1925 Vega Tubaphone Style X, N.O. 9, with Bob Flesher Double Gryphon 5-string neck
1925 Vega Tubaphone Style X, N.O. 9, with Bob Flesher Double Gryphon 5-string neck. When you open the Lifton, “Built like a fortress” hard case this banjo lives in, you first have to carefully look over the engraved mother-of-pearl inlay then the detailed metal engraving on the rim, and finally the carved heel on the curly maple neck. After full visual admiration is complete, then, and only then, are you allowed to play it and enjoy the snappy, precise Tubaphone sound! The afore mentioned curly maple neck has a 26-1/8” scale ebony fretboard with a load of A.C. Fairbanks inspired engraved mother-of-pearl inlay. It could be there is more inlay showing than ebony. The neck shape is inspired by Fairbanks & Vega’s soft V shape, but maybe about 10% smaller. The peghead has 4 original gold-plated Ludwig planet tuners and the Schaller 5th is a good match. All 5 tuners have genuine mother-of-pearl buttons. The heel is decoratively carved and the heel cap and peghead back strapping have Fairbanks inspired inlay. The 10-15/16” diameter rim (with Remo Fiberskyn head installed) was from a Vega style X, N.O. 9 tenor banjo that the late Mr. Flesher upgraded with his metal engraving and then gold plating. The gold plated short 4-string Kershner Unique tailpiece looks like it has original engraving. Now, after an hour or so of playing this banjo you can carefully put it back in the fortress so it is ready for the next tunes session. Price is $4,500.