Gold Tone CC-100/L Cripple Creek Left-Handed Banjo with Bag

If you play left-handed and you’ve been searching for a genuinely well-built beginner-to-intermediate banjo that won’t fight you every time you sit down to practice, the Gold Tone CC-100/L is the instrument I’d point you toward first. This is the left-handed version of the legendary Cripple Creek — a model that Gold Tone has been refining for decades, with over 25,000 units shipped to happy players across the world. That kind of track record doesn’t happen by accident. The CC-100 outclasses everything else in its price range with features you simply don’t expect at $629.99: a hard maple neck and multi-ply maple rim, a real rosewood fretboard that’s properly bound in black ABS and easy to refret when the time comes, dual 11″ coordinator rods for solid resonator alignment, a two-way adjustable truss rod, a ZeroGlide nut for improved intonation, and a rolled brass flat-bar tone ring that gives the instrument a bright, projecting voice. Chrome hardware, a Remo LC coated head, snowflake inlays, and a curly maple headstock veneer round out a package that looks and feels like it costs considerably more than it does.

The Cripple Creek’s tone sits right in that sweet spot that works for Scruggs-style bluegrass, clawhammer, and old-time playing alike — open and bright without being harsh, with enough sustain to let rolls ring cleanly. The 26-3/16″ scale length and 1-3/16″ nut width feel comfortable under the left hand, and the string action comes in low enough that you’re not fighting the instrument from the first note. Each instrument receives a professional setup at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, Florida before it ships to you.

Before this CC-100/L ships, it goes through a thorough hands-on setup at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, Florida. Technicians check and adjust the neck angle, set the string action at the nut and bridge, verify intonation, inspect the head tension, and make sure the coordinator rods are properly snugged. You’re not getting a factory-sealed box dropped on your doorstep — you’re getting a banjo that has been played, listened to, and dialed in by someone who knows these instruments inside and out.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every instrument we sell comes with the full manufacturer’s warranty and genuine factory support. I’ve been working with banjos since the late 1970s — I co-own Watch & Learn in Atlanta, wrote Banjo Primer (still the top-rated beginner banjo method on the market), and co-designed the Gold Tone OB-Standard. When I recommend an instrument at a given price point, it’s because I’ve held, played, and compared the alternatives over four-plus decades in this industry. The CC-100 has earned its reputation honestly, and the left-handed version is built to exactly the same standard. We offer flexible financing so you can get playing today: PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month installment plans — all with no late fees. Questions before you order? Reach out. I’m happy to talk banjos.

Gold Tone CC-100/L Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this truly a left-handed banjo, or just a standard banjo strung in reverse?

This is a purpose-built left-handed instrument. The CC-100/L is manufactured by Gold Tone as a true left-handed banjo — the neck profile, headstock, and hardware are all oriented for left-handed playing right out of the box. It is not simply a standard banjo with the strings flipped.

I’m a complete beginner. Is the CC-100/L the right starting point, or should I look at something less expensive?

In my experience teaching and selling banjos for over 45 years, the CC-100 is actually one of the best values a beginner can find — precisely because it doesn’t cut corners. Cheaper instruments often have poor intonation, stiff action, or necks that are difficult to keep in adjustment, which makes learning harder than it needs to be. The CC-100/L gives you real components — a proper tone ring, a two-way truss rod, a ZeroGlide nut — so the instrument works with you, not against you. You won’t outgrow it quickly, either.

What does the setup at Gold Tone’s factory actually include?

Each instrument receives a professional setup at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, Florida before it ships to you. That means checking and correcting neck angle, setting string height at the nut and bridge for comfortable low action, verifying intonation, inspecting head tension, and making sure the coordinator rods are properly seated. The goal is that when you open the case, the banjo is ready to play — not just ready to be adjusted.

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