Wilco-

All too sad! There's a word of advice I've been meaning to pass on for a long time. It's attributed to S. S. Stewart, that fabled Philadelphia banjo maker of the late 19th century, and has little to do with your plight but this is such fine advice:

"If you must use your banjo as a snow shovel, do so; only don't wonder if it sounds dull afterwards."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble