Vega Whyte Laydie Guitar Banjo (1923)
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Item # 9497
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Vega Whyte Laydie Model Guitar Banjo (1923), made in Boston, Mass., serial # 47866, natural varnish finish, laminated maple neck and rim, ebony fingerboard, black hard shell case.
Sometimes an instrument just carries its history with it, with the funk on its face so to speak. This is a heavily used, fairly rare Fairbanks/Vega Whyte Laydie Banjo-Guitar that must have had an interesting 97 years on Earth so far. While not in pristine original condition, it definitely has a vibe and sound worthy of its history.
The Whyte Laydie is well-known as a 5-string design, but not common in this 6-string variant. It features all natural maple construction with ebony laminates thru neck and on headstock and heelcap. The heavy ebony fingerboard extends over the rim, which is not a universal feature of the model. There is an inlaid pearl Vega star in head and mixed dot-and-diamond pearl fingerboard inlay. The hardware includes the patented Vega bracket-band rim with Electric/Whyte Laydie tone ring and special 6-string tailpiece.
This is a great sounding instrument for anything from vintage Jazz and Ragtime to Old-Time country styles. "Play that thing, Mr. St Cyr!" - while with Louis Armstrong's Hot Five, Johnny St Cyr used a six-string Vega very similar to this one. Maybe this one was also there in New Orleans when jazz was just starting to cruise up the river; it certainly looks like it could have been!
Overall length is 35 3/4 in. (90.8 cm.), 11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm.) diameter head, and 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This is a well-used but playable instrument that has seen a decent amount of working over in its time. The non-original finish on the back of the neck is a rather scrubby hand-rubbed varnish; the headstock and rim have a thin coat of this over the original clear varnish. The bottom edge of the rim looks to have been sanded and re-stained black. The overall effect is "folksy" rather than historic, but is does hold together with its own character.
The hooks and nuts are the correct style but later, the hoop and tailpiece are original but the tailpiece bolt is not. The tuners are 1940-50s Waverly individual guitar units with metal buttons, and look to have been on for a very long time. The nut appears original, the frets are likely an old refret (or two) and are playable if not the most artful work. The banjo is set up with a very solid old skin head that sounds great and an interesting handmade maple bridge that looks a bit like a miniature Roman aqueduct.
There is wear overall but no cracks, breaks or structural repairs, and the instrument remains completely solid. The sound is very authentic and this is a good gigging banjo-guitar, ragged but right with who knows what history behind it. It is housed in a very worn but serviceable 60s era hard case. Very Good Condition.
Sometimes an instrument just carries its history with it, with the funk on its face so to speak. This is a heavily used, fairly rare Fairbanks/Vega Whyte Laydie Banjo-Guitar that must have had an interesting 97 years on Earth so far. While not in pristine original condition, it definitely has a vibe and sound worthy of its history.
The Whyte Laydie is well-known as a 5-string design, but not common in this 6-string variant. It features all natural maple construction with ebony laminates thru neck and on headstock and heelcap. The heavy ebony fingerboard extends over the rim, which is not a universal feature of the model. There is an inlaid pearl Vega star in head and mixed dot-and-diamond pearl fingerboard inlay. The hardware includes the patented Vega bracket-band rim with Electric/Whyte Laydie tone ring and special 6-string tailpiece.
This is a great sounding instrument for anything from vintage Jazz and Ragtime to Old-Time country styles. "Play that thing, Mr. St Cyr!" - while with Louis Armstrong's Hot Five, Johnny St Cyr used a six-string Vega very similar to this one. Maybe this one was also there in New Orleans when jazz was just starting to cruise up the river; it certainly looks like it could have been!
Overall length is 35 3/4 in. (90.8 cm.), 11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm.) diameter head, and 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This is a well-used but playable instrument that has seen a decent amount of working over in its time. The non-original finish on the back of the neck is a rather scrubby hand-rubbed varnish; the headstock and rim have a thin coat of this over the original clear varnish. The bottom edge of the rim looks to have been sanded and re-stained black. The overall effect is "folksy" rather than historic, but is does hold together with its own character.
The hooks and nuts are the correct style but later, the hoop and tailpiece are original but the tailpiece bolt is not. The tuners are 1940-50s Waverly individual guitar units with metal buttons, and look to have been on for a very long time. The nut appears original, the frets are likely an old refret (or two) and are playable if not the most artful work. The banjo is set up with a very solid old skin head that sounds great and an interesting handmade maple bridge that looks a bit like a miniature Roman aqueduct.
There is wear overall but no cracks, breaks or structural repairs, and the instrument remains completely solid. The sound is very authentic and this is a good gigging banjo-guitar, ragged but right with who knows what history behind it. It is housed in a very worn but serviceable 60s era hard case. Very Good Condition.