Gold Tone GM-70+ Mastertone F-Style Mandolin with Case
$ 1,099.99
The Gold Tone GM-70+ is an all-solid-wood F-style mandolin built to a spec that rivals instruments costing far more — carved solid spruce top, solid maple back and sides, radiused ebony fretboard, gold-plated hardware, and a ZeroGlide nut, all finished in a stunning tobacco sunburst high gloss. It arrives at your door with a professional factory setup from Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida, so it’s truly ready to play the moment you open the case. If you’ve been looking for a serious F-style mandolin without a four-figure price tag that keeps climbing, this is the instrument.
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There’s a point in every mandolin player’s journey where the instrument stops being the ceiling and starts being the floor — where the wood, the setup, and the hardware all get out of the way and let you just play. The Gold Tone GM-70+ is built for that moment. Featuring a carved solid spruce top paired with solid maple back and sides, this F-style mandolin delivers the focused, punchy midrange and clear bell-like treble response that acoustic players dream about. The radiused ebony fretboard with traditional inlays sits under your fingers the way a good fretboard should — smooth, fast, and intuitive — while the adjustable radiused bridge and two-way truss rod mean the instrument can be dialed in perfectly for your playing style and the seasons. Gold-plated hardware, a cast-brass tailpiece, Grover tuning machines, and a bone nut round out a spec sheet that would make a lot of $2,000 mandolins blush. A hard case is included.
The GM-70+ belongs to Gold Tone’s Mastertone-inspired family, and it shows in every detail. The tobacco sunburst high-gloss finish has real depth and warmth — this is an instrument that looks as good on stage as it sounds. The 13-3/4″ scale length and 1-1/8″ ZeroGlide nut width make for a comfortable, accessible feel whether you’re a seasoned flatpicker crossing over from guitar or a dedicated mandolinist stepping up from a laminate starter instrument. The ZeroGlide nut is a particularly thoughtful touch: it essentially eliminates open-string tuning issues caused by nut friction, giving you more stable tuning and cleaner open-chord voicings. An optional LR Baggs pickup installation is also available if you plan to play amplified — just ask us before your order ships. At 2.1 lbs, this mandolin is genuinely comfortable for long practice or performance sessions.
Every instrument receives a professional factory setup at Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida before it ships. They check and adjust the neck relief, set the action at the nut and bridge, verify intonation, and inspect the nut slots and frets so that what arrives at your door is genuinely ready to play at its best. This is not a cursory out-of-the-box check; it’s a real luthier setup, and it makes an audible, playable difference.
Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse
Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every GM-70+ we sell comes with full manufacturer warranty support and is a genuine, factory-fresh instrument. I’ve spent more than 45 years in this industry — as co-owner of Watch & Learn in Atlanta since the 1980s, author of Banjo Primer (still the top-rated beginner banjo method on the market), and co-designer of the OB-Standard with Gold Tone — so when I say the GM-70+ punches well above its price class, I’m saying it from the perspective of someone who has held a lot of mandolins. We’re based in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and we stand behind everything we sell with personal, knowledgeable service. Financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans — all with no late fees — so you can get the instrument you actually want without waiting.
Gold Tone GM-70+ Specifications
| Top | Carved Solid Spruce |
| Back & Sides | Solid Maple |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Radiused Ebony |
| Frets | 18 |
| Inlay | Traditional |
| Nut | 1-1/8″ ZeroGlide Nut |
| Truss Rod | Two-Way Adjustable |
| Scale Length | 13-3/4″ |
| Tuners | Grover F-Style |
| Tuner Buttons | White |
| Hardware Finish | Gold Plated |
| Tailpiece | Cast Brass Mandolin Tailpiece |
| Bridge | Adjustable Radiused Bridge |
| Binding | Cream ABS |
| Body Finish | Tobacco Sunburst, High Gloss |
| Tuning | GDAE |
| String Gauge | .040w, .026w, .016, .011 (Doubled) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs. |
| Case | Included |
| Style | F-Style |
| Handedness | Right-Handed |
| Optional Pickup | LR Baggs (available at extra cost — inquire before ordering) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ZeroGlide nut on the GM-70+, and why does it matter?
A ZeroGlide nut replaces the standard bone or synthetic nut with a design that incorporates tiny rollers at each string slot. This virtually eliminates the string binding and friction that causes tuning instability on most mandolins, especially when you’re bending notes or playing aggressively. The result is better open-chord tuning accuracy and more reliable tuning stability across the whole neck. It’s a meaningful upgrade over what you’ll find on most mandolins at this price point.
Can I get the GM-70+ set up with an LR Baggs pickup installed before it ships?
Yes — Gold Tone offers the LR Baggs pickup installation as an add-on option, and if you’d like it included on your instrument, just reach out to us before placing your order or add a note at checkout. The pickup can be installed so your mandolin arrives performance-ready for amplified playing as well as acoustic.
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