Clifford Essex Special X

[ritchie thomson]

Hi,

What would be a reasonable price for one of these in good order, and are they good for classic banjo style? 

Thnks

Ritchie

[Steve Jones]

I'm a bit late to the thread, but, just for those (like me) looking through these great posts as learning tools  I recently bought a Boudoir Grand at auction. Although described by the auction house as a "Boudoir Grand" it's actually stamped "Special X"  on the dowel stick (along with the 'Clifford Essex Co.' metal badge) .

However it has an 11" head.

It seems like no rule in vintage banjos is written in stone; it's all rule of thumb!

Jody Stecher said:

Joel, were lighter gauge strings used on the Special models?  I guess with a shorter scale that would not be necessary.
Joel Hooks said:

Hi Marc,

In the US, starting in the early 1890s, a "Special sized" banjo (which was 10 1/2" rim and shorter scale) was a banjo designed to be pitched one step above C, or pitched with the 4th string to D and all others one step higher than standard.

Farland adopted this as his preferred banjo size.  Stewart made him a "Special Thoroughbred" which was a "Special" sized Thoroughbred with a three octave neck.  I think that was in 1893, I covered this in the most recent issue of the "5 Stringer" so someone can check my footnote for the year.

Your description of the Special X seems to conform to the "Special Sized" banjos made by SSS and others for being pitched at D.

marc dalmasso said:

The CE   special X   is the model  prior  to the CE  Boudoir  , exactly same construction  but  10 1/2  inches   ( Boudoir = 11 ' )   It 's a rarity  ; i   own   one  , and  i 've only seen a couple of these  offered on ebay , including the one  here , which seems to be priced at the right price

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clifford-Essex-Co-CE-Special-X-Banjo-Cas...

[Joel Hooks]

Post photos, I am thinking that “Special X” is a wood hoop special.

Steve Jones said:

I'm a bit late to the thread, but, just for those (like me) looking through these great posts as learning tools  I recently bought a Boudoir Grand at auction. Although described by the auction house as a "Boudoir Grand" it's actually stamped "Special X"  on the dowel stick (along with the 'Clifford Essex Co.' metal badge) .

However it has an 11" head.

It seems like no rule in vintage banjos is written in stone; it's all rule of thumb!

Jody Stecher said:

Joel, were lighter gauge strings used on the Special models?  I guess with a shorter scale that would not be necessary.
Joel Hooks said:

Hi Marc,

In the US, starting in the early 1890s, a "Special sized" banjo (which was 10 1/2" rim and shorter scale) was a banjo designed to be pitched one step above C, or pitched with the 4th string to D and all others one step higher than standard.

Farland adopted this as his preferred banjo size.  Stewart made him a "Special Thoroughbred" which was a "Special" sized Thoroughbred with a three octave neck.  I think that was in 1893, I covered this in the most recent issue of the "5 Stringer" so someone can check my footnote for the year.

Your description of the Special X seems to conform to the "Special Sized" banjos made by SSS and others for being pitched at D.

marc dalmasso said:

The CE   special X   is the model  prior  to the CE  Boudoir  , exactly same construction  but  10 1/2  inches   ( Boudoir = 11 ' )   It 's a rarity  ; i   own   one  , and  i 've only seen a couple of these  offered on ebay , including the one  here , which seems to be priced at the right price

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clifford-Essex-Co-CE-Special-X-Banjo-Cas...

[Jody Stecher]

Special K, on the other hand,  is breakfast cereal. My dad used to eat it. Tasted like crunchy sawdust.

Joel Hooks said:

Post photos, I am thinking that “Special X” is a wood hoop special.

[Steve Jones]

Hi Joel, Yes it's definitely the "Boudoir Grand" model because it has a metal tension hoop around the rim for the shoe brackets (ie the wooden rim is not drilled through) similar to the Concert Grand arrangement. As opposed to the 'CE Special wood hoop'  which is drilled for the shoe brackets.

I'll post some pics asap 

I've got a couple of CE's in my collection  

A Grand Concert

The Boudoir Grand (The 'Special X' mentioned)

A Metal hoop 'CE Special' 

A 12" 'Professional'

and an 'Imperial' with highly figured (engraved) inlay (most I've seen have plain inlay).

Joel Hooks said:

Post photos, I am thinking that “Special X” is a wood hoop special.

Steve Jones said:

I'm a bit late to the thread, but, just for those (like me) looking through these great posts as learning tools  I recently bought a Boudoir Grand at auction. Although described by the auction house as a "Boudoir Grand" it's actually stamped "Special X"  on the dowel stick (along with the 'Clifford Essex Co.' metal badge) .

However it has an 11" head.

It seems like no rule in vintage banjos is written in stone; it's all rule of thumb!

Jody Stecher said:

Joel, were lighter gauge strings used on the Special models?  I guess with a shorter scale that would not be necessary.
Joel Hooks said:

Hi Marc,

In the US, starting in the early 1890s, a "Special sized" banjo (which was 10 1/2" rim and shorter scale) was a banjo designed to be pitched one step above C, or pitched with the 4th string to D and all others one step higher than standard.

Farland adopted this as his preferred banjo size.  Stewart made him a "Special Thoroughbred" which was a "Special" sized Thoroughbred with a three octave neck.  I think that was in 1893, I covered this in the most recent issue of the "5 Stringer" so someone can check my footnote for the year.

Your description of the Special X seems to conform to the "Special Sized" banjos made by SSS and others for being pitched at D.

marc dalmasso said:

The CE   special X   is the model  prior  to the CE  Boudoir  , exactly same construction  but  10 1/2  inches   ( Boudoir = 11 ' )   It 's a rarity  ; i   own   one  , and  i 've only seen a couple of these  offered on ebay , including the one  here , which seems to be priced at the right price

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clifford-Essex-Co-CE-Special-X-Banjo-Cas...

[Steve Jones]

It seems like the original CE designation was (ascending in price point)....

The Special - The Metal and Wood hoop versions

The Special X - which became the Boudoir Grand

The Special XX - which became the Concert Grand

[Jody Stecher]

Good info!  I didn't know that.

Steve Jones said:

It seems like the original CE designation was (ascending in price point)....

The Special - The Metal and Wood hoop versions

The Special X - which became the Boudoir Grand

The Special XX - which became the Concert Grand