Clifford Essex Paragon

[John Cohen]

I've got a few questions about the Paragon:

1. Does it have a wide neck like the Concert Grand/Special XX?

2. What year was it introduced? I've seen some with the Clifford Essex & Co. plates, so they were supposedly around in at least 1919.

3. How do they sound compared to Tubaphones, which they were (sort of) inspired by?

[Jody Stecher]

The reason a manufacturer of anything might use an outdated name plate is because of the Waste Not/Want Not principle. When a company moves to a new address and has some of the old name plates perhaps we should not be surprised to find that they will use them until they run out and need to make some new ones containing updated information. Early 20th century instrument manufacturers were in the business of making instruments to be played. It didn't occur to them to be orderly and consistent  in their labels for the sake of unimagined future historians. So for instance CF Martin continued to use their New York stamp for several decades after they moved to Pennsylvania. For many years I had a c. 1870s Martin guitar that had 3 different stamps. They were on the back of the peghead, on a brace across the inside of the back and on the inside of the heel block.  I can't remember now which said what but CF Martin vs CF Martin & Co was one variation. And CF Martin NY and CF Martin &Co NY might have been another. No stamp mentioned Pennsylvania, where the guitar was actually made. Another example:  I have a 1941 Gibson F4 mandolin. The FOB and serial # both confirm the date. The peghead is from a 1920s Loar era *mandola*, (not a mandolin) with a wide waist and a fern inlay. There was a batch of 5 or 6 that all have this feature. Why? Because the parts were there and it was prudent to use them.  I would expect Clifford Essex to be similarly anomalous in their labeling and to be as inconsistent in their labeling as they were in adhering to the advertised features of each model of banjo. 

thereallyniceman said:

I think that the name/address plates are probably the most significant piece of evidence.... why would they change them later or use ones with the incorrect address when supplying new instruments?

The dating of CE banjos is usually based, roughly, on the street address or the "and sons" etc and despite what the "experts" say about serial numbers, the addresses are the known facts.

[thereallyniceman]

I see that Keith Wilson has helped in the research, and Keith is a real "expert"!

I will be seeing him later this year so will have a chat with him then over a few beers.  :-))

Peter, it is good to see that so much research is going on. What is your involvement in the research as you mention "we" have many guarantees?

It would be good to hear more about it and I would be delighted to feature your results on this website as reference for others.

[Jody Stecher]

I would think a Ren head would produce a good sound on a Paragon. I think LaBella 17s will be far too light to bring out the best in a Paragon. It is a paradox (not a Paravox) that Paragons sound best with light steel strings and heavy nylon strings. At least that is so for the limited sample I've been exposed to. The best sounding five string Paragon I've played has a natural vellum and high tension Savarez nylon strings. 
John Cohen said:

I'm lucky enough to be picking up a Paragon as well as the Special XX I just won on Ebay, so I'll have a collection of sorts between those two and my Concert Grand, all of which have Clifford Essex & Co. plates. I'm going to set up the Special XX the same way I have my Concert Grand set up (Remo Renaissance, Park Hunter bridge from CE, and Labella 17's). Would the Paragon sound good with a Renaissance head as well?

[Peter Corfield]

Thanks very much...  "We" is referring to all the help I've received from Paragon players all over the world.  I welcome any/all new informations about Paragon.  Marc Dalmasso and others with vaste experiences have helped put a very comprehensive list of Serial numbers together... This has helped track the transitions, but also helped track introductions such as that of the Plectrum banjo.  

If anyone has details they'd like to share, please PM me and I'd be glad to respond to you.  
looking for:
1) SN
2) Tuners
3) Tags & Stamps inside
4) veneer pattern on Neck/Head/Heel/Perch
5) Rim Capping
6) highest fret marker counts (2 or 3 inlays)
7) pins on neck binding, markets on the fret or between
8) Heel shape (Round or Pointed)

thereallyniceman said:

I see that Keith Wilson has helped in the research, and Keith is a real "expert"!

I will be seeing him later this year so will have a chat with him then over a few beers.  :-))

Peter, it is good to see that so much research is going on. What is your involvement in the research as you mention "we" have many guarantees?

It would be good to hear more about it and I would be delighted to feature your results on this website as reference for others.

[Peter Corfield]

http://www.banjobuyer.com/banjo/15269

Is one such example where the documents state post-1919.. but the banjo would not in the "old model".
the Co switchover to & Son didnt happen til ~late 14XX/early 15XX.  This is one of many proofs the plate dating does not work...  

[Jody Stecher]

Odd that the seller describes the sound as "mellow". I've yet to hear a mellow Paragon, be it tenor, plectrum or five-string. This one has a pretty thick bridge which might take some of the edge off the tone, but how do you get "mellow" from a frosted plastic head? Maybe it's a question of "compared to what?" . 

Peter Corfield said:

http://www.banjobuyer.com/banjo/15269

Is one such example where the documents state post-1919.. but the banjo would not in the "old model".
the Co switchover to & Son didnt happen til ~late 14XX/early 15XX.  This is one of many proofs the plate dating does not work...  

[thereallyniceman]

I agree with Jody that Paragons with frosted/plain plastic heads can tear your ears off! Mine with a Remo Renaissance, Sands heavies and Morley bridge sounds powerful and bright, but a bit lacking in bass. I don't think that even my cast iron fingertips can drive the tone ring, but when Rob Murch visited and played it using his brass fingertips there was no lack of bass and the banjo sounded just like a banjo should!

(You can view me playing Circus Parade and Rob Murch playing my Paragon in my videos)

Peter, Yes I do have a Paragon so can share details.. BUT, despite what you and Jody says about "waste not want not" and the use of "old stock name plates", my banjo shows the Clifford Essex Co  plate and I can't really believe that according to the research my banjo would be made around 1930... and they were still using up plates over 10 years after they became  & Son.!  

How many plates must they have ordered? Surely if they were using the old plates on other models too for 10 years they would have run out by then?

 CE Jnr. would have been a young man! This is a mystery indeed.

My Paragon: Serial 1458   Clifford Essex Co  15A Grafton Street  (click to make photos larger)

and the peculiar "fret markers" that extend up onto the peghead!

I hope this is of use for your project and that we can get a definitive dating system of the CE instruments.

[Peter Corfield]

Thanks for sharing.  1458 rather dates to mid 1927.  Remember the Paragon was only introduced in Jun/Jul 1924, and ~300 banjos were lacking "The Paragon" tag; they were rather stamped.  Notice the fancy "The Paragon" tag you have, this coinsides with late 1927 ads.  It is thought that the earlier plain-texted "The Paragon" tags were introduced to go-along with the ads, but lack of stock forced the use of cheaper tagging.

Also, these are not fretmarkers, but rather a pinning system for the bindings.  Keith has brought this to my attention, and makes spotting a repro-neck, along with veneer patterns much easier.