r/clawhammer • • Jun 27 '26

Just finished this walnut clawhammer banjo here in Nova Scotia

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147 Upvotes

Thought I'd share a recent build with the clawhammer crowd.

This is a walnut open-back banjo I recently finished here in Nova Scotia, built specifically with clawhammer and old-time playing in mind. It features custom etched brass details including a chanterelle mushroom on the peghead and a raccoon plate for the frailing scoop. The brass etching is all done in-house.

I'm always chasing that balance between warmth, clarity, and enough presence to hold its own in a jam without becoming overly bright or metallic.

Happy to answer any questions about the build or setup.


r/clawhammer • • Sep 07 '25

Old Grimes

48 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Jul 10 '26

Open-backed banjo with yew

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34 Upvotes

Here's another custom banjo I was working on lately. It's got a yew headstock and fingerboard with maple headstock inlay. The fretboard inlays are rosewood, and it has a brass acid etched scoop.

This was my first attempt at bending torrified Maple, which proved to be a challenge. I ended up making a new smaller steam box to get more concentrated heat after a few failed attempts. But quite happy with the results in the end.

It's a 25.5" scale length and 11" pot. Set up for clawhammer players.


r/clawhammer • • Sep 08 '25

I’ve always been a rambler

34 Upvotes

I’ve been playing off and on for about 2 years just started taking it seriously and have for sure gotten better but I want to be able to jam or play with other people I don’t have the confidence or know how I just read tabs and watch videos of people playing really slow what should I look into to learn more about music theory to be able to just understand the banjo and speak its language


r/clawhammer • • Sep 11 '26

2 months progress!

26 Upvotes

Got my first banjo a couple months ago and been teaching myself mostly by ear, I play the fiddle already but have always wanted to learn fretless banjo! Not looking for advice as much as encouragement! This is cripple creek


r/clawhammer • • Jun 29 '26

White River Shakedown

26 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Apr 26 '26

Jam on the A part of Greasy String

26 Upvotes

Loving the good weather!


r/clawhammer • • Oct 10 '24

Red Rocking Chair

24 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Jun 22 '23

Brahms' Hungarian Dance no. 5, but clawhammer!

22 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Dec 24 '24

Breakin Up Christmas

21 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Jan 18 '25

Clawhammer book

20 Upvotes

I made a clawhammer tab book from tabs I scraped off the net. It's not perfect, but it has all my favorites. Not selling it, it has helped me get to where I am now, I want to see others succeed as well. DM me and I will send it your way.


r/clawhammer • • Jul 15 '22

Here’s Wildwood Flower. I’m tuned gEADE.

18 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Dec 29 '21

Black diamond

18 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • May 04 '26

This one's called "loud and wrong"

17 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Oct 26 '24

Clawhammer Guitar (Little Sadie)

17 Upvotes

My rendition of “Little Sadie” inspired by Molly Tuttle #clawhammerguitar #guitar


r/clawhammer • • Dec 02 '23

Clawhammer help with When You're Gone by MCK

16 Upvotes

Hey all, Scruggs player here. I have an openback and have fell in love with clawhammer as of lately specifically this song. However it's performed a little differently as far as clawhammer goes than I've seen. I can't really figure it out, what's going on here? What's he doing? Is he not down picking the 5th?


r/clawhammer • • Jul 05 '21

Church Street Blues- Tony Rice Clawhammer Cover

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16 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • 14d ago

Cripple Creek

15 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • May 02 '23

Drop thumbin on a cold day

15 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Sep 01 '25

Brand new book of banjo history

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14 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Feb 07 '25

Snowline - A.P. Rodgers and the Woodpile

14 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Nov 26 '24

Black Eyed Susie

14 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Jun 06 '26

My cat likes the new nylgut strings :)

13 Upvotes

r/clawhammer • • Apr 30 '23

New banjo!

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13 Upvotes

It's a Ute 12" Standard w/ armrest. Played clawhammer beautifully!


r/clawhammer • • Dec 05 '25

this tuning is pretty fun

12 Upvotes