Vega banjo strings

Subject: Vega banjo strings
From: Armen Tanzerian
Date: 20 Aug 01 - 10:52 PM

I am about to pick up a few sets of banjo strings for a friend in France. He has requested "Vega lights" (.09 for #1 and #5). I know that Vega was (is?) a reknown maker of banjos. In a local music store, they had a pack of MARTIN Vega strings (wrong gauge). Is this the only form of Vega strings one can buy? Did Martin buy the rights to the Vega name for banjo strings? Or is there a "real" Vega string.

Also, what do you 5-string types think of the Gibson "Earl Scruggs" strings, with a .09½ at #1 and #5? I was thinking of a little surprise for mon copin la bas.

Subject: RE: Vega banjo strings
From: DonMeixner
Date: 20 Aug 01 - 11:29 PM

This is a major problem for me. Vega is available in the gauges you desire. And Vega has been made by/for Martin for years. They are apparently not making long neck strings any more. I am now forced to use GHS which I always have viewed as an inferior string. I haven't tried them all yet but I haven't found a medium guage long neck string as yet.

Don