Boston Mass.
Vegavox 1
19 fret tenor
#100635
100560..........................1961
101999..........................1962
Excellent plus, original condition
The "Tube-a-Phone" was introduced in 1909.
The metal nameplate was dropped, and a stamped name on the dowel stick of "Fairbanks-Vega" was begun in 1910.
The stamped name was changed to "Vega" in 1923.
On March 4, 1904, the factory burned, and the Vega company purchased the company on March 21st, making banjos under the direction of David Day, later of "Bacon & Day" fame.
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
They sold
their name and equipment to C.F. Martin in May 1970. Martin built
Vegas are essentially the same as late 60's Vegas. In March 1979 the
Galaxy Trade Group purchased the Vega rights from Martin. All Galaxy
Vegas were Asian imports. In 1985 Deering acquired the Vega rights.
No mention of what happened to the Vega tooling and equipment after
Martin.
10-15/16" rim assembly
24 bolt top tension hoop, with floating flanges
Tubaphone tone ring
4:1 geared tuners
Adjustable truss rod
Single co-ordinator rod
Traditional Vox tailpiece, still holding tension very well.
Tension hoop mounted armrest
Thumbscrew mounted Deep walled resonator
Pyralin covered resonator
Block and Dot MOP inlays
Farquhar Bridge
VG+ original Vega badged Lifton HSC
No structural issues, or modifications on this instrument
Head strings and bridge are all that is not orig equipment
Very powerful, projecting with crisp noting all up and down the fingerboard
This has all of the power needed for Roaring 20's Dixieland rhythm sections.
