SPECIFICATIONS: Main neck wood – Mahogany. Fingerboard and peg head material – Ebony. Nut material and Inlays – Buffalo Bone and Genuine Mother of Pearl. Geared pegs. Reinforced neck. Traditional Clifford Essex shape for the peg head and a traditional Weaver shaped heel. Rim thickness – 0.5″. Total rim height – 2.75″. Rim material – Mahogany Tone ring material – Indian Ebony Rim Cap – Ebony Head – 11″ or 12″ medium crown. Neck width at nut – varies as depends on banjo type. Plating on hardware – Nickel. Rim support / Neck attachment – Dual rim rods or perch pole Weight: Varies (2.2 to 2.7 kg) In the 1920s the metal tone ring was introduced into banjo construction in America and was quickly copied worldwide by nearly all banjo makers, including Clifford Essex with our Concert Grand and Paragon models. All manner of metal tone rings were introduced, some were just a plain metal ring, others were hollow rolled brass, some were, and still are, like a large sound chamber littered with small holes to let the sound out. This acts as an echo chamber, the problem being, given a run of notes, the note just played, rings on when the next is played, the player, no matter how skilled, is not in full control. Every player has his or her own views on how a banjo should sound. We favour the big natural woody tone produced by the high-quality timber used in the construction of this instrument. With the Weaver, we chose not to fit truss rods in the neck, which would require a truss rod cover on the peghead. However, to be absolutely certain that the Weaver neck can never warp, particularly in countries with very high temperatures, we have fitted an unbendable carbon fibre rod under the fingerboard, extending from the nut to the heel. Since carbon fibre is very light the Weaver retains a very fine balance. The neck is hand carved by Clifford Essex craftsmen led by luthier Garry Silbert. Accessories like tension hooks and tailpieces may vary according to availability. Postage to UK destinations including insurance is £20.00. Europe £70. Rest of the world £200. Note: The ebony armrest in the pictures is an optional extra. This instrument comes with a lifetime guarantee. All our instruments are thoroughly checked and set-up pre-sale. Instruments are dispatched fully insured against any loss or damage and within 2 working days. Our Weaver 5-String banjos are priced at £1795.00
