Brand: Vega
Instrument Categories: Banjos, Migrated
The Vega Longneck Pete Seeger banjo was built from 1958 to 1970, following Seeger’s influence on the popularity of the banjo and his need to play in lower keys without retuning.
This Vega Longneck Pete Seeger banjo, built during 1962 at the Vega shop in Boston is in good working order. The neck has been refinished, Capo tacks are installed, also a Presto tailpiece, with the original in the case. It has a new bridge. The tuners have been replaced with Kluson Deluxe guitar tuners, and a McIntyre pickup has been added inside the head. The brackets are original, and the original case is included.
In 1944, Seeger had John D’Angelico modify the neck of his Vega Whyte Laydie banjo, removing the head and adding a two-fret extension. This allowed performance of songs in C – which were a bit high for Seeger’s voice – in B Flat. Getting back to ‘Standard’ tuning just required a capo at the second fret. That particular banjo was stolen in 1949, and subsequent replacements added another fret, allowing G tuning being dropped to E.
This arrangement worked well, and for 1958 the Vega company of Boston Massachusetts contacted Seeger for permission to use his name on a banjo – the Vega Longneck Pete Seeger model. These sold fairly well and eventually, they sent him one.
The Vega company’s fortunes were tied fairly closely to the banjo, and as the folk boom faded and guitar amps got louder, the company declined. In 1970, its name was purchased by the C F Martin company, who continued to make Vega banjos, but at Seeger’s request, without his name. In 1989, Greg Deering purchased the Vega trademarks.
CC ID: 189029
- Model: Pete Seeger Long Neck
- Year: 1962
- Finish Dark Stain
- Class: Vintage
- Serial Number: A102773, built 1962 at Boston, MA
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Good
- Date Posted: 15/12/2022
- SKU: Vega Pete Seeger refin neck
- Consignment Item
- Including Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 7.744lbs 3.52kg
- Scale Length: 32in 812.8mm
- Nut Width: 1.193in 30.30mm
