The Gold Tone CC-100R is the best beginner banjo at this price. Maple neck and rim, rolled brass tone ring, two-way adjustable truss rod, and a convertible resonator that comes off for true openback playing. Part of Gold Tone’s Cripple Creek line, in stock in Yellow Springs, and set up twice before it ships. Choose the build pictured here or Gold Tone’s current one at the same price, just say which in your order notes. Gig bag included.
The Gold Tone OB-150 is the most affordable professional-grade bluegrass banjo we carry. Sand-cast 20-hole flat top bell brass tone ring, 3-ply Canadian maple rim, one-piece cast flange, GT planetary tuners, vintage brown satin finish. 11.5 lbs. Hardshell case and Gold Tone's transferable lifetime warranty included. Professionally set up before it ships.
The double-cut headstock, combined with the Hearts-and-Flowers inlay pattern, says it all. The OB-Standard respects the GOAT Bluegrass banjoist, Earl Scruggs, who played this banjo style for many years.
The Gold Tone AC-12 is a 12-inch openback 5-string banjo built specifically for old-time and clawhammer players who want a serious instrument without a serious price tag. At just five pounds, it's one of the lightest full-size banjos on the market — perfect for long festival days and casual front-porch sessions alike. Every AC-12 is professionally set up at Gold Tone's factory in Titusville, FL so it plays beautifully right out of the box.
The Gold Tone AC-4 is an openback Irish tenor banjo built around a lightweight composite rim that delivers a warm, mellow, plunky tone well-suited to Irish traditional music, folk, and beyond. With a rosewood fingerboard, ZeroGlide nut, and a comfortable nato neck, it offers genuine playability at an accessible price point. Every AC-4 arrives professionally set up by Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida, and includes a gig bag so you're ready to play right out of the box.
The Gold Tone AC-4 IT is a 4-string openback Irish tenor banjo built for the GDAE tuning that Irish session players use. Its lightweight composite rim and slim, fast neck make it easy to play and easy to carry, while the ZeroGlide nut keeps it in tune from the first fret to the last. At just 3.5 pounds it is a natural for travel and for new tenor players. Professionally set up at Gold Tone's factory in Titusville, FL and shipped with a gig bag.
The Gold Tone AC-4T is a 4-string openback tenor banjo set up for standard CGDA tuning. Like the rest of the Acoustic Composite line it is light, durable, and easy to play, with a slim neck and a ZeroGlide nut for stable tuning. The composite rim gives it a bright, punchy voice with plenty of projection for its size, and at 3.5 pounds it travels anywhere. Professionally set up at Gold Tone's factory in Titusville, FL and shipped with a gig bag.
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Flying Eagle inlays and Mastertone styling for under $1,000. The BG-175F features a rolled brass tone ring, mahogany construction, and weighs just 8.5 lbs. Greg Rich design.
The Gold Tone CC-100R+ is the upgraded version of one of the best-selling beginner-to-intermediate banjos ever made, with more than 25,000 Cripple Creek banjos in players' hands worldwide. The "+" adds a rolled brass tone ring and a ZeroGlide nut for a warmer, more resonant voice and clean open-string intonation. Built on a hard maple neck and rim with a real rosewood fretboard, it plays well above its price class. Every one is professionally set up at Gold Tone's factory in Titusville, FL and ships with a padded gig bag.
The Gold Tone CC-Carlin12 brings Bob Carlin's renowned clawhammer banjo specs to new and developing players at an extraordinary price point. A 12-inch multi-ply maple rim, rolled brass flat-bar tone ring, scooped rosewood fretboard, ZeroGlide nut, and Gold Tone planetary tuners deliver authentic Old Time sound and feel in a rock-solid, beginner-friendly package. Every CC-Carlin12 arrives factory set up by Gold Tone's luthiers in Titusville, Florida, and ships with a gig bag included.
The Gold Tone CC-Irish Tenor is a 17-fret, GDAE-tuned tenor banjo that delivers authentic Irish tone with professional-grade components at an approachable price — a genuine first choice for beginners and a smart second instrument for gigging players. Built on an 11" multi-ply maple rim with a rolled brass flat-bar tone ring and a maple resonator, it produces that crisp, incisive voice that Celtic music demands, while the ZeroGlide nut and fast maple neck keep playing effortless from the first session. Every CC-Irish Tenor ships factory-fresh and arrives professionally set up by Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida, and includes a gig bag ready for your first session.
On order from Gold Tone. We don't have this one in the warehouse right now — placing an order reserves you a unit from the incoming batch. Lead times vary by model, so get in touch before you buy and we'll tell you where this run currently stands. Your payment is fully refundable at any time before your order ships, for any reason and with no restocking fee.
The Gold Tone F-6+ is a one-of-a-kind F-style mando-guitar tuned standard EADGBE — guitar chords, guitar feel, mandolin soul. Built on a larger Artist-style F-body with a solid spruce top, radiused rosewood fingerboard, and a 15″ scale that actually lets you play barre chords near the nut, it sounds bigger and responds more freely than any short-scale manditar we’ve played. A bridge-mounted transducer pickup means you’re plug-in ready right out of the case, and it arrives factory set up by Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida, with a hard foam case included.