Details
This Vega tenor is a bit unusual in that it has 16 frets, not 17, and it also has 30 hook & nut sets instead of 28. (Serial number on dowel stick and inside wall of the shell match, and suggest it's from early 1920, a period when Vega made lots of tenor banjo variants) We've set it up as an Irish tenor, and the combination of the large head size with a real skin head (instead of plastic) gives it a wonderful throaty tone with lots of bottom end when in the "octave mandolin" tuning. Another plus is the 21 inch scale which makes this very playable. Of course you could also use regular tenor banjo strings and play this Style M in typical tenor banjo tuning.
This banjo came to us without many of its smaller metal parts, so the hooks and nuts are new, as is the tailpiece. Geared planet pegs are obviously new, and a major improvement over the friction tuners these Style M models were given back in 1920.
Nice straight neck with original frets that show very little wear. Original finish throughout.
Specs
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Binding
Ivoroid on neck, faux tortoise on shell
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Fingerboard
Ebony
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Finish
original shellac varnish
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Frets to body
16
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Neck material
Maple
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Nut width
1 1/8"
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Scale length
20 7/8"
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Total frets
16
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Tuners
new planets
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Year
1920
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Diameter
11 13/16"
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Flange
Vega Multi-Piece Flange
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Resonator
Yes
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Shell
laminated maple
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Tone ring
Tubaphone
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Case type
Hardshell
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Serial number
45777
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SKU
VEGSTYLEM-45777
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UPC
141416
