I am the surprise winner of a CE Special on Ebay - a surprise because I wasn't expecting to win!

It arrived today and I have taken off the blackened metal strings and put a set of nylons on; it has the original case (one that opens at the bottom) and original Clifford Essex skinhead.  The fly in the ointment is that there are 3 small holes on the back of the neck

- I'm worried they could be a sign of active woodworm.  Does anyone have any experience of this or could offer advice.  I checked the case but didn't see any critters or dust. I will upload some photos.  Thanks in advance.

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I have a excellent treatment for wood borers. Send the banjo to me and I'll have it back to you in, say, 20 yrs or so... ;-)

Actually, if you haven't seen any dust in the case, I would think they've departed. I would do nothing unless I saw signs of activity.

There are some temperature extremes that kill these beetles. Freezing and above 140F (60C). Freezing the neck might be the best as the old glues may not survive the hot treatment. Of course, there are pesticides that work...but they're probably noxious.

What I've done in such a case was light a small incense cone and make a tent around it. The smoke kills the critters. Take care, of course, to not set your banjo on fire.  : - (

If I remember right I think my "tent" was a lid to a glass jar. Something like that.

All that said, the way I became aware of the uninvited guests was the dust they left.  

By "such a case" I meant "under similar circumstances".  I wasn't referring to the carrying case for the banjo, Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS!  on winning the auction and gaining a classic.

>>>>>>Hi Carrie  , congrats for winning this CE 'banjo . For the holes in the wood , according with éric S , you have to put a mix Phenol & dont remember what else / i will ask him

please , could you give me the Roman ' number written on the reverse of the perch pole ( mirror )  as i think these ones were made in a small serial

Thanks guys.  I think Marc (Trapdoor2) is right to wait and see if there are any signs of 'activity'.  I also messaged a furniture restorer who also restores musical instruments for advice and waiting to hear.  Despite the slight worry re the holes I am still pleased I won it - it's the first wood-hoop CE Special I have seen for sale.  

Marc - I used a mirror to look on the reverse of the perch pole and it is marked: I I

Any idea what wood the neck is?  p.s. I added the wooden armrest.

It's also cool that the skin head has the Clifford Essex stamp on the underside.  Here are a couple of photos of the pot and the case.IMG_5757%5B11354%5D.JPG

IMG_5754%5B11356%5D.JPG

Well done Carrie, you got a good buy, by the looks of it. You don't see many of the wood hoop model, but I've had a couple and they were both very good banjos, as you would expect.

carrie horgan said:

Thanks guys.  I think Marc (Trapdoor2) is right to wait and see if there are any signs of 'activity'.  I also messaged a furniture restorer who also restores musical instruments for advice and waiting to hear.  Despite the slight worry re the holes I am still pleased I won it - it's the first wood-hoop CE Special I have seen for sale.  

Marc - I used a mirror to look on the reverse of the perch pole and it is marked: I I

Any idea what wood the neck is?  p.s. I added the wooden armrest.

It's also cool that the skin head has the Clifford Essex stamp on the underside.  Here are a couple of photos of the pot and the case.IMG_5757%5B11354%5D.JPG

IMG_5754%5B11356%5D.JPG

Hi Carrie, the catalog specifies maple or mahogany, yours looks like maple.

https://archive.org/details/CliffordEssexCatalogue/page/n11/mode/2up 

Thanks Joel - I thought it might be maple or beech.  

In good news, the furniture restorer doesn't think the holes look like woodworm.  I will probably take it to him to have a look at.

I am glad you got it.  I have not played one but I imagine they are great banjos (like CE's other offerings).  I think you might get along with this one much better than the enormous Professional.

There have been several good banjos to come on the market lately, did you see that Weaver that just sold for $431 US?  The frets had been replaced with large guitar frets but otherwise it looked good.

RE that Hartnett-- It is way overpriced in my opinion. I like the accessories that Hartnett made and sold but the banjo would be a curiosity that I would likely not play often if much at all.  It is a generic R&L with a ebonized maple fingerboard that tend to crumble and fall off at some random time, the only difference being the tag (which Hartnett added when he got the banjos-- he added them to all of his private label instruments) and the accessories.  It is also on the small side for me.  I would buy it at $400 tops (even that is a little high)... for a $1K-- not worth it.  But I was not going to hijack the guy's discussion on it. 

Maple has its own borer beetles when it is alive, they leave larger holes than the common Powder Post Beetles found in furniture. Perhaps it was holy from the factory...

Hartnett banjo on BHO. I stayed out of that one too. Cool but overpriced. I like R&L banjos and I wouldn't mind having the mute...but like you said, not at that price.

Hello Carrie, Congratulations on winning the CE Wood Hoop Special. As Richard says, they are few and far between,

I have a dark wood and quite late version, and Mike Redman has a Maple one.

Regarding the Woodworm, The holes are a sign that they have departed, but there may be more ? I had this problem

with an antique clock many years ago, and took it to Rentokil and they put it in a special room and sort of gassed it !

If I remember correctly ?

Happy pickin’

Keith


Thanks Keith - yes, I am trying not to worry about it but will be keeping my peepers open for further 'activity'.  Can't think what else could have caused such holes.  Anyway, I won't be doing any DIY treatments!  My ears are attuning to the sound of the banjo - it's got it's own voice like all banjos.  Hopefully will make a video soon.

(Apart from a small child - just recalling getting into trouble with my dad for scraping all his vinyl with a coin when I was a toddler)
Keith Wilson said:

Hello Carrie, Congratulations on winning the CE Wood Hoop Special. As Richard says, they are few and far between,

I have a dark wood and quite late version, and Mike Redman has a Maple one.

Regarding the Woodworm, The holes are a sign that they have departed, but there may be more ? I had this problem

with an antique clock many years ago, and took it to Rentokil and they put it in a special room and sort of gassed it !

If I remember correctly ?

Happy pickin’

Keith

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