old Vega neck through electric guitar-Help identify?

[shantichristo]

New to forum, and glad this community exists.
I recently picked up this Neck through Vega electric guitar from a local dealer who got it in on a trade. He had been holding onto it for some time and just put it out for sale. I had to get it, as it is a wonderful playing instrument.
I have scoured the net for any information at all on this guitar, or anything that remotely resembles it, but have come up short. There are no identifying signatures apart from the Vega logo on the headstock. If you have any ideas or info, I would appreciate it. Thank you for your, time and knowledge.

[VintAxe]

Interesting guitar; it looks like the Vega version of a Les Paul jr.

I checked my 1954 Vega catalog and the only solid body guitar they offered was the Vega Westerner (a Les Paul inspired guitar). However, the headstock logo on your guitar appears to be the same as on the Westerner which makes me think your guitar is perhaps later 1950's or early 60's.

[shantichristo]

Thank you for responding.
Do you think this was a production guitar, or perhaps a prototype of sorts?
Do you know if there would be any such records, or resources that a person could delve into? Thank you for your time.

[VintAxe]

Hi shantichristo.

I think your guitar was a Vega production guitar and is probably listed in a Vega catalog somewhere. I just don't own that catalog and I don't know who would.

If you are interested in dating the guitar you may be able to accomplish that using the source-date code stamped on the pots. Of course, this assumes the pots are original. We know that Martin purchased Vega in 1970 and discontinued guitar production so a pot code from the late 50's through the 60's is probably accurate.

Here is a link to an article that describes pot code dating.



Let us know what you find out. I'd also be interested to know whether the guitar is solid wood or ply. The way that it is painted suggests they were trying to cover ply on the edges but it could just be the fashion of the day. You can tell for sure once you remove the control cavity cover to check the pots.

Good luck sleuthing

[shantichristo]

Thank you fro the quick response and great info.
According to the "source-date code" on the volume pot, the guitar dates to 1958.

The body is solid wood. I can not tell for certain, as the cavity has been sprayed along with the body, but it is a wood lighter in color.

While doing some more digging I came to a buried post from 2006, on the "guitar museum"

It is not the same guitar, but seems to be pointing in a certain direction at least.
The most interesting information is at the bottom of the post, where a community member posted
" jimmy if you have a double cut it is not an original but may still be the original body just modified. the only ones vega made were single cuts and all in the 1955 year. vega thought that since the top was flat they could get by but gibson shut them down quickly. i was told that vega built 59-75 (numbers are murky) of these but all the ones at the factory when the order came down were destroyed. there are supposedly 31 out there in the wind. i have one. like the early les pauls the serial number is not on the neck. it is scratched (etched) into the cover plate (inside) for the control cavity. mine has the number 26."

I thought it interesting info, none the less.
here is the link

[VintAxe]

Good work.

The guitar they are discussing in that thread is a Vega Westerner. I told you it looked like a Les Paul

Looks like Gibson thought it looked like an LP as well. Apparently Vega didn't learn their lesson since your guitar has such a strong resemblance to an LP jr.

You can see from the photos in the thread how the headstock logo on the Westerner looks like your logo.

Glad you have at least determined the approximate date of manufacture. This will make it easier to find the model since you now know to look in 58-59 Vega literature. Now the only trick is finding 58-59 Vega literature.

[sixty6pixiestix]

Thanks for directing me to this forum VintAxe, from the information provided I've discovered my guitar is a 55-56 Vega Westerner
Thanks to everyone for sharing your expertise!