Gold Tone ES-Banjitar Electric 6-String Banjo Guitar Left-Handed with Hard Case

This is the left-handed version of the Gold Tone ES-Banjitar, and if you are a left-handed guitarist who has ever wanted that unmistakable banjo crack and twang in a body that feels exactly like the electric guitar you already know, this instrument was built for you. The ES-Banjitar/L is a solid-body electric 6-string banjo strung and tuned to standard EADGBE — every chord shape, scale, and lick you already own transfers directly. What changes is the sound: banjos respond to the pick with a speed and immediacy that no electric guitar can replicate, and hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides happen with a effortlessness that will surprise you the first time you plug in. Even unplugged, the hollow sound chamber carved into the maple body produces a genuine banjo voice, so this instrument is not just a visual gimmick — it is acoustically alive before you ever touch a volume knob.

The ES-Banjitar is built around an 8-inch aluminum tone ring and an 8-inch HC smooth head tensioned by a top-tension hoop, which together produce that focused, cutting banjo midrange that sits in a live mix like nothing else. A single-coil pickup at the neck gives you clear, articulate banjo shimmer, while the SMP humbucker mounted under the head captures the drum-like thump of the banjo head itself — blend the two and you can dial in anything from classic country twang to blues grit to jazz warmth. The 25-1/2-inch scale maple neck carries a radiused rosewood fingerboard with 21 frets and snowflake inlays, topped with a 1-11/16-inch ZeroGlide nut that virtually eliminates open-string tuning error. Sealed guitar-style tuners and a straightline tailpiece complete a package finished in a beautiful high-gloss tobacco sunburst with cream ABS binding and chrome hardware. Country, blues, jazz, Americana, or any genre where banjo texture is the missing ingredient — this instrument delivers it in a format left-handed players can pick up and play tonight.

Every ES-Banjitar/L receives a professional factory setup at Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida before it ships — nut slots dressed and seated, action set for comfortable playability across the entire neck, intonation verified, head tension dialed in, pickup height optimized, and every string stretched and tuned. You receive a banjo that is genuinely ready to perform, not one that needs a trip to your local shop before it is playable.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every instrument we sell carries the full manufacturer warranty and is sourced through legitimate channels — you will never receive a grey-market or diverted unit from us. I have spent more than 45 years working with fretted instruments, co-owning Watch & Learn in Atlanta since the 1980s, authoring Banjo Primer (the top-rated beginner banjo method), and co-designing the Gold Tone OB-Standard — so when I say the ES-Banjitar is a serious instrument that deserves serious consideration, that judgment comes from a lifetime of knowing what good banjo design looks and sounds like. We also offer flexible financing so the instrument you need does not have to wait: PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month financing plans are all available at checkout, with no late fees. Questions before you buy? Reach out — we are happy to talk banjos.

Gold Tone ES-Banjitar/L Specifications

Handedness	Left-Handed
Nut Width	1-11/16″ ZeroGlide Nut
Tuners	Sealed Guitar-Style
Neck Material	Maple
Fingerboard	Radiused Rosewood
Frets	21
Inlay	Snowflake
Truss Rod	Two-Way Adjustable
Scale Length	25-1/2″
Head	8″ HC Smooth
Tone Ring	8″ Aluminum
Tension Hoop	Top Tension Style
Bridge	Maple with Ebony Cap
Tailpiece	Straightline
Pickups	Single Coil at Neck; SMP Humbucker Under Head
Binding	Cream ABS
Finish	Tobacco Sunburst / High Gloss
Hardware	Chrome Plated
Tuning	EADGBE (Standard Guitar)
String Gauge	.052w, .042w, .032w, .020w, .013, .010
Weight	8 lbs.
Case	Hard Case Included

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to know how to play banjo to get started on the ES-Banjitar/L?

Not at all — that is precisely what makes this instrument so compelling for guitar players. The ES-Banjitar is tuned to standard EADGBE, so every chord, scale, and technique you already know translates directly. The only thing that changes is the tone: you get the fast, percussive attack of a banjo rather than a guitar. Left-handed players will find this model mirrors the right-handed model exactly, with the nut, tuners, and tailpiece all configured for left-hand playing.

What is the SMP humbucker under the head, and why does it matter?

The SMP (Sound Membrane Pickup) is a transducer mounted beneath the banjo head that captures the vibration of the head itself — essentially microphones the drum component of the banjo body. Blended with the single-coil neck pickup, it gives you a much fuller picture of the instrument’s natural acoustic voice. You can run both pickups simultaneously for a rich, layered banjo-electric hybrid tone, or solo each pickup for very different sonic characters. It is one of the features that separates the ES-Banjitar from a simple guitar with a banjo skin on it.

What kind of amp or effects setup works well with the ES-Banjitar?

The ES-Banjitar responds well to any clean guitar amplifier — a Fender-style combo is a classic pairing because it lets the natural banjo brightness come through without coloring the tone too much. Reverb and light compression complement the instrument beautifully in country and Americana contexts, while a touch of overdrive pushes it convincingly into blues territory. Because banjos have a naturally fast transient response, high-gain distortion can get muddy, so most players find moderate gain settings work best. Standard guitar pedals and amp effects all work exactly as you would expect.

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