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Thread: Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

  1. #1

    Default Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

    I have never seen a mandolin banjo quite like this one:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1920...p2056016.l4276

    I can't even imagine how heavy and loud it must be...

  2. #2
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

    It looks like a Fairbanks-Vega Style S with some sort of retrofitted resonator -- except for the squared-off end of the fretboard, which might just be a manufacturing variation.

    I'm not sure that the metal resonator would add that much weight; it looks pretty thin-walled to me. If it has the Tu-Ba-Phone tone ring it might be loud, fer shur. All Vega instruments that I've seen have been marked on the dowel stick inside the pot, with stamped trademark and serial number; my Little Wonder mandolin-banjo is marked that way. Perhaps the seller has not pulled off the resonator; if that were done, we might find "Vega" markings.

    Anyway, the "art" on the head's pretty cool. I couldn't get the link above to work well; here's another one with the eBay URL:

    link

    Later: bother, that link sends me to VigLink instead of eBay too. Better to access eBay and search on "Vintage 1920 Vega Banjo Mandolin w/Resonator" or some such.
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  3. #3
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

    Those were aftermarket resonators.

    Right click on the link and open in a new tab. Scott has been trying to get that fixed. It only happens with certain browsers.
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  4. #4
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    Default Re: Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

    It definitely looks Vega, but more to me like a White Laydie.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  5. #5

    Default Re: Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

    9 bids so far and over $260 with five days to go. Shipping alone is over $50 so I wonder how heavy this thing is?

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Bradford View Post
    9 bids so far and over $260 with five days to go. Shipping alone is over $50 so I wonder how heavy this thing is?
    If it's a tubaphone or whyte laydie it's heavy. But oh the sound.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  7. #7
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Vintage Banjo Mandolin with a huge resonator

    I agree that it looks like an after-market resonator. I have an Elton that will fit on my Tubaphone tenor but not with a metal back. I woud guess tho that the metal is probably thin or possibly aluminum, so wouldn't add too much weight. As pops1 says, the Tubaphones and Whyte Laydies are super heavy by themselves.

    If the seller removes the resonator, the style and model should be on the dowelstick.
    Jim

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