Late 60's Vega Guitars

[Thelonious Monkey]

Anyone own one of these? I bought one in 1970. It's a G30 Vega Grand, made in Needham Heights, MA. I don't know how many were sold, but I have only run into two others, and those were on E-bay (I came in second on both).

Just curious to see what others think of them. I've played mine so much that I've long ago lost any objectivity about it. It's like an appendage.

Here's what mine looks like:

 

[Willy511]

My dad bought a Vega, made in USU, back in about 1967 at Chuck Dailey's guitar studio in Columbus Ohio. I still have it and it's currently in storage. Mine looks exactly like yours, but I can't be sure if it's a G30 or not. I do know it has a fantastic sound and is very well made. I will never part with it because it was my dads. I have 4 acoustics and the Vega is the best sounding and playable guitar of them all. I don't care what it's worth monitarily, it's priceless to me. Willy Yates, Japan

 

[zombywoof]

You probably have one of the last Vegas made before Martin took title to the company in May 1970. I don't know why but although Vegas were made in Boston, instruments made in late 1969 and early 1970 have labels reading Needham Heights. Martin, of course, was really just after the banjo line. They ended up slapping the Vega name on a series of cheap guitars made in the Netherlands.

I don't have a ton of time under my belt playing Vegas - and most of the ones I have played were pre-War archtops. The Vega Grand Artist flat top which came out in the mid-1960s though really gave a Martin D-18 a serious run for its money. And the Vega Profundo remains the best ladder braced dread I have ever played and remains my favorite Vega flat top.

 

[Bill Ashton]

To many...probably merchandisers and PR men...anything inside Route 128 (now Route 95) is "Boston." Needham Heights is south of Boston and straddles 128...Boston's (TV) Channel 5 is right there off the highway, as well as most of the TV broadcast towers for the city.

Maybe someone was looking for location accuracy? Seems to me the old Vega banjos were made in the city of Boston, proper...but I have no material at hand to back that up.

 

[zombywoof]

The old labels actually say Boston.

 

[strat_tone]

Well I have a 50s Arthur Godfrey baritone ukulele. It's amazing. One piece, top and back old (Honduran?) mahagony. Great grain, side pieces even have some flame. Real pearloid dots, Brazilian rosewood fret board. It's seen some serious wear. I bought it for $90 last year. I saw elderly had one for $400 that was not in playable condition, go figure. I really want a tenor archtop they made.

Great company, work is top notch. Frets are well dressed but worn. It even came with those Grover friction tuners.

 

[Bill Ashton]

In the July issue of Vintage Guitar, Peter's Kohman's column "The (Way) Back Beat" shows a number of old Vega Company print advertisements..."The Vega Company" was shown as being at 165 Columbus Avenue, Boston while "Vega Electrics" is shown as 155-A Columbus Avenue in Boston.

Thats a long way from Needham Heights...

 

[Thelonious Monkey]

Update on Vega Guitars made in Needham Heights

I found this in the following link:

http://www.mugwumps.com/acf_date.html

In the 1960s, urban renewal in Boston forced Vega to move from the Columbus Avenue location where they had been from 1917 to c1961, to Leon Street in Boston, where they stayed until 1966. They moved to Needham Heights, where the owners were closer to home. They weren't there for long before selling to Martin.

Incidentally, yesterday I scored a second Vega G30 off of Ebay to go with the one I bought back in 1970. I feel like a kid again.

 

[zombywoof]

I want to say the bodies of the Vega G-30 were actually made by Harmony.

 

[wdoc]

Anyone own one of these? I bought one in 1970. It's a G30 Vega Grand, made in Needham Heights, MA. I don't know how many were sold, but I have only run into two others, and those were on E-bay (I came in second on both).

Just curious to see what others think of them. I've played mine so much that I've long ago lost any objectivity about it. It's like an appendage.

Here's what mine looks like:

Hi Thelonious: I have a G30 with a Boston Lable No: 11773, oddly the neck heal is short of the back by about 5/8". I believe this is a mid 60's pre-Martin sale?
I am curious what the serial number is on yours, and pleas share any info or sources of info you may have. This is a tough bird to find much on.

Thanks for your help!

 

[wdoc]

I have a G30 with a Boston 16 Mass USA Label No: 11773, white w/orange frame, red stamped serial# and hand written model#
Oddly the neck heal is short of the back by about 5/8". I believe this is a mid 60's pre-Martin sale? Top is on the thin side but sounds strong and has a good tone, neck is slimmer than a Martin thickness.
I am curious what the serial number is on yours, and please share any info or sources of info you may have. Thanks much for any help!

 

[mike stanger]

Vega made the necks for their guitars, but never made the bodies. The bodies always came from a variety of sources; Gibson made some, as did Gretsch, and many were made by Regal.

The Regal company was very interesting in that they were mostly a mass-market brand that made cheap beginner's guitars, uses, tenor banjos, and electric guitars that were marketed under a huge variety of house brand names.

But unlike Kay or Harmony, Regal also made some really expensive, top-quality instruments, made on the 3rd floor of their factory. A lot of these Regal products have been mistaken for Gibsons, Martins, Gretsches or Epiphones. Vega did use Regal along with the others, for their guitar bodies.

I had a friend who owned a Vega arch top guitar that had a cat's-eye Gretsch body, but the neck and everything else was Vega work. It was a very good-sounding guitar.
regards,
stanger

 

[zombywoof]

Vega made the necks for their guitars, but never made the bodies. The bodies always came from a variety of sources; Gibson made some, as did Gretsch, and many were made by Regal.

I had never heard this. But what period are you talking about? Vega guitars built in the 1930s were often unique - cylinder top flattops, archtops which had a violin-esque build and such. I do know that in later years Harmony, as example, was said to have supplied Vega with unfinished bodies and possibly entire guitars. But based on my experiences with late-1930s Profundos, the flattops at least were as inconsistent when it came to sound as it gets.

 

[Bob M]

I grew up in Needham and lived there from 1964 to 1972. I took lessons from a guy in West Roxbury who had a Vega archtop with a pick up. He kept trying to get me to buy a Vega but they seemed so uncool at the time. Wish I would have taken his advice!

 

[Gsweng]

Anyone out there with a Vega/Martin flat top? I have a v-445 (spruce and mahogany) and a v-646 (spruce and maple). They are all solid wood and were made by Vega in the Netherlands when Martin owned Vega. They sound and play great. Any information on your Vega would be appreciated.