Vega Vegaphone Soloist Guitar Banjo (1928)
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Vega Vegaphone Soloist Model Guitar Banjo (1928), made in Boston, Mass., serial # 93258, shaded maple finish, laminated maple rim, neck and resonator, ebony fingerboard, molded plastic hard shell case.
This is a rare late example of a Vega Guitar-Banjo, generally considered among the best "Guit-Jo's" ever made. It is built in the "Vegaphone Soloist" style, the most obscure of the 1920s Vegaphones, the second model up the ladder in a 4-banjo line above the basic "Professional" and under the much fancier "Artist" and "Deluxe." In tenor or plectrum form the Soloist was priced at $200.00 when new ,with Vega's high-grade construction features and medium-fancy level decoration. It was not cataloged in this six-string configuration; this would have been a custom ordered instrument.
Vega's "Vegaphone" line was essentially a long-scale Tubaphone with a flange and resonator, introduced in 1923-4. These were a response to William Lange's Paramount line, the first "Modern" resonator banjos that defined the new Orchestra player's market. The Boston company offered 6-string versions of its banjos starting in the 1910s but built them only in very small numbers compared to 5 and then 4 string banjos. These did feature in some 1920s jazz bands but were produced in ever-declining numbers up into the Depression years. This one was made around 1928, when the jazz age was still roaring but banjo sales on the whole were about to take a steep decline.
The Soloist has the standard Tubaphone tone ring and bracket band and is distinguished in featuring a mix of gold and nickel-plated hardware: the hoop, hooks, shoes, tailpiece, and four-piece flange are gold; the tone ring, bracket band, and nuts are not. The pie-section resonator has beautifully shaded figured maple sections on the back and white celluloid outer edge binding. The fairly thick C-profile neck is a 3-piece shaded maple laminate with a bound ebony fingerboard. The fingerboard and headstock inlay are much plainer on the 6-string version than the tenor and plectrum, likely because the factory used pre-made parts for this unusual custom order.
The tuners and tailpiece on this "guit-jo" are later fittings, but it is otherwise original and an excellent player with a bright sound, especially suitable for combo work. This smaller-rim fully resonated instrument has a brighter sound that cuts more like a 4-string banjo than many earlier 6-strings. Vegaphone banjos as a whole were extremely popular with period jazz musicians and can be seen in many photographs and heard on literally thousands of early dance band and jazz recordings. The Guitar-Banjo version is exponentially rarer than the Tenor; this is the only 6-string Vegaphone Soloist we have ever seen. It is an unusual, lovely and very playable find for the player or collector.
Overall length is 35 1/2 in. (90.2 cm.), 10 15/16 in. (27.8 cm.) diameter head, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).
This instrument shows a decent amount of wear overall but is structurally excellent and a fine player. The original finish is fairly well worn on the resonator back with some deep scratching on the upper quarter. The back of the neck has an old light lacquer overspray; some old capo divots are under this finish. The face of the headstock remains original.
The instrument was refretted long ago with wire slightly larger than the (very thin) original style; these remain in good condition with some minimal wear; the bone nut is original. The headstock is fitted with 1960-70s era Planet tuners, the tailpiece is a modern antiqued repro of a 6-string No-knot. The playing is mostly worn off the hooks which show a lot of corrosion. The flange sections have been buffed to a sheen as has the side of the hoop and top of the armrest. The head is older plastic and the bridge is a recent custom piece. This is a lovely veteran player, coming up on a century old and still ready to gig in a modern molded case. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a rare late example of a Vega Guitar-Banjo, generally considered among the best "Guit-Jo's" ever made. It is built in the "Vegaphone Soloist" style, the most obscure of the 1920s Vegaphones, the second model up the ladder in a 4-banjo line above the basic "Professional" and under the much fancier "Artist" and "Deluxe." In tenor or plectrum form the Soloist was priced at $200.00 when new ,with Vega's high-grade construction features and medium-fancy level decoration. It was not cataloged in this six-string configuration; this would have been a custom ordered instrument.
Vega's "Vegaphone" line was essentially a long-scale Tubaphone with a flange and resonator, introduced in 1923-4. These were a response to William Lange's Paramount line, the first "Modern" resonator banjos that defined the new Orchestra player's market. The Boston company offered 6-string versions of its banjos starting in the 1910s but built them only in very small numbers compared to 5 and then 4 string banjos. These did feature in some 1920s jazz bands but were produced in ever-declining numbers up into the Depression years. This one was made around 1928, when the jazz age was still roaring but banjo sales on the whole were about to take a steep decline.
The Soloist has the standard Tubaphone tone ring and bracket band and is distinguished in featuring a mix of gold and nickel-plated hardware: the hoop, hooks, shoes, tailpiece, and four-piece flange are gold; the tone ring, bracket band, and nuts are not. The pie-section resonator has beautifully shaded figured maple sections on the back and white celluloid outer edge binding. The fairly thick C-profile neck is a 3-piece shaded maple laminate with a bound ebony fingerboard. The fingerboard and headstock inlay are much plainer on the 6-string version than the tenor and plectrum, likely because the factory used pre-made parts for this unusual custom order.
The tuners and tailpiece on this "guit-jo" are later fittings, but it is otherwise original and an excellent player with a bright sound, especially suitable for combo work. This smaller-rim fully resonated instrument has a brighter sound that cuts more like a 4-string banjo than many earlier 6-strings. Vegaphone banjos as a whole were extremely popular with period jazz musicians and can be seen in many photographs and heard on literally thousands of early dance band and jazz recordings. The Guitar-Banjo version is exponentially rarer than the Tenor; this is the only 6-string Vegaphone Soloist we have ever seen. It is an unusual, lovely and very playable find for the player or collector.
Overall length is 35 1/2 in. (90.2 cm.), 10 15/16 in. (27.8 cm.) diameter head, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).
This instrument shows a decent amount of wear overall but is structurally excellent and a fine player. The original finish is fairly well worn on the resonator back with some deep scratching on the upper quarter. The back of the neck has an old light lacquer overspray; some old capo divots are under this finish. The face of the headstock remains original.
The instrument was refretted long ago with wire slightly larger than the (very thin) original style; these remain in good condition with some minimal wear; the bone nut is original. The headstock is fitted with 1960-70s era Planet tuners, the tailpiece is a modern antiqued repro of a 6-string No-knot. The playing is mostly worn off the hooks which show a lot of corrosion. The flange sections have been buffed to a sheen as has the side of the hoop and top of the armrest. The head is older plastic and the bridge is a recent custom piece. This is a lovely veteran player, coming up on a century old and still ready to gig in a modern molded case. Overall Very Good + Condition.