vega mandolins

[ollaimh]

I traded a guitar for a thirties vega cylinder back mandolin. it was a plain jane, with mahagony back and sides, but with a new bridge it is a cannon for celtic--which is pretty much all I play. so I then saw an earlier vega that was a lot fancier but needed repair. I went for it as it was maple back and sides which I have read is the holy grail of vegas. well it came back from my repair guy two days ago. there were some inlays missing, mother of pearl on the bottom about the tail piece and part of the flower on the pick guard, but now its perfect. it sounds great but I realized that the older one does not have a bent top like the thirties. it has a straight flat top right across. there was only one brace, which was totally loose, after re glueing the top is ok, but the brace is between the bridge and the sound hole, quite a bit more forward than I would have expected. this creates a bulge just below the sound hole and a little drop at the bridge. there were no other signs of any other braces every having been there and the top is thinner than the thirties one. so is this normal?

I am thinking of moving the brace back to go under the bridge, although it seems stable. the sound is amazing--a real cannon with that extra brightness and warmth that maple provides.

so I think there are vega experts out there. what do you think of no brace under the bridge? maybe ultimately I should x brace the top, and has anybody seen these straight flat top instruments? i'll post some pictures tomorrow.

I am discovering I really like vega cylinder back mandolins, in fact we(my lutheir and I) are thinking of making a cittern on that same pattern. cylinder back, five courses,two point body with the block being the points and a 20-- 22 inch scale. extra string on the high end so it would be a mandola and bouzouki combined.

I think the design is simple and pure genius

[DavidKOS]

Well, I'm not sure what to suggest about the bracing issues, but-

Those Vega cylinder backs are sweet mandolins, congratulations!

Have you looked with a mirror or with the back open and is there a glue line where a brace is missing?

If not, then it may be OK as is.

[ollaimh]

we had the top lifted one side, gently and there was no glue line or any other evidence that there was ever any braces but the one that we reglued. it's been tuned for three days and hasn't needed retuning, except when I bump the e string tuner on the case putting it away--I do that a lot. so I am guessing it's ok as is but I am open to rebracing it with a second ladder brace or go all the way with x bracing. i'm going to try to upload pics now

[ollaimh]

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[ollaimh]

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[ollaimh]

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[ollaimh]

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[ollaimh]

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[ollaimh]

ya see the thirties mahagony one has a clear break point on the top, while the earlier one is a straight flat top. I had thought all vegas were bent tops. both sound great but the older maple one is the better of the two, but it needed repair. the other only needed a new bridge. I am sold on the design. I have a couple of gibson a s, one a snake head from 24, and they are different but equal. I am convincted the vega design is underrated.

[Eddie Sheehy]

I have a Vega 205 CB that looks like the top is flat - but in fact the cant has collapsed. It was rebraced about 12 years ago and has been stable since. The Bridge was 'shimmed' to make up for the depressed cant and keep the action superb - the neck is flat and straight. Plays like a dream.

[ollaimh]

the maple vega has no bend on the sides while the mahagony one has a distinct bent on the side, so if the top sank it didn't every have the size of bend in the mahagony. however it sounds great. fantastic, better then the mahagony one--which I like. it still needs some fret work. there are a couple of high frets up the neck, playable but there is some fret sound.

I guess what I am asking is did they make straight flat tops? it looks that way but I am not sure

[ollaimh]

now i'd like to try one with rosewood back and sides

[Eddie Sheehy]

Forget about getting the cant back. Make sure it is braced soundly and shim the bridge to make up for the lost cant.

[bart mcneil]

Nice chair.

[ollaimh]

yeah the chair is an antique. 1830, from wheeling west virginnia. my wife's family were fairly rich before the depression. they left some beautifull antique furniture and a fantastic double diamond ring which has been broken up for two engagement rings for the children. they used to own a number of properties in Toronto that would be worth many millions--if they hadn't lost them in the depression. a common story I am sure. those kind of chairs aren't actually worth much now, few want them, but it's very beautifull/but not as beautifull as the mandolin

[ollaimh]

eddie, I woner if there was ever a cant, the bridge is fine as is, we actually had to cut it down a titch. the frets need dressing, but we thought to wait for a month or two , to see if it holds up fine. so far it holds the tunning well. on further inspection I noticed thast the mahagony one has an x bracing system. the fancy one has a single ladder cross brace. I don't know the difference. I am guessing it dates the fancy one to be much older than the mahagony one.