Electric banjoline
Maker
Vega Company
Date1957 ca.
Place MadeBoston, Massachusetts, United States, North America
ModelPrototype
Serial No.none
SignedInlaid in mother-of-pearl on head: Vega / [star]MarkingsStamped on tailpiece: VIB-ROLA / Pat.NO.1839395
DescriptionAt the behest of his friends Les Paul and Alivno Rey, Eddie Peabody went electric with this custom made Vega banjoline. The instrument was used extensively in Peabody's tours and recordings in the late 1950s through 1960s, most famously in his Smoothies records.
Stringing: six steel strings
Pickups: two single-coil pickups with individual pole pieces [adapted for four pole pieces from standard guitar pickup] and white plastic covers; volume and tone potentiometers with clear knobs, and three-way switch with black chicken-beak knob
Body: mahogany two cutaways and contouring on the back and along edges; clear plexiglass plate backed with gold and silver sparkle finish over body cavity on front secured with two dome-headed philips’ head screws
Head: maple with mahogany center stripe; face finished in black gloss; black plastic truss rod cover secured to head face with three chrome-plated steel Philips’ head screws
Neck: maple with mahogany center stripe; integral with head
Binding: ivory celluloid along top edge
Fretboard: ebony with ivory celluloid binding and 23 nickel-silver frets; mother-of-pearl rectangles with rounded corners behind 3rd, 7th, and 12th frets, single mother-of-pearl dots behind 5th, 10th, and 17th frets; double mother-of-pearl dots behind 22nd fret; black plastic side dots behind, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th, and 22st frets
Nut: white bone
Bridge: brass with rosewood saddle on nickel-plated brass screw adjusters
Tailpiece: nickel-plated steel and chrome-plated steel Vib-rola
Tuners: six individual planetary banjo tuners with nickel-plated steel covers and ivory plastic heads
Pickguard: clear plexiglass plate backed with gold and silver sparkle secured with two domed, slot-head screws; raised over body cavity plate
Strap buttons: steel on upper body; ivory plastic on end
Finish: metallic gold on top; gold-to-red-brown sunburst on back, sides, neck, and head
Jack plug: mounted on lower bass side; clear tan celluloid surround
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1018 mm
Back length: 420 mm
Upper bout width: 223 mm
Waist width: 182 mm
Lower bout width: 332 mm
Side height (including edging) at heel: 45 mm
Side height, at center: 45 mm
Side height, at end: 45 mm
Head length: 156 mm
Head width, top: 74 mm
Head width, bottom: 66 mm
Neck length (nut to body): 487 mm
Neck width, nut: 29 mm
Neck width, body joint: 42 mm
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 681 mm at high string; 686 mm at low string
Credit LineEddie Peabody Collection. Gift of George Peabody, 2012
Object number14657
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