I don't know if they made the Whyte Laydie and Tubaphone assemblies or if some of the parts were made locally and then assembled at Vega - the most likely scenario. That there were others making some hardware is indisputed, but Waverly made most of it. Most of the tailpieces and many of the tuners also came from Waverly. They also made the various shoes and hooks, from the Cobra hooks used on early Fairbanks to the modern flat and round hooks.

Waverly also made many, varied, stretcher bands, the simple brass hoops used for tone rings on the less expensive instruments, and some of the components that went into the more sophisticated tone rings. In his workshop he showed me many patterns, cutters, tools, and dies used in making the nuts for Vega, Gibson, Bacon, Paramount and all the standard nuts we associate with the large makers. He told me that Waverly, for whom he had worked since his pre-teens, had provided most of the metal parts and accessories to the banjo makers. Lomb - son and grandson of the founders, early in 1970 when he had put the company up for sale. I interviewed Waverly's then owner, a Mr. Virtually all the metal parts for nearly all the East coast banjo makers were supplied by one company - Waverly Music Products of New York, NY, in business from before the turn of the century until the 1970s when they were acquired by Stewart-MacDonald of Athens, OH.

Vegavox Intro ~926XX, New 2-Piece Resonator on VegaphonesĪ Fairbanks Banjo Project Stretcher bands, ferrules, rim thickness, hooks, nameplatesįirst, it is important to know a few facts. Vegaphone Δ Flange ~877XX, Oettinger->Clamshell Tubaphone Intro ~25XXX & First FB/Vega Stamp ~26000ĭavid L Day leaves~53XXX-54XXX, 1st Vega Stamp ~526XX March 4th Fire and Vega Purchase on Mar 21st for $925 + $1 (Patents)Ĭonsalvi leaves in 1906 ~ 239XX, Absent from ~233XX-235XXĪ few pre-Launch Tubaphones. Patent appears on early serialized banjos Fairbanks-Vega Serial Number Listĭavid Lucien Day starts working for banjo businessį&C Partnership end. My question is,' Is there a source that will identify the model that bears that serial number?' An example being my banjo has a serial number of 42272 which indicates a 1921 production date and I am wondering if that same number will tell me to which. I know there is a site or rather several sites that will date a Vega by its serial number. The case has the name Vega on it and it is also just like Mark's. On the body of the guitar under the PU I found a serial #35483 I'm assuming this guitar was made sometime in the 40's.

It has two horseshow magnets under the pick up.

Mine has the same logo as Mark's but is shaped a little different. I also have a Vega that I would like to date.

Vega archtop guitar serial numbers