The Steel Guitar Forum

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.

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.

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!

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?

Nice Ryan, but save that “I accidentally bought it” stuff for your wife

Brian Cheetham wrote:Nice Ryan, but save that “I accidentally bought it” stuff for your wife

Maybe she reads the forum.😱

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....

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!

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

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

58.00 !!!! for shipping??? Hmmmm.... Seems a bit (lot) high.

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!

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.

shipping prices have been increasing significantly.

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.