Vega Little Wonder 5 String Conversion
The Vega Instrument Company produced some of the best banjos of the early 20th century. This banjo started it’s life as a 4 string tenor. The Little Wonder was one of their lower end models but it was produced with the same attention to detail and high quality craftsmanship of their entire catalogue. These banjos make excellent 5 strings and have a classic old time sound. The Little Wonder is not as sought after as the coveted Tubaphones, Whyte Laydies, and Electric models but they stand their ground against some of the best antique banjos out there.
- 10-13/16″ Vega Little Wonder Rim
- 26″ Scale Length
- Original Calf Skin Head
- Vega Peghead with Tubaphone Style Inlay
- Abalone and Mother of Pearl Inlay
- Mahogany Neck With Maple Dowel Stick
- Ebony Fretboard, Peghead, and Heel Cap
- Rickard Cyclone Tuners
- Vintage Thin Satin Nitrocellulose Finish
- Published in Banjos
VegaVox 5 String Conversion Banjo
This banjo started its life as a VegaVox tenor banjo. These are a wild piece of banjo history. A unique top tension design made by Vega in the tenor and plectrum craze that are very popular with those players and have rarely been targeted by folks wanting to convert them to 5 strings. Until now! This was a very fun project brought into life by my friend Marc Horowitz. I matched the original style of the neck and copied the original engraving (just made it a little cleaner and more refined than the original was of course). It was a worthy endeavor and it made for an incredible sounding banjo that’s excellent for three finger bluegrass style and clawhammer alike! A unique looking banjo that’s not for everyone but what a sound!
- 26.4″ Scale Length
- 11″ Rim
- Original VegaVox Resonator and Rim
- Tubaphone Tone Ring
- Custom Seeders Tailpiece
- Recessed 5th String Scoop
- Flush Mount Truss Rod Cover
- Hand Engraved Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Ivoroid Binding
- Richlite Fingerboard and Peghead
- EVO Frets
- Rickard Cyclone Tuners
- Lightly Distressed Nitrocellulose Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
147 – 11″ Walnut Dobson Special Style 0 Banjo
This banjo has a powerful well rounded tone unique to the Dobson Special with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while having modern playability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 11″ Walnut Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Black Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Seeders Wide Notch Comfort Tension Hoop
- Seeders Curly Maple Armrest
- Seeders Tailpiece
- Violin Bridge
- Striped Ebony Fingerboard and Peghead
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
- Black Rim Binding
- Golden Brown Stain
- Gotoh Tuners
- White Suede Head
- Cole Boat Heel
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulous Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
146 – 12″ Cherry Dobson Special Style 0 Banjo
This banjo has a powerful well rounded tone unique to the Dobson Special with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while having modern playability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 12″ Cherry Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Black Mother of Pearl Dot Inlays
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Seeders Wide Notch Comfort Tension Hoop
- Seeders Curly Maple Armrest
- Striped Ebony Fretboard and Peghead
- Seeders Tailpiece
- Violin Bridge
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
- Black Rim Binding
- Gotoh Tuners
- Renaissance Head
- Cole Boat Heel
- Flush Mount Truss Rod Cover
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulous Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
145 – 12″ Curly Maple Dobson Special Style 4 Banjo
This banjo has a powerful well rounded tone unique to the Dobson Special with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while having modern playability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 12″ Curly Maple Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Hand Engraved Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Mother of Pearl Side Dots
- Ebony and Maple Backstrap
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Seeders Wide Notch Comfort Tension Hoop
- Seeders Curly Maple Armrest
- Seeders Tailpiece
- Violin Bridge
- Ebony Fingerboard and Peghead
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
- Black Rim Binding
- Honey Maple Stain
- Rickard Cyclone Tuners
- Renaissance Head
- Cole Boat Heel
- Flush Mount Truss Rod Cover
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulose Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
143 – 12″ Walnut Dobson Special Style 0 Banjo
The Dobson Special banjos have a powerful well rounded tone with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while adding modern play ability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 12″ Walnut Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Seeders Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Walnut Armrest
- Ebony Details
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
- Black Rim Binding
- Golden Brown Stain
- Gotoh Tuners
- Renaissance Head
- Cole Boat Heel
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulose Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
142 – 11″ Curly Maple Dobson Special Style 4 Banjo
This banjo has a powerful well rounded tone unique to the Dobson Special with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while having modern playability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 11″ Curly Maple Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Hand Engraved Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Seeders Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Curly Maple Armrest
- Ebony Details
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
- Black Rim Binding
- Dark Brown Stain
- Rickard Cyclone Tuners
- Renaissance Head
- Cole Boat Heel
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulous Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
141 – 11″ Curly Maple Dobson Special Style 0 Banjo
The Dobson Special banjos have a powerful well rounded tone with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while adding modern play ability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 11″ Curly Maple Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Seeders Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Curly Maple Armrest
- Zircote Details
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
- Black Rim Binding
- Honey Maple Stain
- Gotoh Tuners
- Seeders Sustainer Neck Attachment
- Renaissance Head
- Cole Boat Heel
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulous Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
140 – Nora Brown 12″ Cherry Custom Banjo
This banjo was custom built for Nora Brown. Nora is a captivating player who’s name you should definitely know when it comes to old-time banjo and traditional music. For years her main banjo has been one of my Gibson Kraske 5 string conversions but she’s also very well adept to playing fretless and nylon strung banjos, like this one that was built in an attempt to replace one of her antique banjos. Nora designed the peghead shape herself and directed a lot of the overall design as well which led to some simple but very fun details.
- 12″ Cherry Rim with Red Veneer and Ebony Details
- Honduran Rosewood Tone Ring
- 26.4″ Scale Length with bridge set back towards tailpiece
- 1-1/4″ Nut
- Cherry Neck with Red Veneer and Ebony Details
- Red ReconStone Inlays
- Seeders Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Gotoh Tuners
- EVO Fretwire
- No-Knot Tailpiece
- Custom Armrest
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulous Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos
139 – 12″ Curly Maple Dobson Special Style 4 Banjo
This banjo has a powerful well rounded tone unique to the Dobson Special with a comfortable neck profile ideal for all hand sizes and comfort while playing all over the neck. The Dobson Special utilizes a Dobson tone ring mounted on a rolled brass ring to isolate the tone ring from the wooden rim giving it a unique and powerful Dobson sound with more balanced and a crisp overall tone. It’s simple but elegant inlays and overall design has a vintage inspired look while having modern playability and durability.
- 25.5″ Scale Length
- 12″ Curly Maple Rim
- Dobson Special Tone Ring
- Hand Engraved White and Black Mother of Pearl Inlays
- Antiqued Brass Hardware
- Seeders Wide Notch Comfort Tension Hoop
- Seeders Curly Maple Armrest
- Ebony Details
- EVO Fretwire
- 1-5/16″ Black Tusq Nut
- Black Rim Binding
- Reddish Brown Stain
- Gotoh Tuners
- Renaissance Head
- Cole Boat Heel
- Vintage Thin Nitrocellulous Satin Finish
- Published in Banjos