Best Clawhammer Banjos for Old-Time Music: My Picks
By Geoff Hohwald | Banjo Warehouse, Yellow Springs, Ohio | June 2026
Clawhammer is the oldest way to play the banjo, and it asks for a different instrument than bluegrass does. You want an open back for that warm, woody, percussive voice, you want it light on your knee for long sessions, and ideally you want a scooped fingerboard that gives your striking hand room over the neck. I’ve played and sold old-time banjos for over forty years. Here are the clawhammer banjos I’d actually point you toward, at every budget. Every banjo we sell ships professionally set up: used and vintage instruments in-house by our tech Tara, new Gold Tones at the Gold Tone factory.
The Quick Answer
The Gold Tone HM-25 ($899.99) is the best dedicated clawhammer banjo we carry for the money: scooped fingerboard, wood tone rim, built for exactly this music. On a budget, start with the Gold Tone CC-50 ($474.99). If money isn’t the question, the Bob Carlin BC-350 ($1,299.99) is the artist-grade answer.
Best Clawhammer Banjo for the Money: Gold Tone HM-25 ($899.99)
The newest member of Gold Tone’s High Moon series, and the one I’d hand most old-time players. The fingerboard scoop lets your index finger brush past the head on the down-stroke, which is exactly how the classic clawhammer cluck is made. The wood tone rim, rather than a heavy metal ring, keeps the voice open and dry the way old-time wants it. Three-ply maple rim, Remo Renaissance head, 6.5 pounds, padded gig bag included. The HM-25 carries the character of the high-end HM-100 in a more accessible package.
Watch: The Gold Tone HM-25 demo.
Best Budget Clawhammer Starter: Gold Tone CC-50 ($474.99)
The best wooden open-back under $500. Multi-ply maple rim, rolled brass flat bar tone ring, two-way truss rod. No scoop at this price, but the CC-50 is a fine instrument to learn the stroke on, and it holds its own at a jam. On an even tighter budget, the composite-rim Gold Tone AC-1 ($314.99) weighs under 4 pounds and won Best in Show at NAMM.
Best Artist-Grade Clawhammer Banjo: Gold Tone BC-350 ($1,299.99)
Designed with Bob Carlin, one of the most respected names in clawhammer banjo, who refined every dimension of this model with Gold Tone himself. Scooped ebony fingerboard, 12-inch rim for a deeper, plunkier old-time voice, and a hardshell case included. If you know clawhammer is your music, the BC-350 is the one you won’t outgrow.
Watch: The left-handed BC-350 Bob Carlin up close.
Best Tubaphone-Style: Gold Tone OT-800 ($1,679.99)
The Tubaphone tone ring is the sound of the great Vega banjos of the early 1900s, and the OT-800 recreates it: a 32-hole tubaphone-style ring, ebony fingerboard with scoop, and a Remo Renaissance head. Currently in stock in left-handed, part of a left-handed selection of more than 60 instruments, one of the deepest anywhere. Right-handed OT-800s ship direct from Gold Tone; ask us.
Best American-Made: Deering Goodtime Openback ($599)
Built in California, nearly indestructible, and a fine clawhammer instrument once you’re used to its brighter maple voice. The Goodtime Openback holds its value exceptionally well, and the Artisan Goodtime ($949) dresses it up.
One Banjo for Both Worlds: Gold Tone CC-100R ($799.99)
If you’re torn between old-time and bluegrass, the CC-100R‘s resonator pops off in minutes: open-back warmth on Tuesday, bluegrass punch on Saturday. It’s the practical answer for a player who hasn’t chosen a side yet.
Don’t Overlook Vintage
Old-time players love instruments with history, and vintage Japanese-made openbacks from the 1960s and 70s offer remarkable tone for the money. Our vintage Japanese banjo collection changes constantly: every one is inspected and set up in-house by Tara before it ships.
Compare the Picks
| Pick | Price | Scoop | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Tone AC-1 | $314.99 | No | Lightest, cheapest legitimate entry |
| Gold Tone CC-50 | $474.99 | No | Best wooden starter under $500 |
| Deering Goodtime | $599 | No | American-made, holds value |
| Gold Tone CC-100R | $799.99 | No | Convertible, both styles |
| Gold Tone HM-25 | $899.99 | Yes | Best dedicated clawhammer value |
| Gold Tone BC-350 | $1,299.99 | Yes | Bob Carlin artist grade, 12″ rim |
| Gold Tone OT-800 | $1,679.99 | Yes | Tubaphone class (LH in stock) |
Browse all clawhammer banjos → · All openbacks →
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of banjo is best for clawhammer?
An open-back 5-string. The open back gives the soft, woody tone old-time music is built on, and it’s lighter for long sessions. A scooped fingerboard helps but isn’t required to start. New to the instrument entirely? Start with our best beginner banjos guide.
Do I need a scooped fingerboard for clawhammer?
No, but it helps. The scoop removes the frets where your hand strikes, so you can play up over the neck for a mellower voice without catching your finger. Plenty of great clawhammer players learned without one. If you’re buying a dedicated old-time banjo, get the scoop; if you’re starting on a budget, don’t let it stop you.
Can I play clawhammer on a resonator banjo?
Yes. The technique works on any 5-string. It will sound brighter and louder than the classic old-time voice, and the extra weight matters in long sessions. Many players start clawhammer on whatever banjo they own, then move to an open-back when they’re sure. A convertible like the CC-100R covers both.
What strings and head are best for old-time tone?
Lighter steel strings and a textured head like the Remo Renaissance or Fiberskyn warm the tone toward the classic sound. Some old-time players go further with Nylgut strings for a gut-string voice. Every banjo we sell ships set up and ready to play; if you want it dialed toward old-time, tell us when you order and we’ll advise.
What’s the difference between clawhammer and frailing?
Mostly vocabulary. Both describe the down-stroke style where the back of the fingernail strikes the string and the thumb catches the fifth. Some players draw fine distinctions, but the instruments and the motion are the same.
Learn Clawhammer
The Clawhammer Banjo Primer by Bradley Laird, published by Watch & Learn, the instructional company Geoff co-owns, is the step-by-step method we point new clawhammer players toward.
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Geoff Hohwald has been playing banjo since 1963 and running music stores since 1980. He is the author of The Banjo Primer (200,000+ copies sold) and the owner of Banjo Warehouse in Yellow Springs, Ohio.