Gold Tone CC-Plectrum Cripple Creek Left-Handed Plectrum Banjo with Bag

If you are a left-handed player who has been searching for an accessible, well-built plectrum banjo, the Gold Tone CC-Plectrum/L deserves your full attention. This is the left-handed version of Gold Tone’s popular Cripple Creek plectrum model, and it occupies a genuinely useful niche: 22 frets and a 26-3/16″ scale put it right in the pocket between a tenor and a five-string, so whether you are comping jazz chords, driving a Celtic session, or exploring Chicago-style DGBE tuning, this instrument has the voice and the playability to keep up. The removable resonator means you can play it open-back for a mellower, more intimate sound or close it back up when you need that punchy, projecting tone — versatility that a single-style banjo simply cannot match.

Gold Tone built the CC-Plectrum on an 11″ multi-ply maple rim fitted with an 11″ rolled brass flat-bar tone ring — the same basic formula that makes so many entry and mid-level Gold Tone instruments sound better than their price tags suggest. A 13″ maple resonator adds depth and focus, while the maple neck carries a rosewood fingerboard with snowflake inlays and a ZeroGlide zero-fret nut that keeps open strings perfectly in tune with fretted notes. The dual 11″ coordinator rods, two-way adjustable truss rod, sealed guitar-style tuners, and Terminator tailpiece round out a hardware package that is genuinely thoughtful for this price point. Chrome-plated hardware, black ABS binding, and a natural high-gloss finish give it a clean, classic look that will not embarrass you on any stage or in any living room.

Each instrument receives a professional setup at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, Florida before it ships to you. You will not receive a banjo straight out of a shipping box; you will receive one that is ready to play the moment you pick it up.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer located in Yellow Springs, Ohio, which means you are getting a genuine factory-warrantied instrument backed by a real shop staffed by people who live and breathe banjos. I have spent more than 45 years in this industry — I co-own Watch & Learn in Atlanta, wrote Banjo Primer (consistently rated the number-one beginner banjo method), and co-designed the Gold Tone OB-Standard — so when I say this is a smart buy for a left-handed plectrum player at this price, that opinion is grounded in decades of handling thousands of instruments. We want you to find the right banjo, and we are happy to answer questions before or after your purchase. Financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans with no late fees, so you can bring this banjo home today without waiting.

Gold Tone CC-Plectrum/L Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What tunings work on the CC-Plectrum, and which is best for a beginner?

The CC-Plectrum is most commonly tuned CGBD (standard plectrum tuning), but it also works well in Chicago-style DGBE — which mirrors the top four strings of a guitar and makes chord shapes very familiar if you come from a guitar background — or DGBD, which mirrors the top four strings of a five-string banjo. For a true beginner, I usually recommend starting in CGBD since most plectrum method books and chord charts are written for that tuning, but if you already play guitar, DGBE will get you making music faster.

Can I play this banjo open-back without the resonator?

Yes, and that is one of the real strengths of this model. The resonator on the CC-Plectrum is designed to be removed easily, so you can switch between the warmer, more intimate sound of an open-back and the fuller, more projecting tone of a resonator banjo depending on your musical context. Celtic and old-time players often prefer open-back, while jazz and pop players tend to keep the resonator on. Having both options in one instrument at this price is genuinely valuable.

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