Will Seeders Dobson Special

Evie Ladin demonstrates a custom-made open-back banjo.

July 5, 2021

Vermont-based luthier Will Seeders started his path as a craftsman in his father’s woodworking shop, helping to build high-end custom furniture. A musician from an early age, he eventually combined his passions by applying his skills to the construction of guitars and banjos. Now about a decade later, Will builds a wide variety of banjos and guitars, and while he offers several models as starting points, he also loves to work with his clients on creating custom instruments. Peghead Nation Clawhammer Banjo instructor Evie Ladin recently checked out a Seeders Dobson Special, which she brought into our studio for a video demo.

Named for the Dobson-style tone ring (a doughnut-shaped ring spun from brass), Dobson Special models are usually made of curly maple, but for this instrument, Will chose walnut. Combined with the antiqued brass hardware and black tuner buttons, this darker wood creates a distinctive and classy overall appearance. Seeders Dobson Specials are available with 11- or 12-inch pots; the one Evie demos features the larger option. The instrument has a striped ebony fingerboard with a scoop above the 17th fret and hand-engraved mother-of-pearl inlays. A beautiful piece of striped ebony that has a light-colored streak at the center is used for the peghead overlay. A nut-width of 1⁵/₁₆ inches places the neck on the narrower spectrum of typical banjo necks.

In this video, Evie demonstrates the Dobson Special in several different tunings and various capo positions. Because she has relatively small hands, she loves the neck dimensions and, particularly when playing in lower tunings, she felt that the benefits of the larger pot became evident, saying, “There’s a lot of overtones and a big, fat sound.”

To study banjo with Evie Ladin, enroll in her Clawhammer Banjo course now!