No laughing Jody! You understand this mister? This leads me to believe that this was a custom model that allowed you to knock off a shuffle, a hula, and a rag while playing the back nine! Upon close inspection, you'll notice that one of the tone buttons is a golf tee. I'll admit, I know very little about the Vega,or Fairbanks-Vega, not to be confused with Garcia y Vega. I use a 10 string bar for this one.Ĭheck out the tuning wheels.they don't make 'em like they used to. The widest 8 string spacing I've ever seen on any steel. Gee, and I thought every kid on the block had one! I returned it 'cause I didn't feel it was a quality instrument. Some of their pre-war guitars were cast aluminum like the Fry-pans.Ībout 10 years ago, I owned one of the cast aluminum models for all of about 24 hours.

They do appear to be mid-line instruments. I see Vega console and lap steels on eBay quite regularly and each and every one is unique. there was one identical to the guitar Jim has described that sold on eBay about 3 or 4 months ago. Never saw a picture resembling the one you describe, though. I've seen Vegas listed on Ebay from time to time, and they've looked like the Magnatone and similar steels.

Lap steels by Vega are a new one on me, however. It became the Fairbanks-Vega company in ~1922 and some of the old 'Tubaphone #9', 'White Laydie #7', and Fairbanks 'Electrics' remain some of the most beautiful (IMO, e.g., carved heels, delicate inlay, engraved German silver, etc.) and sought after acoustic instruments ever made. Fairbanks, who in ~1892 started making the finest of the day in the Boston area. The 'Vega' company was originally founded by A.C. From the two or three I've seen, I'd put them roughly in the same category as Magnatones, Supros or Kay brand standard guitars. I think the owner is going to email me some digital photos of this horn, and I'll post em for all to see.Īll I can add is that Vega instruments were made here in Boston. The only two model names I've been able to discover are the Odell and the DB-DG (which was a doubleneck eight string model).Ī web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars Vega lap steels are relatively rare, and I have almost no information on them (not even model names). Very curious looking guitar, must be from the 40s I guess, or very early 50s.ĭo any of you know any more about this guitar you can share with me and him? Comes with 4 legs, twin-pole pickup, colored bars as fret markers. It has 5 push-buttons for various tone settings ('Contrabass', Bass, Mid, Hi, and Ultra High or somesuch language) and the strings fan out away from the nut and connect to knurled wheels for tuning.

Got a new student who walked in tonite with a very retro- art-deco looking 7-string nonpedal steel made by VEGA.

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