Anyone care to comment on a Vega Mandolin?

[Markob]

Hey folks. Trying to up grade slowly. I have a budget Rover that I brought back to life so to speak. New quality tuners, nut and ebony bridge but I'd like to get something a bit better. Above is a old A style Vega at a price that seems fair and in my budget at this time. ($200). Though I know nothing about these or mandolins in general for that matter. If any of you good people in the know care to comment on this piece (Model? year?) I'd appreciate it. Thanks! Here's the CL ad w/ more pics. Not a lot of info in the description.
http://monterey.craigslist.org/msg/5312590459.html

[JEStanek]

I wonder what that dark stuff on the neck near the body in the one photo is (not that I ever play that high up the neck). A $200 flat top seems reasonable if the action is OK (no neck bow) and the tuners work well. It would be great if your could get hands on it first or have an approval period top check those things out.

Jamie

[Markob]

I wonder what that dark stuff on the neck near the body in the one photo is (not that I ever play that high up the neck). A $200 flat top seems reasonable if the action is OK (no neck bow) and the tuners work well. It would be great if your could get hands on it first or have an approval period top check those things out.

Jamie

Thanks Jamie. I too was wondering about the dark area up the neck. Almost looks burned. I plan to call the seller today and discuss any issues it may have. It's a bit of a drive away.

[mandolinstew]

[QUOTE=JEStanek;1452894]I wonder what that dark stuff on the neck near the body in the one photo is (not that I ever play that high up the neck). A $200 flat top seems reasonable if the action is OK (no neck bow) and the tuners work well. It would be great if your could get hands on it first or have an approval period top check those things out.

that spot looks burnt

[Mandoplumb]

Going to be a completely different tone - carved? Top F hole to flat top oval hole not saying one is better just different,if that doesn't bother you the vega is possibly an up-grade if in good playable condition.

[MikeEdgerton]

The tuners are not ivory. It looks decent with the exception of the burned spot. I'm pretty sure that they labeled a mandolin built for the trade.

[mandroid]

Looks good, you buy it?

[Markob]

The tuners are not ivory. It looks decent with the exception of the burned spot. I'm pretty sure that they labeled a mandolin built for the trade.

Thanks Mike. Please explain "built for the trade"

[MikeEdgerton]

Many companies, Vega included got to a point where they didn't build all of the instruments they sold. They bought them labeled or unlabeled from the larger builders (most based in Chicago) who built "for the trade", that is labeled with someone else's name or no label at all. Lyon and Healy, Kay, Harmony, Regal, as well as Oscar Schmidt in New Jersey built not only instrument with their brand name on them, but with the brand name of others and no label at all. That has a stick on label inside the sound hole as it's only branding. If you were to look through some old catalogs you'd probably find the same instrument with a different brand name attached to it. It was a very common practice.

[allenhopkins]

Playable for $200, Vega labeled? Bargain, IMHO.

Plus, seller might negotiate.

[Larry S Sherman]

I love those Vegas...wonderful mandolins. Amazing value. I love mine.

I discussed mine here.

Larry

[Markob]

I love those Vegas...wonderful mandolins. Amazing value. I love mine.

I discussed mine here.

Larry

Thanks Larry. Wow great info/link. I'm driving south this weekend to take a look at it in person. Seller has had it in the family for years but only on display. Believes it's from the 40's. Though it has the same sound hole sticker that yours does. He's never known anyone to ever play it. He believes the dark area to be a reaction between the lacquer and what ever was used to hang/display the piece. I know I've seen guitars left on rubber sleeved stands that became discolored. Thanks to all that offered opinions/comments. Much appreciated.

[MikeEdgerton]

He believes the dark area to be a reaction between the lacquer and what ever was used to hang/display the piece...

It was probably hanging on something vinyl. Vinyl and lacquer don't mix. That would make sense.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...nyl/vinyl.html

[mandroid]

low on the neck & only on the treble side .. any one hang things there?

it is only $200

[Markob]

low on the neck & only on the treble side .. any one hang things there?

My thoughts too. I'll check out Saturday

[brunello97]

Well, if that bridge position is correct then I would posit it is Vega made. They were the only ones I know of whose design consistently located the bridge south of the top cant. If so, my guess would be '20s and not '40s. This line was clearly out there in the mix with the basic Martin A models and the L+H flattop G series. All good mandolins.

I'm with Allen--playable and for 200 clams? Jump on the deal and do a happy dance when you've got it. Then tell us about it…..

Mick

[WW52]

Is that a bent top mandolin? Or maybe it's just my imagination. Either way, it looks like a good deal.

[Markob]

Well, if that bridge position is correct then I would posit it is Vega made. They were the only ones I know of whose design consistently located the bridge south of the top cant. If so, my guess would be '20s and not '40s. This line was clearly out there in the mix with the basic Martin A models and the L+H flattop G series. All good mandolins.

I'm with Allen--playable and for 200 clams? Jump on the deal and do a happy dance when you've got it. Then tell us about it…..

Mick

Will do Mick. From the pic(s) it looks very similar to Larry's 20's 210. Down the coast tomorrow for a look see.

[Jess L.]

low on the neck & only on the treble side .. any one hang things there?

My first thought (about the neck's finish damage) was that it might have been stored in a case with something contacting the neck there.

I've done that, years ago before I knew better, although with not that much damage, and not that dark either, the finish-damage I got was just a kind of melted-in 'texture' of whatever had been contacting the finish. Example: I used to carry mini three-ring-binder 3"x5" (7.6 cm x 12.7 cm) vinyl notepads in my instrument cases, the tiny binders were small enough (and they had flexible covers, uh-oh, you can see where this is going) so I'd sometimes kind of lightly wedge one of these vinyl notepads against/under the instrument's neck (between the neck and the too-small pick-storage compartment at lower neck area, or between neck and side of case) because (a) it was a convenient place to store it, and (b) as a supplement to the wadded-up rag at side/end of instrument to help keep the instrument from rattling around inside the case (most of my cases didn't fit the instruments very well as they were cheap cardboard cases and not designed to fit a specific model of instrument). Many of my instruments were also cheap and just players, not collectibles, so for these instruments I wasn't worried about scuffing the finish via contact with hard surfaces, but the vinyl-damage thing was something I had not anticipated.

Very annoying, and they didn't even used to put warnings on anything (talking about 1960s/1970s), in fact some cheap cases themselves came with thin foam liners that would dissolve right into the instrument's finish. I found that out the hard way too.

There certainly seem to be lots of unexpected ways to inadvertently damage fragile woodworking finishes.

As to the OP's instrument, maybe someone's 4-year-old kid got to it with a permanent black marker or unauthorized testing of a woodburning tool? "Look Daddy, I decorated your mandolin." Not that I would know about such things, I (cough cough ahem) certainly never (cough) did any such instrument-decorating (lies! lol) when I was a child... (ahem)

[August Watters]

Is that a bent top mandolin? Or maybe it's just my imagination.

Yes -- canted top, borrowed from the traditional Italian bowlback design. I love the idea -- have a couple of wonderful vintage mandolins with the canted top and bent-back design; Vega made some as did many other builders. Buy it, and tell us more!

[ollaimh]

does it have the cylinder back? that would be an amazing deal, but even a flat back is a steal for $200.

[MikeEdgerton]

does it have the cylinder back? that would be an amazing deal, but even a flat back is a steal for $200.

The photos in the Craigslist link show it as a flatback.