Dec 22, 2008 It's serial number is 0172005E959. Any ideas???? ChipL - Posted -: 01:10:34. The serial number is made up like this; the first two digits are the month in which it was made, the center digits is how many of that model were made and the last two digits is the year. Re: McCormick-Deering 10-20 Serial Number Question With that date on the belly, it shoild be at my house. Seriously though, if the plate is gone and the block is unreadable thats all there is on. McCormick-Deering 10-20 tractor overview. 10-20 Serial Numbers: Location: Below the tractor's fuel tank. Photo of 10-20 serial number 1923: KC501 1924: KC7641. From 1890 to 1914 Fairbanks (later Vega) made Fred Bacon banjos. Between 1903 and 1914 Vega made some S.S. Stewart banjos. The years matched to the serial numbers are an educated approximation; they are accurate within a year or two, and even the dates of introduction of major improvements are based on ads, catalogs, and contemporary news releases.
- Deering Vega Serial Numbers For Sale
- Deering Vega #2
- Deering Vega Banjo
- Deering Vega Banjo
- Deering Vega Serial Numbers Chart
ARCHIVED TOPIC: Martin Vega 1970's banjo? *updated with pics* |
Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/177392
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 16:06:09
I inherited a excellent condition Martin & Co. Vega VIP from i believe the 1970's era... I know nothing about it and took it to a local guitar shop where the owner said he wouldn't know much but he would try and help... he said it looked amazing and we found the serial number but when he looked in a book that he thought he could find out more about it he didn't find the serial number...
I am wondering if anyone can help me with information about this instrument and a rough value of one... I am planning on keeping it but I would still like to know its value. Thank you!!
jeremy
I am wondering if anyone can help me with information about this instrument and a rough value of one... I am planning on keeping it but I would still like to know its value. Thank you!!
jeremy
Edited by - jbeck2616 on 05/03/2010 17:27:30
Deering Vega Serial Numbers For Sale
banjowannabe - Posted - 05/03/2010: 16:12:18
If you can post pictures, it would be very helpful. When Martin owned the Vega name, they produced several models and some variations within those models. You can also get info. directly from Martin, but they will want pictures also.
5stringpicker2 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 16:25:30
Yeah, Get us some pics to look at. that would be very helpful in helping you with info on your Vega.
(I )'----<::)
(I )'----<::)
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 16:26:13
ok im not too sure how to post pictures since i just made this account but it looks like they uploaded to my photo album... let me know if you can see them... by the by... i found something in the case that said VIP-5 if that helps...
jims38134 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 17:01:25
what is the serial number?
jim
jim
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 17:05:00
i believe the serial number is... 2308.... the only other number is 1635 but im sure when we looked inside the number was 2308... it was also written on a yellow envelope in the banjo case storage area... wish i could be more help...
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 17:15:59
i think i found a picture of a banjo that looked exactly like it... it was a 1976 Vega/Martin V.I.P. plectrum. but again i do not know...
Bill Rogers - Posted - 05/03/2010: 17:19:21
If there is no Martin decal on the peghead or a yellow tape label or any Martin label in the pot, it's probably an early Galaxy Vega. It would also help to see pix of the tone ring.
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 17:21:45
Bill - it does say CF Martin & Co on the back of the peg head... is that what you mean?
I just added a picture of the inner part of the banjo... it again says Martin and co and has the 1635 number I posted earlier inscribed on the inside... no yellow tag though...
I just added a picture of the inner part of the banjo... it again says Martin and co and has the 1635 number I posted earlier inscribed on the inside... no yellow tag though...
Edited by - jbeck2616 on 05/03/2010 17:31:45
scruss - Posted - 05/03/2010: 17:45:57
A Vega VIP like this one sold at Elderly for $1750: elderly.com/vintage/items/70U-3010.htm
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 17:54:17
ok yea, that looks a lot like the one I have... I have read in another old archived thread on here that only 50 something of these banjos were made... someone else wrote that like 503 were made... but both this one and the one that you posted from elderly.com are in the thousands for serial numbers... any clarification?? thank you all so much for trying to help me figure this out!
frailin - Posted - 05/03/2010: 20:22:41
I'd say that Tidy Cat's still got a lot of reserve left in it.
TB-4 Guy - Posted - 05/03/2010: 21:12:05
That's a very nice-looking banjo. Since it has the Martin Decal on it and it's from the 1970's that means it was built at Nazareth, PA. I'd figure that Elderly was close on the value at $1,750, the price shown on the one they sold.
It looks like it has a nicely-made tone ring in it That's a keeper!
It looks like it has a nicely-made tone ring in it That's a keeper!
mikehalloran - Posted - 05/03/2010: 21:27:24
The identifier is that the metal parts are made in Boston. A few late 70s Martin Vegas had Gibson style flanges supplied by Galaxy - shortly thereafter CFM sold Galaxy Trading the whole ball of wax, metal, tools, name everything.
This banjo is definitely the real deal.
When Greg Deering bought the Vega name, he didn't know that Galaxy had metal and tools. He had to make a mad dash to the scrap yard to rescue these parts when he found out. I have heard this story from Greg more than once.
This banjo is definitely the real deal.
When Greg Deering bought the Vega name, he didn't know that Galaxy had metal and tools. He had to make a mad dash to the scrap yard to rescue these parts when he found out. I have heard this story from Greg more than once.
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/03/2010: 21:41:46
thank you! when my dad passed away he wanted me to have it and I hope to keep it in the family for a long time to come... I'm not exactly sure what year it is from and I am not sure how to narrow that down... I figure the 1970's since people say they Martin owned Vega from 71 to 77 if I remember correctly. Now I just need to find someone in the seattle area who can work this thing over and make it shine like new! thank you all again, you have been really helpful!
Jeremy
Jeremy
TB-4 Guy - Posted - 05/03/2010: 21:48:43
quote:Originally posted by jbeck2616
thank you! when my dad passed away he wanted me to have it and I hope to keep it in the family for a long time to come... I'm not exactly sure what year it is from and I am not sure how to narrow that down... I figure the 1970's since people say they Martin owned Vega from 71 to 77 if I remember correctly. Now I just need to find someone in the seattle area who can work this thing over and make it shine like new! thank you all again, you have been really helpful!
Jeremy
You could contact C.F. Martin customer service. They have an 800 # on their website. They should have the records on it.
Good luck.
rexhunt - Posted - 05/04/2010: 15:15:11
quote:Originally posted by TB-4 Guy
You could contact C.F. Martin customer service. They have an 800 # on their website. They should have the records on it.
Good luck.
You could contact them but their record keeping back then was less than exceptional. They can date an instrument but that's about all. I had my D28 back to the factory 3 times in the 70's for warranty repair but when it needed it again last year, they had no record whatsoever of me owning the guitar. Thank goodness I held onto the original recipt.
Nice banjo and yet another variation on the tu-ba-phone tonering.
Rex
The Old Timer - Posted - 05/04/2010: 15:24:29
Those are pretty nice banjos, solidly made and they ring pretty bright I think. A somewhat small fan base, unfortunately. Grandpa Jones played one of these (probably not a Martin) for years on Hee Haw and the Grand Ole Opry.
I've never seen that particular tone ring before, with that 'extra' flat or angle stock hanging on the top of the usual square 'tube'. Has anyone else ever seen this particular tone ring? I understand Martin designed (or bought) an entire new tone ring design for the V-41 and V-45 models though, every un-Vega like. Gruhn has a V-41 for sale, BTW.
I've never seen that particular tone ring before, with that 'extra' flat or angle stock hanging on the top of the usual square 'tube'. Has anyone else ever seen this particular tone ring? I understand Martin designed (or bought) an entire new tone ring design for the V-41 and V-45 models though, every un-Vega like. Gruhn has a V-41 for sale, BTW.
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/04/2010: 15:35:56
hey guys thanks again, I did call Martin today and Rexhunt, that is exactly what they did... the guy they sent me to said all they can say is it was made in 1976 and made with mahogony and ebony... and he was trailing off when he said the last two haha.
To The Old Timer: I know nothing about banjos as I just play guitar but I am interested in learning... what do you mean by the tone ring? which picture are you referring to? Thank you all again, you guys have helped a lot!
To The Old Timer: I know nothing about banjos as I just play guitar but I am interested in learning... what do you mean by the tone ring? which picture are you referring to? Thank you all again, you guys have helped a lot!
mikehalloran - Posted - 05/04/2010: 16:25:16
Martin did not make any metal parts. In the 1960s, Vega experimented with a few different variations of the Tubaphone tone ring. CFM used these up in different banjos along with leftover Tubaphone rings. I've seen 4 variants in the VIP and three in the PS-5.
Come to think of it, I have never seen an Electric/Whyte Laydie tr in a Martin Vega. The Little Wonder ring was still around.
AFIK, These were all gone by the time Deering obtained Vega. Greg got stretcher bands, flanges and brackets but no Tubaphone rings.
Come to think of it, I have never seen an Electric/Whyte Laydie tr in a Martin Vega. The Little Wonder ring was still around.
AFIK, These were all gone by the time Deering obtained Vega. Greg got stretcher bands, flanges and brackets but no Tubaphone rings.
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/04/2010: 17:01:17
So does my banjo have the whyte laydie and what is it? Lol
Edited by - jbeck2616 on 05/04/2010 17:02:10
Deering Vega #2
The Old Timer - Posted - 05/04/2010: 18:15:53
Jeremy, your very first photo, showing the inside of the pot (where all the phillips head screws/bolts are visible holding on the bracket shoes from the inside, the tone ring is the topmost metal stuff holding up the plastic head). You can see a large metal part that has groups of triple holes drilled in it. That is the usual 'Tu Ba Phone' tone ring, which is a piece of square hollow 'tubing' bent into a circle. Normally it has a 'lip' at the top outside circumference, which is NOT visible in photos of the inside of the pot. Yours has a shinier additional piece at the very top that looks like it is bent down over the inner circumference of the usual Tu Ba Phone ring.
I don't really know that it's an 'added' piece of metal on the top, it could just as well be some kind of machining away of some of the face metal on the usual Tu Ba Phone ring part. I'm saying that I've never seen a VEGA tone ring with that downward lip showing separately at the top.
Also, Tu Ba Phone tone rings have a variety of 'holes' and piercings visible on the inside. Yours is somewhat unique in that it has 'groups' of three holes at a time. The oldest design has uniformly spaced holes all the way around. Some in the 1960s had pairs of holes joined by a slot, so it looked like a 'dog bone' or 'dumbbell'. The 'Audiosonic' variety in the mid-late 60s didn't have round holes, it had pairs of horizontal slots just under an inch long, going all the way around the inside of the tone ring. I've never seen one with groups of three holes, with undrilled spaces between the groups.
A Whyte Laydie tone ring looks COMPLETELY different with a series of free-standing metal 'arches' very noticeable between the metal bottom and the metal top lip that bears up under the plastic head. I don't think VEGA used it in the modern era, except reportedly in the Sonny Osborne model in the mid 60s.
I don't really know that it's an 'added' piece of metal on the top, it could just as well be some kind of machining away of some of the face metal on the usual Tu Ba Phone ring part. I'm saying that I've never seen a VEGA tone ring with that downward lip showing separately at the top.
Also, Tu Ba Phone tone rings have a variety of 'holes' and piercings visible on the inside. Yours is somewhat unique in that it has 'groups' of three holes at a time. The oldest design has uniformly spaced holes all the way around. Some in the 1960s had pairs of holes joined by a slot, so it looked like a 'dog bone' or 'dumbbell'. The 'Audiosonic' variety in the mid-late 60s didn't have round holes, it had pairs of horizontal slots just under an inch long, going all the way around the inside of the tone ring. I've never seen one with groups of three holes, with undrilled spaces between the groups.
A Whyte Laydie tone ring looks COMPLETELY different with a series of free-standing metal 'arches' very noticeable between the metal bottom and the metal top lip that bears up under the plastic head. I don't think VEGA used it in the modern era, except reportedly in the Sonny Osborne model in the mid 60s.
JonT - Posted - 05/04/2010: 19:31:11
It does indeed look like a V.I.P. The fretboard inlays - I've heard them called 'crown-and-football' - are typical of this model. The example I owned a few years back had the 'dogbone' tone ring, which was pretty much a development of the Tubaphone tone ring, as far as I could tell. It certainly delivered Tubaphone tone.
![Deering Vega Serial Numbers Deering Vega Serial Numbers](https://www.hangoutstorage.com/banjohangout.org/storage/cphotos/large/67/67009-39013-2-6158398.jpg)
mikehalloran - Posted - 05/05/2010: 07:15:11
quote:Originally posted by jbeck2616
So does my banjo have the whyte laydie and what is it? Lol
It is an unusual variant of the Tubaphone. I have seen this version before.
jbeck2616 - Posted - 05/05/2010: 12:28:59
ok folks... so I emailed Martin and Co around the same time I called them and they basically said what everyone here posted but anywho... I figured I would share it with you just incase they wrote something someone else didn't know or had wrong or this may help someone else... here it is...
Jeremy,
Martin acquired the Vega Company of
Boston in May of 1970. By that time the primary instrument
was the banjo. At the time of the move from Boston to
Nazareth, the records transferred were minimal, therefore
our records are limited.
The V.I.P. models was ideal for all musical forms,
Blue Grass, Country-Western, Folk, Jazz.
Features included exclusive Vega audio-sonic tone ring;
bell brass for all metal parts affecting tone
new fancy scrolled peghead with ultra filigree pearl work
engraved pearl position markers inlaid in solid ebony fingerboard
Ten-ply maple rim with heavy notched hoop and bracket band
planet gear pegs
sleek walnut finish with fancy wood marquetry inlay around
resonator circumference.
It was offered in
4-string tenor $556.00
4-string plectrum $556.00
5-string $556.00
custom gold plated, extra $756.00
Special,Gold with engraved flanges & arm rest, extra $812.00
Martin sold the Vega Banjos from 1972-1979. According to the serial number 1635
this was most likely made in late 1976 or early 1977.
Best regards,
Sandy Trach
C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.
Customer Service
Jeremy,
Martin acquired the Vega Company of
Boston in May of 1970. By that time the primary instrument
was the banjo. At the time of the move from Boston to
Nazareth, the records transferred were minimal, therefore
our records are limited.
The V.I.P. models was ideal for all musical forms,
Blue Grass, Country-Western, Folk, Jazz.
Features included exclusive Vega audio-sonic tone ring;
bell brass for all metal parts affecting tone
new fancy scrolled peghead with ultra filigree pearl work
engraved pearl position markers inlaid in solid ebony fingerboard
Ten-ply maple rim with heavy notched hoop and bracket band
planet gear pegs
sleek walnut finish with fancy wood marquetry inlay around
resonator circumference.
It was offered in
4-string tenor $556.00
4-string plectrum $556.00
5-string $556.00
custom gold plated, extra $756.00
Special,Gold with engraved flanges & arm rest, extra $812.00
Martin sold the Vega Banjos from 1972-1979. According to the serial number 1635
this was most likely made in late 1976 or early 1977.
Best regards,
Sandy Trach
C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.
Customer Service
mikehalloran - Posted - 05/06/2010: 01:20:36
>Features included exclusive Vega audio-sonic tone ring;<
The VIP may have 'featured' that tone ring but only some actually had it. Yours, for example, does not.
I may have the Vega Martin catalog still. If you remind me with a PM, I'll look for it and scan it into a pdf file when I get back from Alaska next week.
The VIP may have 'featured' that tone ring but only some actually had it. Yours, for example, does not.
I may have the Vega Martin catalog still. If you remind me with a PM, I'll look for it and scan it into a pdf file when I get back from Alaska next week.
Edited by - mikehalloran on 05/06/2010 01:23:08
rexhunt - Posted - 05/06/2010: 09:43:22
Looking at a 1970 catalog, only the VIP is listed with the audiosonic tone ring. The Seeger and the Vox say 'The Famous Vega Tube-a-phone'. The Fenster model has an 'Improved tone ring with specially designed audio apertures, made of bell brass'. I get the feeling that all this is from the marketing department and as far as the actual banjo, it's whatever the guy putting it together picked up - be it the slit, dog-bone, or traditional. Of course, this is just a feeling I get.
Rex
Rex
wrangler - Posted - 05/06/2010: 10:08:58
I think that it was very nice of CFM to write back with the info straight from the horse's mouth. There has been some debate as to exactly when Martin bought Vega. They answered that.
mikehalloran - Posted - 05/06/2010: 20:44:27
quote:Originally posted by wrangler
There has been some debate as to exactly when Martin bought Vega.
I don't understand why. Mike Longworth and others documented that many years ago.
What isn't well known is that a short run of Martin/Vega four strings were made with Galaxy metal parts. It could be as few as the four in the NAMM brochure. I know someone who has one and the brochure. All Martin/Vega five strings with Galaxy metal are fakes. Galaxy metal parts are easy to identify - they have Gibson style flanges even the few with Korean Tubaphone rings (Galaxy did a few and they aren't bad at all).
Fortunately, this makes it easy to identify real Martin/Vega banjos - except for those last four, they have Vega metal parts with the distinctive flange.
Much less documented is the transition from Galaxy to Deering. Even what I have posted is what I know from talking to Greg Deering. I have never seen it anywhere in print.
Edited by - mikehalloran on 05/06/2010 20:50:01
Shop for the Deering The Goodtime 2 Banjo in and receive free shipping and guaranteed lowest price.
This is a listing, with serial numbers and dates, of the major Golden Age banjo makers products. It is reasonably accurate, tho I am always open to more information.
Anyone know how to date a Deering Banjo. I just picked up a Deering Calico, and was wondering what year it is. It s serial number is 0172005E959.
What Model Deering Banjo Do I Have. Openback Models. A serial number sticker should be placed on the inside of the rim which states the full serial number and the.
What Model Deering Banjo Do I Have. Openback Models A serial number sticker should be placed on the inside of the rim which states the full serial number and th.
DATING A.C. FAIRBANKS AND VEGA BANJOS The years matched to the serial numbers are an The Deering Banjo Company purchased the Vega name and.
What Model Deering Banjo Do I Have.
Openback Models
A serial number sticker should be placed on the inside of the rim which states the full serial number and the model name.
Resonator Models
A serial number sticker should be placed on the inside of the resonator which states the full serial number and the model name.
5 Most Frequently Asked Deering Banjo Questions
Does anyone know how to decode Deering serial numbers. I know the full serial number is inside but on the peghead it has C417. Is there any system to the numbering.
The most favorite part of my job is talking to customers. I love hearing their enthusiasm for and love of the banjo. There are some common questions, however, that are shared by folks who have or are searching for banjos. I thought sharing those might help others who are on the same journey.
1. I am looking at buying a used Deering banjo. If I send you the serial number, can you tell me how old it is.
There are no serial numbers on Goodtime Banjos
To clear up a big confusion for many of you let me start by saying that most Goodtime banjos do not have serial numbers. With the exception of the Goodtime 2 Grand Ole Opry, the NAMM 100th Anniversary model, or today s Midnight Special, you will not find a serial number anywhere on a Goodtime banjo. Therefore if you attempt to use the online service for warranty entry, just enter a series of numbers, like 9999 in that line so the program will let you proceed.
Where do you find the serial number.
The serial number is found on a white tag on the inside of the resonator or if you have an openback banjo, it is a smaller white tag on the inside of the rim. The number will be 6-11 digits long depending on what year it was made. There should also be the NAME of the model on that tag as well as a date of completion along with the serial number.
What does the serial number tell you.
The serial number alone will NOT tell you which banjo you have. It will only tell you when it was completed here at the factory.
How do I translate the serial number.
Deering Vega Banjo
The first two digits tell you the month the banjo was built, the last two digits before the dash line will tell you the year, and the numbers in between are considered the number of that model we have made since we started the formal serial number system in 1987. For example: 0534599-7362 would be a banjo from May of 1999.
What are those last four digits.
The last four digits on the long serial number are called the peghead number. Each neck is given a specific number during the manufacturing process so that it can be allocated to a specific order. Today we have gone through so many numbers that we have a letter in front of a three digit number. So the number above 7362 is found by us on a serial number list held in-house only. This number is valuable for folks who do not have access to the longer number. We check the list and can give them a date of manufacture within a 6-month timeframe of a given year.
When did the serial number begin.
This is the best part of the serial number story. When Janet and Greg first started the Deering Banjo Company in 1975, they would put a hash mark on the front side of the set up bench to track how many banjos over all had been made. As time when on, the front of the bench filled up. It was then that Janet Deering decided it was a good time to set up a real system of tracking the banjos because it looked like folks really liked banjos by Deering. And the rest is history.
2. What Kind of Banjo Do I Have.
This is perhaps the hardest question to answer. With the advent of new tooling in 2010, we now have most of the upper line banjos labelled with an engraved inlay at the 22nd fret with their name on them. This is a wonderful advantage to the customer so he can find out more on our Deering website about the details of his banjo.
The Goodtime banjos say Goodtime on the peghead which makes it easy for you to tell if it is a Deering Goodtime banjo and not another brand. When you see Goodtime Special on the peghead, that lets you know that the banjo has a tone ring in the pot assembly; that is what distinguishes it from the non-tone ring models.
The best bet is to send pictures to carolinabridges deeringbanjos.com. I will be happy to review them and help you find out what banjo you have. Please send a front view of the peghead, a front view of the fingerboard, a front view of the flange and side view of the pot assembly. These critical areas will give me the best idea of what you have in hand.
3. What Kind of Strings Came On My Deering/Goodtime Banjo.
The most common gauge of strings used on any Deering/Goodtime/Vega banjo is our private label factory light gauge strings made for us by Dunlop Manufacturing here in California. The gauges are 10,11,13,21w,10. These lighter gauge strings will give the banjo a wonderful sparkle and liveliness and because they are not too heavy, they are easier for most players to manipulate with success.
Deering Vega Banjo
We do have some signature model Deering banjos that have special gauge string packages. The Tenbrooks banjos use 11,12,13,22w,11. These are the gauges specifically chosen by Jens Kruger for best sound on the Tenbrooks Saratoga Star, Tenbrooks Legacy, and the Jens Kruger signature model.
The Terry Baucom Signature model are 11,11,13,20w,11. Terry is known as the Duke of Drive and he has a very powerful playing style which requires a thicker string gauge to get his preferred driving style.
All tenor banjos leave Deering tuned in standard tenor tuning of ADGC with string gauges 10,16,24w,30w. Ifyou want to change to Irish tuning, you will need thicker string gauges and we have a packaged set of 12,16,24w,36w for use in the Irish tuning EADG.
Our packaged 6-string set are good for both electric and acoustic banjos. They are steel strings and a MUST if you have a Kavanjo pickup for it to work properly. These are 10,13,17,26w,36w,46w.
All of these are easily purchased on our website at www.deeringbanjos.com/collections/banjo-strings
4. What Crown Height Do I Need For My Deering/Goodtime Banjo.
You would think this was an easy one. But given how long we have been makingbanjos, there have been changes you should all be aware of. Just so you know, a high crown head is and a medium crown head is 7/16. Not much of a difference but it is a critical one. It is measured from the top of the mylar edge the top of the aluminum rim of the banjo head. Once the head has stretched, it is difficult to depend on that measurement for accuracy so it is best to understand what you need according to factory specifications.
The Goodtime banjos, regardless of age, you will always want to use a HIGH CROWN banjo head no matter which head type you choose. This will allow you to install it easily and get it tightened down enough for the proper installation.
On Deering banjos made prior to 2006, you will want to use a HIGH CROWN head as well regardless of style of head. You can use a medium crown but it will take longer to stretch over the rim/tone ring to get to the right level of tightness. The high crown has more space to slip over without bottoming out on the hooks; ie. being able to get the head tight enough before you run out of thread to do so on the hook.
On the Deering banjos made on or after 2006, you use a MEDIUM CROWN head. This is because the new 2006 tone ring has a more rounded top edge that does not require the extra depth of crown height. This is the same height for your Vega, 6-string, or any model of upper line Deering banjos made during the time frame.
5. I Need To Buy a New Bridge, What Height Do I Need For My Deering/Gooditme Banjo.
Deering Vega Serial Numbers Chart
All Goodtime banjos use a 5/8 bridge. It is important for you to know that your heel cut on your banjo is cut specifically for the height of bridge needed on your banjo. Therefore if you buy a taller bridge, you may run into action issues the strings will be too high and you will not be able to adjust it down on your banjo. This, therefore, is a very important question for you to ask if you are replacing the bridge.
Deering banjos can take anywhere from a 5/8 to an 11/16 bridge depending on the model you are buying it for. Most Deering and Vega upperline banjos use a 5/8 bridge.
Those that use an 11/16 bridge are the Tenbrooks models Saratoga Star, Legacy, Jens Kruger, the Terry Baucom Signature model, and the Mark Johnson Clawgrass banjo.
What Model Deering Banjo Do I Have?
GENERAL BANJO SERIAL NUMBERS. NOTE: I cannot advise you on age or value of your banjo. If you need this sort of information, contact George Gruhn.