Weaver CE Banjo - How to identify and value - Help please

[John Woodward]

Hi,

I have been left an old banjo by a favourite Uncle. I thought I'd learn to play it, but am almost 70 myself and already very busy with Guitar and Ukulele, and I know that realistically I won't get around to it. It is a shame to have it sitting gathering dust, so I'd value some advise on how to identify it so as to describe it accurately when I get around to selling it. Attached photo's. He always said it was about 100 years old. It is in good condition and plays well.  Thanks

[Jody Stecher]

This appears to be exactly what it claims to be, as impressed on the dowel stick (aka the "perch pole"):  A Clifford Essex Professional model 5-string banjo apparently decent condition, fitted with a Remo synthetic head, in a period case.

[Joel Hooks]

CE Professionals were introduced in January and February of 1922.  Despite this persistent myth, these were NOT made by Alfred Weaver.  I believe that the depression significantly impacted production and it completely ended with WW2.  So the safe timeline would be 1922 to 1930 or so.

Very nice banjos, but they just don’t seem to sell for much.  Fair market value is about $500-600 including a good case.  For some reason yours has had the hooks and nuts replaced with generic Gibson style.  That will hit the value some.

[Jody Stecher]

It looks like the 5th string tuning peg has been replaced.  These are powerful sounding banjos when well set up.    But it can be a bit much. The few banjo players I know who have this model seem to prefer other banjos for everyday playing. Still, $600 is a bargain for such a sound.

[Joel Hooks]

Looks like all the pegs have been replaced.  These came with the spring loaded Grover pegs, which are great pegs.

There is this compulsive uncontrollable urge that people have to replace friction pegs.  I have a theory that this causes people to breakout in a rash.  “Luthiers” must blackout only to come to with reamer in hand.

The weird part is, they tend to not even try to use the friction pegs.