Clawhammer Banjos
Clawhammer, also called frailing, is the old-time style played with a downward striking motion of the hand rather than fingerpicks. Banjos built for it are almost always open-back, giving the soft, woody, percussive tone that suits old-time and folk music.
Many clawhammer banjos feature a scooped fingerboard, with the frets removed at the neck end so you can strike the strings up over the board for that classic mellow voice. Browse our clawhammer banjos below, or see Geoff’s best clawhammer banjos guide for his picks.
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Clawhammer Banjos
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What makes a good clawhammer banjo
Clawhammer players want a warm, woody tone with a clear "plunk" and not too much ring. That usually means an open-back banjo, often with a scooped fretboard, an 11 or 12 inch rim and a lighter tone ring or none at all. A 12 inch rim gives a deeper old-time voice. A scoop at the end of the fretboard gives your striking hand room to play over the neck.
Fretted or fretless
Most clawhammer players use a fretted banjo. A fretless banjo gives the smooth slides and older sound of 19th-century banjo music, and it rewards a good ear.
Setup and shipping
New Gold Tone banjos ship with a professional setup from the Gold Tone factory, and every used, vintage and showroom banjo gets a complete in-house setup before it ships. Shipping is free anywhere in the US. Want more options? See all our open-back banjos.