The Gold Tone OB-2 JM Joe Mullins Signature Banjo delivers authentic 1960s Mastertone bowtie tone with modern reliability. Featuring a rolled brass tone ring, mahogany resonator with golden sunburst finish, mahogany neck, and premium Gotoh tuners.
This is the left-handed version of the Gold Tone OB-2 Mastertone Bowtie — a historically inspired flathead banjo celebrating the legendary bowtie era of 1960 to mid-1964, complete with a rare 19-hole bell brass tone ring, ebony fingerboard, and nickel-plated hardware. Built for serious left-handed players who want authentic vintage Mastertone character at a price that doesn't require a museum budget. Every OB-2/L ships with a professional factory setup from Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida and includes a hard case.
If you’ve spent any time chasing that classic pre-war bluegrass tone — the kind that defined the Golden Era of five-string banjo playing — then you already know what the Gold Tone Orange Blossom series is about. The OB-250 is the instrument I point serious players toward when they’re ready to stop compromising. Everything here [...]
The Gold Tone OB-250+ Block is an American-made professional bluegrass banjo built around the legendary JLS #12 bell brass tone ring and a birch block rim — a combination that delivers the deep, powerful voice of pre-war originals at a fraction of the cost. With a curly maple neck, ebony fingerboard, hearts-and-flowers inlay, and Gotoh planetary tuners, this is a serious working instrument for the serious player. Every OB-250+ Block is professionally set up at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, FL, and includes a hard shell case.
The Gold Tone OB-250AT is the arch-top Orange Blossom: a sand-cast brass forty-hole raised-head tone ring in place of the flathead, giving a sharper, more incisive voice that cuts through a band. All other features as per the OB-250. Ships with a hardshell case.
The Gold Tone OB-250LW/L is the left-handed version of the lightweight Orange Blossom banjo — a Mastertone-inspired flathead build that swaps the traditional brass tone ring for a precision-machined 3-ply maple tone rim, shaving roughly three pounds off a full-sized resonator banjo without sacrificing the warm, focused tone that makes the OB-250 series so compelling. You still get the full Orange Blossom treatment: ebony fingerboard, hearts and flowers inlay, GT Master planetary tuners, curly maple binding, one-piece flame maple resonator veneer, and a stunning vintage brown finish. Every OB-250LW/L ships factory-fresh with a professional setup performed by Gold Tone's skilled team in Titusville, Florida, and arrives with a hard case included.
The Gold Tone OB-2AT is a faithful tribute to the legendary bowtie-era Mastertone banjos of 1960–1964, built around the historically accurate 19-hole flathead bell brass tone ring that defined the peak of that era's craftsmanship. With a mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, one-piece cast flange, nickel-plated hardware, and a gorgeous Golden Sunburst finish, this is a serious professional instrument with deep roots in American banjo history. Every OB-2AT ships with a professional factory setup from Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida.
This is the left-handed version of the Gold Tone OB-3, a meticulous recreation of JD Crowe's legendary RB-3 'Banger' — one of the most revered pre-war style banjos in bluegrass history. The signature No-Hole flat-top bell brass tone ring delivers that tight, focused, dry twang that defines the classic Scruggs-era sound, and every detail from the slanted resonator walls to the Presto tailpiece has been faithfully reproduced. Every OB-3/L is professionally set up at Gold Tone's factory in Titusville, FL.
The Gold Tone OB-300 is the most visually stunning professional bluegrass banjo at anywhere near its price. Triple-plated gold hardware, modified tree of life abalone and mother of pearl inlay on ebony fingerboard, sand-cast bell bronze tone ring, 3-ply Canadian maple rim, one-piece cast flange, flamed maple resonator with inlaid artwork.
This is the left-handed version of the Gold Tone OB-300 Orange Blossom — a stunning, professional-grade flat head banjo featuring a sand-cast bell bronze tone ring, triple-plated gold hardware, and an exquisite modified Tree of Life inlay in curly maple. It arrives professionally set up at Gold Tone's factory in Titusville, FL. If you play left-handed and want a banjo that turns heads as readily as it fills a room, this is it.
This is a pre-order. Not yet in production — Gold Tone’s window is January through March 2027. Your payment is fully refundable at any time before it ships.
The Gold Tone OB-3EF is a meticulous recreation of JD Crowe's legendary RB-3 'Banger,' built around a rare No Hole flat-top bell brass tone ring that delivers the tight, punchy pre-war sound serious players chase for years. Every detail — from the angled resonator walls and Presto tailpiece to the vintage leaf-and-bow inlay and Gotoh planetary tuners — honors the original while benefiting from Gold Tone's modern consistency and quality control. Professionally set up at Gold Tone's factory in Titusville, FL, so it plays beautifully right out of the archtop hardshell case.