“The quality of the tone is what matters. If it doesn't move you when you play...if it doesn't move something in you then it doesn't matter what its made out of. In the white oak, I found yet another voice that I hadn't heard in any of the banjos that I own.” - Rik Barron, Deering Artist
The Vega White Oak banjos are ideal for clawhammer and folk music and players will marvel at the bright tone and distinct note clarity from a banjo that weighs less than 6 pounds!
The two models offer the choice of a traditional sound in a 22-fret Vega open back with an 11” rim and frosted top head or the grand bass response and grand tone of a 12” rim with a renaissance head.
The Vega openback models are made with a white oak neck and 3-ply white oak rim which gives these banjos a crisp and rich tone. These banjos also feature an ebony fingerboard and peghead overlay, a sleek satin finish and are adorned with a gryphon inlay at the peghead - Greg Deering’s own tribute to the incredible inlay work of the late Icilio Consalvi.
Born in 1865, Consalvi worked mostly in the Boston area and is responsible for some of the banjo world's most beautiful and intricate inlay work. In particular, Consalvi’s work can be found on many early Fairbanks, Cole and Vega banjos built in Boston at the time. As the son of an Italian family of jewelers, Consalvi is perhaps best known for a one of a kind exquisite banjo that currently resides in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Aside from the lavish engraving and stunning detail, the banjo is said to contain over 39,987 individual pieces, each inlaid by hand over three years.
Neck Wood: Quartersawn White Oak
Neck Shape: Vega "D" Shape
Stain:
Finish: Satin
Nut Material: Ebony
Tuners: Deering Planetary Tuners
5th String Tuner: Deering Gotoh Geared 5th String Tuner
Frets: 22 Pressed In Nickel Silver Frets
Fingerboard: A Grade Ebony
Inlays: Incilio Consalvi inspired Gryphon Peghead Inlay, Dots and Star on Fingerboard
Rim: 3-Ply White Oak
Rim Diameter: 12"
Tone Ring:
Head: 12" Renaissance Low Crown
Tension Hoop: Notched Brass Tension Hoop
Hooks & Nuts: 24 Round J-Hooks and 1/4" Hex Nuts
Armrest: Deering Armrest
Hardware Plating: Nickel
Bridge: 5/8" Deering Smile Bridge
Tailpiece: Deering True Tone Tailpiece
Finish: Hand Finished Satin Polyurethane
Neck Width at the Nut: 1 1/4"
Scale Length Nut to Bridge: 26 1/4"
Rim Diameter: 12"
Overall Instrument Length: 37 1/2"
Weight Approx.: 6 lbs
The trust and pride we share in our product gives us the confidence to grant every owner of a Deering banjo a lifetime warranty ensuring thequality of our materials and workmanship.
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Comes strung with Deering Light Gauge Strings
Comes tuned: G, D, G, B, D
Can easily be tuned in other tunings as well.
Comes with a hardshell case.
NB: Due to current supply constraints, case brand may vary.