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Topic: Accidentally bought a Vega on Ebay, anyone have any info? |
Ryan Lunenfeld
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 9:46 am |
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I blame Fred Kinbom!
After watching his video I was eying out Vega Lap Steels, bided thinking I was not going win and won this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/402975962819
Now I'm kind of curious about more info. It's not as pretty as Fred's, but seems interesitng.
Last edited by Ryan Lunenfeld on 13 Jul 2021 2:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 10:12 am
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It's a Commander, not a Triumphal.
I believe that bridge cover and those tuners narrow it down to the '50s. Dating Vega electrics is difficult at best, so if there are any pot codes visible, that's probably your best shot of narrowing it down further. The '54 Vega catalog shows an instrument from the '30s, so that's clearly no help.
This particular steel may have the older 3-way rotary tone selector switch, or it may have a conventional pot. Vega made the transition sometime in the '50s. Under that cover is a single-coil pickup, not a lot of output but with a bright, clear tone. |
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Ryan Lunenfeld
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 10:20 am
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| Noah Miller wrote: |
It's a Commander, not a Triumphal.
I believe that bridge cover and those tuners narrow it down to the '50s. Dating Vega electrics is difficult at best, so if there are any pot codes visible, that's probably your best shot of narrowing it down further. The '54 Vega catalog shows an instrument from the '30s, so that's clearly no help.
This particular steel may have the older 3-way rotary tone selector switch, or it may have a conventional pot. Vega made the transition sometime in the '50s. Under that cover is a single-coil pickup, not a lot of output but with a bright, clear tone. |
Thank you! Before coming back to my post, I was reading through your oldfrets site! |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 11:16 am
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Nice score, Ryan.
The plastic cover and its method of mounting is similar (if not identical) to post-1951 Gibson Centurys, Century Deluxes, Royaltones, and Ultratones.
Wonder who got there first, Gibson or Vega? |
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Brian Cheetham
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 11:32 am Uh huh
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Nice Ryan, but save that “I accidentally bought it†stuff for your wife  |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 2:47 pm Re: Uh huh
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| Brian Cheetham wrote: |
| Nice Ryan, but save that “I accidentally bought it†stuff for your wife |
Maybe she reads the forum.😱
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Steve Gwizdalski
From:
NW Indiana
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 3:10 pm
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I had a Commander a few years ago. Mine had two pots, kind of a low output, but it sure looked cool. Then I traded it for a BR-9, but that's a whole other story.
The 'save that stuff for your wife' reminded me of an ebay buy I made years ago. I was out by the garage watching the last few seconds of an auction for a T8 Electar when my buddy showed up..."I just won it" I said and excitedly showed him the pic on my cellphone. "Wow, cool!" he said just as my wife walked up.
"Who won what?" she asked.
"I just won this guitar!" as I showed her the picture, suddenly seeing storm clouds gather on the horizon..
"You won that...you won that guitar? How'd you win a guitar?"
"Well" I said..."I won the bidding on the guitar".
"Ohh" she said, "you won the bidding" kind of under her breath as the temperature seemed to drop 20 degrees.
My buddy says "I gotta go"
And there I was again, alone in the cold.... |
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John Burton
From:
Manassas, Va
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 4:01 pm
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I got a Vega Commander. I think it's a 47 or 48. Its a good steel. Similar to the one you bought but has a metal pickup cover.
I like the old Vegas, kind of uncommon.
Great price on that one. Congrats! |
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Ryan Lunenfeld
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 7:50 pm
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| Steve Gwizdalski wrote: |
I had a Commander a few years ago. Mine had two pots, kind of a low output, but it sure looked cool. Then I traded it for a BR-9, but that's a whole other story.
The 'save that stuff for your wife' reminded me of an ebay buy I made years ago. I was out by the garage watching the last few seconds of an auction for a T8 Electar when my buddy showed up..."I just won it" I said and excitedly showed him the pic on my cellphone. "Wow, cool!" he said just as my wife walked up.
"Who won what?" she asked.
"I just won this guitar!" as I showed her the picture, suddenly seeing storm clouds gather on the horizon..
"You won that...you won that guitar? How'd you win a guitar?"
"Well" I said..."I won the bidding on the guitar".
"Ohh" she said, "you won the bidding" kind of under her breath as the temperature seemed to drop 20 degrees
My buddy says "I gotta go"
And there I was again, alone in the cold.... |
Well … I have to admit I don’t think my lady will be so mad with another guitar. Another amp! That’s another story ! .. I’m already taking up so much space with them ! Haha. Great girl , I was really pleasantly surprised when I told her I bought a Ricky b7 with my late late stimulus check. I actually said I bought it , but didn’t until I got the nod of approval…. And not the nod of fury !! Haha |
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Ryan Lunenfeld
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2021 7:51 pm
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| John Burton wrote: |
I got a Vega Commander. I think it's a 47 or 48. Its a good steel. Similar to the one you bought but has a metal pickup cover.
I like the old Vegas, kind of uncommon
Great price on that one. Congrats! |
Gotta try it out ! I’ve never had a post war lap steel other than my duesenberg. Curious to the difference in tonality. And playability |
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G Strout
From:
Carabelle, Florida
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Posted 14 Jul 2021 8:46 pm
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58.00 !!!! for shipping??? Hmmmm.... Seems a bit (lot) high.
_________________
Melbert 8, Remington S8, Silk 6 string, Rick B6, Tremblay 6 lap steel, Marlen S-10 4&4, Prestige Guild M75 and Artist Award, Benedetto Bravo, Epiphone Century Electar (the real one) and a bunch of old lap steels.... mostly Ricks and Magnatones' |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 14 Jul 2021 9:56 pm
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| G Strout wrote: |
| 58.00 !!!! for shipping??? Hmmmm.... Seems a bit (lot) high. |
Haha! Try shopping from Canada. I’d consider $58 to be a bargain!
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – G B D G B D
7 String | G6 – e G B D G B D (re-entrant)
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database |
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G Strout
From:
Carabelle, Florida
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Posted 15 Jul 2021 2:44 am
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| Allan Revich wrote: |
| G Strout wrote: |
| 58.00 !!!! for shipping??? Hmmmm.... Seems a bit (lot) high. |
Haha! Try shopping from Canada. I’d consider $58 to be a bargain! |
Yes, I bet that would be a bargain in your neck of the woods. Lived in Quebec years ago. Great place and great people. But, I often thought that if they could find a way to tax or charge for the air that I was breathing, they would.
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Melbert 8, Remington S8, Silk 6 string, Rick B6, Tremblay 6 lap steel, Marlen S-10 4&4, Prestige Guild M75 and Artist Award, Benedetto Bravo, Epiphone Century Electar (the real one) and a bunch of old lap steels.... mostly Ricks and Magnatones' |
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Ryan Lunenfeld
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 19 Jul 2021 11:38 am
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shipping prices have been increasing significantly.  |
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G Strout
From:
Carabelle, Florida
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Posted 19 Jul 2021 3:46 pm
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I ship on average 5 things a week. Yes, they have increased but hardly that much. Unless of course, the seller is too lazy to pack it themselves and take it directly to the shipper. I never use a 3rd party middleman. USPS goes directly to USPS (printing the postage online gives you a nice savings. FedEx goes directly to a hub terminal or any FedEx Office. (Formerly Kinkos) and I wouldn't use UPS if they paid me to ship with them. You are correct though. I have noticed many things are jumping way up in price recently.
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Melbert 8, Remington S8, Silk 6 string, Rick B6, Tremblay 6 lap steel, Marlen S-10 4&4, Prestige Guild M75 and Artist Award, Benedetto Bravo, Epiphone Century Electar (the real one) and a bunch of old lap steels.... mostly Ricks and Magnatones' |
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