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

Imagine a guitar that got a little too cozy in the dryer and came out with the soul of a mandolin — that’s the Gold Tone F-6+. Tuned to standard EADGBE, this F-style mando-guitar lets you play every chord and lick you already know on guitar, but on a compact, lightweight instrument with rich, focused midrange character and surprising resonance. Gold Tone built the F-6+ on their larger “Artist” F-style mandola body, expanding the resonant air chamber for noticeably more volume, a fuller low-end response, and that warm, woody timbre that makes this instrument genuinely musical rather than just a novelty. At only 2.4 lbs., it’s also one of the most comfortable strapped instruments we carry.

The extended 15″ scale is a meaningful upgrade over earlier Gold Tone manditar designs — there’s real hand room here, and barre chords near the nut are not only possible, they’re practical. The 1-3/4″ ZeroGlide nut keeps tuning rock-solid and action as low as the string tension will allow, solving the chronic intonation and playability issues that have plagued short-scale guitar-tuned instruments for decades. The radiused rosewood fingerboard with 21 frets feels comfortable through the full range. The solid spruce top adds projection and tonal complexity, while the maple back and sides contribute clarity and sustain. Hardware is chrome throughout, with open-gear guitar-style tuners and a trapeze tailpiece anchoring the strings. The adjustable ebony-toned bridge houses a bridge-mounted transducer pickup, so whether you’re playing acoustic in the living room or plugging into an amp or PA on stage, the F-6+ is ready. A tobacco sunburst satin finish rounds out the look — understated, classy, and distinctly Gold Tone.

This instrument ships factory-fresh direct from Gold Tone, where every F-6+ receives a professional setup at their Titusville, Florida shop before it leaves — so it’s ready to play the moment you open the case. As an authorized Gold Tone dealer, we back every sale with the full manufacturer warranty. Our team is here before and after your purchase for setup questions, string recommendations, pickup pairing advice, or anything else that comes up. A hard foam case is included with every F-6+.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every F-6+ we sell is a genuine new instrument backed by the full Gold Tone manufacturer warranty — not a gray-market unit, not a display model. The shop is run by Geoff Hohwald, author of the Banjo Primer and co-designer of the Gold Tone OB-Standard, with over 45 years in the banjo world. That depth of experience means our team can offer real guidance — on setup, accessories, playing style, and which instrument actually fits your needs — not just a transaction. We’re happy to answer questions before you buy and stay available after. Financing is available at checkout through PayPal Pay in 4 and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans with no late fees, plus Afterpay, making it easy to bring home the instrument you actually want.

Gold Tone F-6+ Specifications

Body Style	F-Style Mando-Guitar (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
Tuners	Open Gear Guitar-Style
Tuner Buttons	Metal
Bridge	Adjustable Bridge
Tailpiece	Trapeze
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
Setup	Professional setup by Gold Tone in Titusville, FL

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use standard guitar strings and chord shapes on the F-6+?

Yes — the F-6+ is tuned standard EADGBE, so every chord shape, scale, and lick you already know on guitar translates directly. Gold Tone ships it with a custom light-gauge set (.008–.042w) balanced for the 15″ scale, and you can experiment with similar guitar string sets designed for short-scale or parlor guitars. The ZeroGlide nut and two-way adjustable truss rod make it easy to dial in the action and relief you prefer.

Is the built-in pickup adequate for live performance, or should I add a separate pickup?

The bridge-mounted transducer does a solid job for acoustic amplification — it captures the instrument’s natural resonance and feeds well into a DI box, acoustic amp, or PA. For most stage and studio applications it performs reliably. If you find yourself wanting more tonal shaping, running it through a good preamp or acoustic DI with EQ controls (such as a Fishman or L.R. Baggs unit) is a straightforward upgrade that won’t require any modification to the instrument. Our team is happy to talk through options based on your specific setup.

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