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Thread: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

  1. #1
    Registered User TDMpicker's Avatar
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    Default 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    Sharing some photos of a 1917 Vega Style K mandolin banjo S/N #32814
    that I recently refurbished. Got this at an auction. It was dirty, missing a neck brace bracket, had some odd bolts and needed a bridge. This instrument has been completely reconditioned and had a new setup. All of the wood and metal parts were cleaned an polished. I replaced the rim bolts with some new vintage style. (kept the old ones for a future project). The 1928 Vega catalog states that the neck is solid mahogany, the laminated rim is all maple with a French polish finish overall. The fretboard is ebony with perl inlaid position markers. The fretboard was cleaned and lightly sanded. It showed little if any wear. The 19 nickel silver frets showed only slight wear on frets 1-4 under the A and E strings. A new solid ebony compensated bridge made and fitted. This instrument plays very easy and has a really nice sound IMO.

    Here's a sound clip
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    Terry
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    "Enjoying the Challenge"
    Crystal Forest Mandolins web site
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  2. #2

    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    SWEET. I love style Ks.

    Is that a new Yellowstone head or skin?

  3. #3
    Registered User TDMpicker's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    Jake,
    It is the original calf skin head.
    Terry
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    Crystal Forest Mandolins web site
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  4. #4
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    Sounding mighty fine! Good tone!
    Bernie
    ____
    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  5. #5

    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    Terry: I totally didn't open the big image and look closely enough. Now that I did, it's a "duh" situation. The thumbnails dithered the image weird making it look synthetic and I noticed it had a flesh hoop installed so I thought perhaps you'd installed one of the newfangled Yellowstone material heads...

  6. #6
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    Nice work as ever Jake - great little find too!

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    Registered User Bill Snyder's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    It wasn't Jake. It was Terry.
    Bill Snyder

  8. #8
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Snyder View Post
    It wasn't Jake. It was Terry.
    Ooops!! Sorry Terry!

    Note to self: must pay more attention

  9. #9
    Registered User Bill Snyder's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    Easy enough mistake as Jake is the restorer of all mando-thingies around here and he is posting in this thread.
    Bill Snyder

  10. #10
    Registered User TDMpicker's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    All is well....
    to be mistaken for Jake would not be a bad comparison
    Terry
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  11. #11

    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    ...what he meant to say, was as bad a comparison... EG, if he had been compared with Tiny Tim, perhaps.

  12. #12
    Registered User gortnamona's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    glad you posted this, loved the sound clip. i purchased one of ebay a few years back but have never got around to sorting it out, i must do it now after hearing yours. the neck is straight but sits at an angle to the pot, action higher at bridge than the nut, i'm guessing this should be an easy enough fix, though advice appreciated.






  13. #13
    Registered User TDMpicker's Avatar
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    Default Re: 1917 Vega Style K restoration

    You can change the neck angle by putting a thin shim at the neck heel where the heel buts the pot.
    Take the neck off. Put the shim on the top side of the neck dowel (against the neck) to lower the action...
    underside of the dowel to raise action. Looks like you need it on the top side.
    Terry
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