starting M1 |
| 03/79 | Sold to Galaxy | c1985 | Sold to Deering | ||
| 1. Due to a printers' error, serial numbers with only 5 digits and on yellow labels were usedfrom 10/1962 (no. A-10300) to 2/1964 (A-12400). The 'A' stands for 'Ajustable truss rod.' 2. A new series of numbers was started in February, 1964. | |||||
Q:What years was the flower pot headstock inlay available on the Tubaphone style 3, 5 string banjo? DL
A: Roughly 1909 to 1913, the last serial number seen was 30441.
Q:When did Vega (Fairbanks plate models) switch the Whyte Laydie models from a grooved/slotted stretcher band to a notched one? Fairbanks plate to F-V stamp to Vega stamp? Ferrule? Hooks? Rims? Fingerboards?
A: Although there are no absolutes where Vega is concerned, several years of research have led me to these conclusions about when certain changes were made (see Fairbanks Research article for data):
Vintage Banjo Dealers
- Electric, Whyte Laydie & Tubaphone Models: The Fairbanks Electric tone ring, was introduced in 1890; the earliest reported is serial #65. The earliest reported Whyte Laydie (which is the Electric tone ring with the addition of the bracket band) is #20343. The earliest reported Tubaphone is #25052. Double stamped Tubaphones with earlier numbers are WL's that were returned to the factory for retro-fitting.
- Grooved vs. Notched Stretcher bands: The crossover on WL#2s happens between #24939 and #24945. Earlier WL#2s with notched stretcher bands probably were retro-fitted. WL#7s and one TU#9 continued to have grooved stretcher bands and cobra hooks until at least #25241. (One banjo, #24567, has a notched band on a heavily engraved Fairbanks Electric, full silver wrapped banjo with round hooks and a #7 style neck. Since this was a custom order, anything is possible, including having sent it back to the factory for later enhancement or modification.)
- Name plate vs. F-V vs. Vega stamp: Plate (introduced circa #14900) to F-V seems to have happened between #26019 and #26023. F-V to Vega stamp, between #52669 and #52684. Vega stamp to yellow stick-on labels between 99369 and 99686.
- Long vs. short ferrule: switchover is between #23721 and #23800.
- Hooks: Cobra hooks first appear circa 1881 on Fairbanks & Cole banjos. The earliest reported is F&C #1000. They were used on Fairbanks Special Electrics, which appear in 1897 circa #17607, later they are only found on WL#7s up to and including #24939 and one TU#9 serial #25241.
- Rim: Thin rims are approximately 3/8'. Thick rims (7/16' to 1/2') appear about the time of the introduction of the Tubaphone, with a few earlier WL's having the thicker rims, but none earlier than about #24939.
- Fingerboards: There is no pattern to when and whether they used dyed wood or ebony on WL#2s, although the #7s seem to be all ebony. From the introduction of the Tubaphone, all WLs and TUs seem to have ebony fingerboards, but dyed fingerboards appear on the lesser instruments into the 1940s.
- Reversed facing Gryphons: Most reported examples are in the mid 24000's serial numbers. These are not 'errors' but, I believe, Vega using up inventory in anticipation of the changed WL pegheads co-incident with the release of the new Tubaphone banjos. The reversed Gryphons were intended for the backs of WL#7 pegheads. Ever frugal, Vega used them on the fronts of WL#2s and Regents.
- More research is needed to narrow the field. If you have a Whyte Laydie or Tubaphone within the serial number ranges stated above, or a Tubaphone with a serial number earlier than that listed, please let me know. Your confidentiality will be respected. Email Mike Holmes.
Q:Did Vega make any banjos before buying out Fairbanks? BR
A: There are a very few Fairbanks made banjos (several of them Regents) with pre-fire serial numbers circa 22900, stamped simply 'Vega' in an oval border. There is no evidence that Vega actually made banjos prior to buying out Fairbanks.
Q:At what point did Vega go from ball end to open end bracket nuts? JC
A: The earliest one I have recorded with open end nuts is #87058.
Q:At what point did Vega go to 'through the rim' bracket bolts on its WL and TPH banjos?
A: Serial #91892 is the earliest collected banjo with the bolts through the rim. It seems to coincide roughly with the introduction of the Vox models, the earliest serial number of which I have recorded is 93828.
Q:Which flanges came first on Vega banjos, was it the 4 piece or the 28 piece? I was under the impression it was the 28 piece but according to the Tsumura red book it was the 4 piece. KS
A: There are several errors in the otherwise excellent Tsumura Red Book. Vega offered banjos in many sizes, so it stands to reason the 28 flanges would predate the 4 pieces, since they could go on a greater variety of sizes. The patent for the individual flange plates was filed 10/30/1923 and issued to Carl Nelson 08/11/1925. The patent for the 4 piece Vega Vox flange, with its trapezoidal shaped soundholes, was filed 03/21/1927 and issued to William Nelson on 03/12/1929. The Nelsons were the owners of, and assigned their patents to, Vega. According to banjo historian Stu Cohen, checking the relevant catalogs, 'The Vegaphone (a Tubaphone model with the 28 piece flange and resonator) was introduced in August, 1923. The 4 piece flange was introduced in August, 1928, along with the Vega Vox and the addition of Pearloid on the resonator wall.' Information added by Stan Werbin, 'the individual flanges continued on several models (including sometimes on the Vegaphone Professional), gradually appearing only on lesser models, until they disappeared for good sometime in 1932.'
Much of the information included in this article is the result of my own research, and therefore any errors are mine to claim. However, I am grateful for having received (and continue to receive) help and support from Jim Bollman, Stu Cohen, George Gruhn and Stan Werbin plus too many readers to mention all of them here, but all of whom have contributed information that either added to or confirmed what we now know. The serial numbers and dates are, however, at best approximate. MIH