I've never played one but I'm excited to learn. Been playing rock and country guitar and (electric) bass for a few decades, off and on.

Old time, mountain music has grabbed me and following that old traditional music rabbit hole, I've come to appreciate ballads with just banjo and voice, or accompaniment for the fiddle. I enjoy guitar but it doesn't get to the haunting nature I find in banjo playing.

The idea is to learn clawhammer and hope fingerstyle on guitar translates okay to banjo.

Would like to hear from you arfcom banjo pickers.

Finger picking guitar player here.  I am interested in what you learn here.  No honey I am NOT gonna get a banjo.  

Aww, you're no fun.

I'm getting a lot of use for the traditional tunes tuning my only acoustic guitar to DGDGCD and my attempt at clawhammer guitar.

But unless I want to always be changing tunings, that ties up the D-18.

Maybe I should have gotten another guitar.

The kind of styles I'm lookin to learn.

Find a jam and attend on the regular. Sit and vamp chords quietly. No one will discourage you, quite the opposite.

Old Time Banjo with Patrick and Dear Old Dad

Thanks for the videos. Update, the banjo I received had atrocious action and the folks over at banjo hangout recommended returning it. So still looking at getting another one soon, leaning towards a Hoyt.  In the meantime, getting clawhammer down on guitar.

@Alembic
How goes the banjo journey? What jo did you buy. Some cheaper banjos are frightening at the lack of build quality. Gold Tone Cripple Creek, Deering Goodtime, and Recording King make a good entry level banjo. There are others but those are the top brands.

Tunabilty, intonation, and action are the main desired points. Playability and Tone are next, of course attractiveness too.

There are so many things that can affect Tone. A good setup is paramount. Buy a bunch of different strings to try. You will break them. I like D'Adderio nickle lights.

I have found that you need six fingers on your picking hand to adequately play the banjo. Therefore, it is perfect for West Virginians, but I am ineligible.

I really like banjo, and this is one of the best clawhammer demonstrations I have heard.  She can really play well.

The banjo I got was a Pisgah Possum...but the action was really high and serious fretwear, I decided to return it. If a good one comes along I'll likely get another.

Pisgah is a good brand. Action can be adjusted many ways via bridge, neck adjustment, fit to rim but worn frets is a no go.

I passed on a beautiful Deering Calico due to worn frets. The seller was attempting to cover it up by intentionally obscuring the worn frets in all of the photos. I asked for some specific shots of the banjo and there was no hiding the highly worn frets. His reply was that it doesn't effect his playing Hard Pass.

Good luck. I have had good luck scouring BH classifieds and pouncing on new listing from private sellers. There are many on there who are flippers, they buy then relist with a higher price.  Try to time it before Xmas, and the spring when the festivals open. Everyone is buying or prices are elevated.

Midsummer doldrums, and deep winter blues make the best time to shop. People are bored, frustrated at not becoming a banjo master in 2-3 months and are cleaning house to fund another hobby.

There are some small shop makers on BH who will only build a small number per year. It is mainly their hobby but the sales keep them funded. Find them and shoot them a message for what you are looking for. They may be able to accommodate.

Keep looking the right on will come

Clawhammer is definitely something that doesn’t click until it does. And until
It does, one wonders if they should get tested for being inept at life. Takes a lot of practice.

Love the banjo. Clifton Hicks is good. Also check out Mark Johnson. He has his own style called “clawgrass”.