Gold Tone F-6 F-Style Mando-Guitar with Pickup and Case

If you have ever wished your guitar had the snap and presence of a mandolin — or wished your mandolin could handle full guitar chords — the Gold Tone F-6 is exactly the instrument you have been looking for. Built on a larger F-style “Artist” mandola-type body with a solid spruce top and maple back and sides, the F-6 delivers noticeably more volume and low-end warmth than earlier short-scale manditar designs. Gold Tone stretched the scale out to a very playable 15 inches, which means your left hand actually has room to move, barre chords near the nut are completely achievable, and the string tension feels natural rather than rubbery. This is the instrument that players reach for when they want something genuinely unique at a jam, on a recording, or on stage — tuned to standard EADGBE so every guitar lick, chord voicing, and song you already know transfers instantly.

The construction details on the F-6 are thoughtful from top to bottom. The 1-3/4″ ZeroGlide nut is one of the best things Gold Tone could have put on this instrument — it eliminates the open-string tuning problems that plague so many short-scale instruments and allows the action to be set as low as possible without buzz. The radiused rosewood fingerboard with 21 frets and dot inlays feels comfortable in hand, and the two-way adjustable truss rod means the neck can be dialed in precisely for any climate or string preference. A bridge-mounted transducer pickup is built right into the adjustable ebony bridge, so plugging into an acoustic amp, a PA, or a DI box is effortless — no drilling, no aftermarket installation. Chrome hardware, cream ABS binding, and a tobacco sunburst satin finish give the F-6 a classic look that would be right at home alongside any vintage mandolin family instrument. At just 2.4 pounds, it is remarkably light and easy to play for extended sessions.

Every F-6 receives a complete professional factory setup at Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida before it ships. This includes checking and adjusting the neck relief, setting the nut slots, dialing in the action at the bridge, and inspecting the frets and electronics — so when it arrives at your door, it is ready to play, not just ready to unbox.

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 comes through an official distribution channel. I have spent more than 45 years in the fretted instrument world — as co-owner of Watch & Learn in Atlanta, as the author of Banjo Primer (the top-rated beginner banjo method), and as the co-designer of the OB-Standard with Gold Tone — so when I stock an instrument, I stock it because I believe in it. The F-6 earns its place on our shelves. We also make it easy to bring one home without breaking the budget: financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month installment plans, all with no late fees. Have a question before you order? Reach out — we are real players and we are happy to talk through whether the F-6 is the right fit for you.

Gold Tone F-6 Specifications

Body Style	F-Style (Artist / F-Style Mandola body)
Top	Solid Spruce
Back & Sides	Maple
Neck Material	Maple
Fingerboard	Radiused Rosewood
Frets	21
Inlay	Dot
Scale Length	15″
Nut Width	1-3/4″ ZeroGlide Nut
Truss Rod	Two-Way Adjustable
Bridge	Adjustable (Ebony with built-in transducer)
Tailpiece	Trapeze
Tuners	Open Gear Guitar-Style
Tuner Buttons	Metal
Pickup	Bridge-Mounted Transducer
Hardware	Chrome Plated
Binding	Cream ABS
Finish	Tobacco Sunburst / Satin
Tuning	EADGBE (Standard Guitar)
String Gauge	.042w, .032w, .024w, .018, .012, .008
Weight	2.4 lbs.
Case	Included Hard Foam Case

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a guitar player pick up the F-6 without learning new chord shapes?

Yes — that is one of the best things about the F-6. It is tuned to standard EADGBE, exactly like a guitar, so every chord, scale, and song you already know works immediately. The shorter 15″ scale and lighter string gauges make it feel a bit different under your fingers, but there is no relearning involved. Many players find that familiar material actually sounds fresh and new on the F-6 because of its distinctive mandolin-family voice.

What kind of amplification works best with the built-in pickup?

The bridge-mounted transducer on the F-6 is an acoustic-style pickup, so it responds best through an acoustic instrument amplifier or a PA system with a good preamp. It will work through a standard electric guitar amp in a pinch, but you will get a more natural, balanced tone with an acoustic-friendly signal chain. A simple DI box going straight to a PA also sounds excellent and is probably the most common live setup for this instrument.

Is the F-6 suitable for a beginner, or is it more of a specialty instrument for experienced players?

It works well for both. An experienced guitarist will immediately feel at home and appreciate the unique sonic character. But because the tuning is standard guitar and the ZeroGlide nut keeps the action low and comfortable, a motivated beginner who wants something a little out of the ordinary can absolutely start on the F-6. The lighter weight and shorter scale can actually make some techniques easier to develop early on.

---

Want to know when new banjos arrive? Join our email list: Sign up here.

---

Videos