Martin Company acquired the Vega rights from the Bostonian Nelson Family in May of 1970 and sold the franchise overseas in March of 1979. He is credited with being one of the first banjo-builders to install side brackets with hooks to adjust the tension of the head. This 5-stringer was manufactured circa 1845 in Baltimore, MD, by luthier William Boucher, Jr. Martin`s transition from traditional Spanish, Viennese, and Renaissance structural features towards innovating a modern acoustic guitar with a unique cross brace design.Īlthough the Martin Company did not manufacture Vega banjos till a century later, a solitary banjo from the mid 19th century is appended to the exhibit to display parallel innovation in the instrument because of its increasing popularity during that era. This fascinating collection of vintage stringed instruments chronicles luthier C.F.
Note the unique cluster of 3 sound apertures spaced around the tone ring of the below VIP-5 model owned by the BRC founder (SN 1364). Martin installed a serial number decal on the inner rim beginning with #2 and on through #1945. Old 6 digit Vega serial numbers persisted on a yellow sticker on the inner pot until production was moved to Pennsylvania in 1972. For several years, the Vega Martin banjo was an amalgam of parts from Massachusetts and Nazareth, PA. bought the Vega banjo line in May of 1970, hundreds of parts were inherited from the Needham Heights factory near Boston. (BTW, for additional postings select “Vega Martin Stories” on the homepage menu or enter “Vega Martin” in the search engine. Kudos to Greg Deering who rescued the Vega brand name from extinction in 1989 and restored it to greatness. After its Martin Guitar era, the Vega brand name ownership was sold overseas, and the banjo line fell into obscurity. These data were generously provided to the BRC founder in 2000 by the family owned Martin Guitar department of history.įrom its early Boston beginnings, the Vega Banjo Company made splendid and now vintage instruments, including the Earl Scruggs signature model he endorsed in the 1960′s. The BRC Archives contain the serial numbers of these unique Vega-Martin banjos.
The two legendary musicians in the camp photo are banjo godfather Tony Trischka and Grammy award winner Eric Weissberg. Martin” decal photographed on the back of the VIP Vega peg head. Unbeknownst to most 5 string aficionados, the Martin Guitar Company manufactured Vega banjos from 1970 through 1979. Flanked by interactive faculty at a northeastern banjo camp, the BRC founder proudly shows-off his Vega VIP banjo built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1975.
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