This article is the result of years of research, accumulating data, and finally bringing it all together in one place. It has grown beyond the very narrow purposes of identifying certain changes in the Vega made banjo models, especially the Whyte Laydie and Tubaphone, to include when the name stamps changed. I haven't tried to match a date to the serial numbers, but that information -- although at best speculative and approximate -- is available elsewhere, including Mugwumps Online. For the collector/scholar, it is important just to know when changes occured. For the buyer, it is critical to know that an instrument being sold as "all original" probably is. Some of the information here will help.

First, it is important to know a few facts. Virtually all the metal parts for nearly all the East coast banjo makers were supplied by one company -- Waverly Music Products of New York, NY, in business from before the turn of the century until the 1970s when they were acquired by Stewart-MacDonald of Athens, OH. I interviewed Waverly's then owner, a Mr. Lomb -- son and grandson of the founders, early in 1970 when he had put the company up for sale. He told me that Waverly, for whom he had worked since his pre-teens, had provided most of the metal parts and accessories to the banjo makers. In his workshop he showed me many patterns, cutters, tools, and dies used in making the nuts for Vega, Gibson, Bacon, Paramount and all the standard nuts we associate with the large makers. Waverly also made many, varied, stretcher bands, the simple brass hoops used for tone rings on the less expensive instruments, and some of the components that went into the more sophisticated tone rings. They also made the various shoes and hooks, from the Cobra hooks used on early Fairbanks to the modern flat and round hooks. Most of the tailpieces and many of the tuners also came from Waverly. That there were others making some hardware is indisputed, but Waverly made most of it. I don't know if they made the Whyte Laydie and Tubaphone assemblies or if some of the parts were made locally and then assembled at Vega -- the most likely scenario.

It is likely that Vega did not stamp the serial number on a rim until final assembly, just before it was ready to be shipped. Since the rims were assembled separately from the necks, and since Vega made & sold a variety of styles (5 string, tenor, guitar, mandolin, plectrum, etc.) it stands to reason that the serial number wasn't afixed until the neck and rim were mated. This would explain why some rims have hardware and specifications after the time when some parts were disountinued. It seems especially true for the earlier Vega #7's and #9's which clearly sold in smaller quantities, and the assembled rims might sit around for a while. It does not explain the apparent anomolies of name stamps appearing with serial numbers earlier than expected. Two possible explanations occur to me -- there may be others. First is simply a reporting error, but I have seen some personally, and been sent photos of others. The other possible explanation might be that the banjo was returned to the factory, given a new neck with new logo stamp, but numbered with the old serial number. Your thoughts on this and any other factor relevant to this study are welcomed.

Be sure to visit the article Fairbanks & Vega Dating for more information about this project and a summary of my conclusions based on the instruments listed below.

If you have information about:

1. Any Whyte Laydie banjo with serial number lower then 20343 or
2. Any Whyte Laydie banjo with serial number between 24939 and 24945, or
3. Any Tubaphone banjo with serial number lower than 25052, or
4. A WL#7 with number above, but close to 24956, but especially around 25000
5. Instruments with serial #s between 26019 and 26023, when the switch from Fairbanks plate to F-V stamp seems to have occurred.
6. Serial #s for WL or Regent models with left (reversed) facing Gryphons all seem to be in the 24000 serial numbers.
7. Any model F-V or Vega banjo with serial #s between 52669 and 52684 (a 15 number range), when the switch from "Fairbanks Banjo, Made by Vega" stamp to the "Made by Vega" stamp seems to have occurred.
8. Vega serial #s between 99369 and 99686, when the switch from the Vega stamp to printed yellow labels seems to have occured.
9. Serial numbers from the "Made by Martin" era.

Please send any information directly to me. Mike Holmes. Thanks.

ID	Model	Serial	SB	Fer'l	Rim	Hooks	F-B
F&C	-	1000	Earliest reported Cobra hooks.
F	--	c15000	Introduction of A.C. Fairbanks metal plate.
F	SE5	17607	Earliest reported Special Electric #5.
F	SE5	17609	G	Long	FS	Cobra	Ebony
F	WL2	20343	Earliest reported Whyte Laydie.
F	WL2	20788	G	Long	Thin	Round	Ebony
F	WL2	20803	--		Thin	Round
F	WL7	20827	G	Long	Thin	Cobra
F	WL2	21101	Standard WL#2, curly maple neck, red line under ph & fb, unusual Gryphon. 2 known
F	WL2	21630	G	Long	Thin	Round	Replaced ebony fb
F	EL-0	21972	G	-	Thin	Round	Ebony
F	WL7	22743	G	-	Thin	New	Ebony
F	WL7	22891	G	-	Thin	New	Ebony
F	WL2	22924	G	Long	Thin	Round	Ebony
F	WL7	23344	G	Long	Thin	New	Ebony
F	WL2	23581	G	-	Thin	Round
F	WL7	23721	G	Long	--	--
F	WL2	23800	G	Short	--	Round	Dyed
F	WL7	23891	G	Short	Thin	Cobra	Ebony
F	WL2	24189	G	Short	Thin	Round	Ebony
F	WL2	24392	G	Short	Thin	New	Ebony
F	WL2	24491	G	Short	Thin	Round	Ebony
F	WL7	24543	G	Short	Thin	Cobra	Ebony
F	WL2	24559	G	None		Round	Dyed
F	Elec	24567	N	Earliest appearance of notched SB, but on a custom Electric
F	WL2	24607	G			Round
F	WL2	24615	G	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	WL2	24655	G			Round
F	WL2	24690	N	Short	Thick	Round	Dyed
F	WL2	24790	N	Short	Thick	Round	Dyed
F	WL2	24848	N	--	Thin	Round	Dyed
F	WL2	24860	N	--	Thick	--	--
F	WL2	24923	N			Round
F	WL7	24925	G	--	--	Cobra
F	WL7	24926	G	Short	Thin	Cobra	Ebony
F	WL2-7	24927	G	Short	Thin	New
F	WL7	24935	--	--	--	--
F	WL	24938	--	--	--	--
F	WL7	24939	G	Short	Thick	Cobra
F	WL2	24945	N		Thin	Round	Ebony
F	WL2	24956	N	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	WL/TU	24992	N	--	Thin	Round	Dyed
F	TU3	25052	N	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	TU3	25060	N	Short	Thick	Round	--
F	TU3	25083	N	Short	--	Round
F	TU3	25230	N	Short	--	Round
F	TU9	25241	G	Short	Thick	Cobra	Ebony
F-V	TU3	25269	Unexplained anomoly, confirmed, perhaps returned to factory?
F	TU3	25362	N	Short		Round
F	TU3	25390	N	Short	--	Round
F	WL2	25459	N	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	WL2	25513	N	Short	--	Round
F	WL	25646	N	Short	--	Round	Dyed
F	WL7	25647	N	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	TU3	25677	N	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	TU3	25733	N	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	TU-BM	25841	N	Short	Thin	Round
F	WL-BM	25842	N	Short	Thin	Round	Ebony
F	WL7	25844	N	Short	Thick	Round	Ebony
F	R	25980	From this point, the WL &TU specifications remain unchanged.
F	TU3	26019	Latest reported Fairbanks plate.
F-V	Elec	26023	Earliest reported F-V stamp except anomolous #25269.
F-V	WL2	26484	Orig 5 string w/A.C.F. plate & stamp.
F-V	TU9	30441	Latest reported style 3. Flowerpot peghead inlay.
F-V	TU9	52669	Latest reported F-V stamp.
V	Senator	52684	Earliest reported Vega stamp.
V	WL2	91892	Earliest bracket band drilled with bolts through rim.
V	Vox1	99369	Highest Vega name stamp, pre-yellow labels.
V	Vox4	A99610	Coordinator rods, lowest yellow label, wood strut, A = adjustable truss rod.
V	PS	A99686	Yellow label, coordinator rods.
V	WL	A99815	Yellow label, wood strut.
V	WL	A128923	Needham address, Osborne mdl, carving, etc. post factory

Legend
SB	Stretcher Band	Grooved/Slotted, Notched
Fer'l	Ferrule	Long=2.5", Short=1"
FB	Fingerboard	Ebony, Dyed
Rim	Full Spun, Thin=3/8", Thick=7/16"-1/2"

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