choolie - Posted - 02/01/2011:  04:25:50

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There was a Clifford essex banjo on Ebay here in Great Britain a couple of weeks ago, I bid £255 on it to be outbid by someone at the last minute. It went for £315 in the end (less than $500 I think). I don't know much about them I only bid on it because it seemed to be going cheap and I'd Heard good things about them here on the hangout. I'm starting to regret not bidding more now. I thing ideally i'd like a CE special, I like antiques and the look of them, how much should I expect to pay for one?

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/01/2011:  04:29:44

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They are good banjos. Nice innovations, especially the internal sound chamber thing he had going -- a semi-hollow rim as I recall. Hardware was often unique, too. The armrest on one I had was the most easily adjusted mechanics for an armrest I've ever seen. Now you've made me regret selling mine off... I paid about 800 for a 4 string and about 1200 for a 5 string 3-5 years ago. Have a great banjo day.

Lew

Emiel - Posted - 02/01/2011:  04:51:24

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As I said in this thread ( banjohangout.org/topic/197201/#2516230 ), I paid about 800 Euros for my CE Special. It's a very early one and more ornate than the later ones. It's an openback with a normal rim, not (semi)-hollow... Pictures in the quoted thread.

tombriarhopper - Posted - 02/01/2011:  06:50:39

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These are most-excellent banjos...I have a non-ornate CE Special that I found at an antique store and it had a "pop-off," well, "screw-on" resonator. Mountain-style or bgrass style, Cliffy does very well.

trapdoor2 - Posted - 02/01/2011:  07:36:01

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quote:

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Originally posted by choolie

There was a Clifford essex banjo on Ebay here in Great Britain a couple of weeks ago, I bid £255 on it to be outbid by someone at the last minute. It went for £315 in the end (less than $500 I think). I don't know much about them I only bid on it because it seemed to be going cheap and I'd Heard good things about them here on the hangout. I'm starting to regret not bidding more now. I thing ideally i'd like a CE special, I like antiques and the look of them, how much should I expect to pay for one?

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I bought mine in November for £600. Mind you, it is in extraordinarily good condition, etc. Now that I've been playing it for a few months, I would not sell it for double that. FWIW, if I wanted a comparable quality Stewart or Fairbanks/Vega or whatever, I would very likely have to pay much more.

choolie - Posted - 02/02/2011:  03:11:41

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ok thanks guys i should expect to pay about £700 then, i'll start saving.

tofte32 - Posted - 02/02/2011:  05:37:15

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quote:

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Originally posted by choolie

ok thanks guys i should expect to pay about £700 then, i'll start saving.

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findajo.co.uk/
have a look at this site. I would suggest if you want agood Clifford Essex you should expect to pay a bit more than £700
regards
Ian

Emiel - Posted - 02/02/2011:  06:17:40

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quote:

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Originally posted by tofte32

quote:

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Originally posted by choolie

ok thanks guys i should expect to pay about £700 then, i'll start saving.

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findajo.co.uk/
have a look at this site. I would suggest if you want agood Clifford Essex you should expect to pay a bit more than £700
regards
Ian

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The CE banjos on that site are Paragons. They sell much higher than a CE Special...

tofte32 - Posted - 02/02/2011:  08:04:06

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i Know that, But the site is a good local site to were he lives and kevin the owner of the site often gets Cliffords coming in all the time. Like I said he will need to pay a lot more.
Regards
Ian

tofte32 - Posted - 02/02/2011:  08:58:52

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Here a clifford essex Concert Grand that's come up on Ebay.
cgi.ebay.co.uk/Clifford-Essex-...cb4baf2f2
Ian

choolie - Posted - 02/02/2011:  13:59:38

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Ok I'LL keep saving

waynear - Posted - 02/21/2011:  12:35:03

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I recently bought a Clifford Essex CE Special at a pawn shop that they had diplayed for several years. It dates pre 1919 based on the dowel stick label. I got lucky. I paid $500 for it. The banjo is in excellent condition with no fret wear or fret board gouges and all the inlay is intact. It's all original with the exception of the tuning pegs. They were replaced with planet tuners some years ago. Once I got it properly set up I was amazed at the tone and the volume for a rim with no tone ring.

I must admit that I didn't know much about Clifford Essex banjos, but I'm a big fan now and consider myself very fortunate to own one.

tofte32 - Posted - 02/21/2011:  13:12:49

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quote:

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Originally posted by waynear

I recently bought a Clifford Essex CE Special at a pawn shop that they had diplayed for several years. It dates pre 1919 based on the dowel stick label. I got lucky. I paid $500 for it. The banjo is in excellent condition with no fret wear or fret board gouges and all the inlay is intact. It's all original with the exception of the tuning pegs. They were replaced with planet tuners some years ago. Once I got it properly set up I was amazed at the tone and the volume for a rim with no tone ring.

I must admit that I didn't know much about Clifford Essex banjos, but I'm a big fan now and consider myself very fortunate to own one.

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Clifford Essex Banjos banjos are looked after and cherished in the Uk just like you would a prewar Gibson.
and an interesting fact is before the first world war over half it's banjo production was sent oversea's, so there are a good few out there.
regards
Ian

jacksass - Posted - 06/17/2011:  22:16:26

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I picked up a Clifford Essex and son , imperial with a serial no. on the stick, but no serial number on the rim, I have not seen any other Clifford Essex banjos and would appreciate anyone out there who could tell me if the rims were stamped? Its a great banjo, very heavy! looks like  something Stewart wished he had stamped, I paid 350 pounds in 1988 . it dates early 30,s  and its beautiful, If I OBJOB   that dealer from Camptontown  with the tension hoop at twenty meter I  don't think there would be any damage.

tofte32 - Posted - 06/18/2011:  00:58:38

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High number of Clifford Essex Banjos had no serial numbering at all some just had  a Roman numbered mark on the stick rim and metalwork some people think this to be the luthers mark or batch number  but all had the Clifford Essex  address Label affixed to the dowel stick this being the only indicator of approx year of manufacture due to them moving site four times.

BDCA - Posted - 06/18/2011:  07:31:25

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I had my 1919 5 string Paragon for sale on the hangout in pristine condition for £2000 delivered and got no interest, while Paragon tenors are selling for £3000+. I bought my Paragon in South Africa in 76 from the original owner but never learned to play 5 string. We had an excellent 5 string player in the band who gave me the evil eye everytime I showed up with the banjo.

The banjo is in Ireland having a new neck made by Tom Cussens. They are wonderful for Irish traditional music but not sure how they do for Bluegrass.

The Paragon seem to be "inspired" by the Paramount tone ring, and the tone chambers in the rim by the Langestile Tripple X. I assume that the CE copied both features but I don't know for sure.

Cya!

Bob

 

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 06/18/2011:  08:12:23

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Pete Stanley makes good use of a Clifford Essex banjo for bluegrass purposes.

youtube.com/watch?v=MMCGbIOBC2c

 

 

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 06/18/2011:  08:13:03

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I meant to say Pete Stanley of the UK.

 

Robxx - Posted - 06/18/2011:  10:09:14

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I have a Clifford Essex Popular 5 string serial # 1339 1920/30s, the Popular was the bottom of the range model. It's an open back, has plenty of volume. nice banjo, I don't play it much though !

Emiel - Posted - 06/18/2011:  10:20:48

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quote:

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Originally posted by Brooklynbanjoboy

Pete Stanley makes good use of a Clifford Essex banjo for bluegrass purposes.

youtube.com/watch?v=MMCGbIOBC2c

 

 

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Two points:

1. I don't hear any bluegrass here.

2. You're sure that that's a Clifford Essex banjo?

Robxx - Posted - 06/18/2011:  10:29:24

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Pete Stanley used to play a CE Grand Concert, Tubaphone copy, I assume he still does.

tofte32 - Posted - 06/18/2011:  12:42:06

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Pete Plays a Concert Grand open back  which he has added a vega resonator and fish plates for a flange He has had that banjo since he played with Peggy Sega when she came over to the Uk in the late 50's along with others. He has played over the years a lot of bluegrass on it but can play most any other stlyes if required he tends to play with out ever using picks .

Ian

Robxx - Posted - 06/18/2011:  15:40:02

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I've just finished putting a new set of AMB Cryogenic strings light gauge on my Clifford Essex, and it sounds wonderful, great strings these cryos.

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 06/19/2011:  01:49:17

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Emiel,

 

Stanley has put out at least one cassette of bluegrass tunes -- I believe years ago.  I don't think he ever transferred it to CD form.  Maybe some of our UK friend can comment. 

 

Emiel - Posted - 06/19/2011:  04:05:48

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quote:

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Originally posted by Brooklynbanjoboy

Emiel,

 

Stanley has put out at least one cassette of bluegrass tunes -- I believe years ago.  I don't think he ever transferred it to CD form.  Maybe some of our UK friend can comment. 

 

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Thanks. I don't doubt that he played bluegrass, just made a remark that that example wasn't bluegrass, it was more like the style called "classic banjo" 

tofte32 - Posted - 06/19/2011:  11:24:33

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Emiel

Your right, that was a poor example of Pete's work he is now in his late 70's and most of his bluegrass work was in the 60's and early 70's, There are examples out there on old records, he was always in demand to play banjo for visiting American artists to the UK lately his act is more solo and will cover a wide range of music to the banjo.

Ian