Gold Tone LG-S Little Gem Banjo Ukulele (Sapphire) with Bag
$ 219.99
The Gold Tone Little Gem is a see-through banjo ukulele that won Best in Show at Summer NAMM 2018 — and it earns that attention every time I pick one up. Built around a clear acrylic rim and resonator in a stunning amethyst purple finish, it delivers a bright, penetrating tone that surprises people coming from a traditional soprano uke. It ships with a gig bag and is professionally set up at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, FL before it ever leaves our hands.
In stock
I’ve handled a lot of novelty instruments over my 45-plus years in the business, and the Gold Tone Little Gem is one of the rare few that backs up its good looks with genuinely good sound. This is the Amethyst model — a deep, translucent purple that looks like something you’d find in a jeweler’s case — built on a clear 8-inch acrylic rim and resonator that lets you see every bit of the instrument’s construction. It won Best in Show at Summer NAMM 2018, and having played it myself I can tell you the judges got it right. The concert-scale (15-inch) maple neck, sealed guitar-style tuners, and bone nut make this a surprisingly playable instrument, not just a pretty one. It tunes to standard GCEA and plays like any well-made concert uke — with that snappy, cutting banjo-uke bark layered on top.
The Little Gem is built for the player who wants something genuinely fun and genuinely musical. Whether you’re a ukulele player curious about the banjo-uke sound, a banjo player looking for something compact to take camping or on the road, or a parent looking for a first instrument that a kid will actually want to pick up, this one delivers. The 8-inch clear head, ebony-capped maple bridge, and rolled brass flat-bar tension hoop all contribute to that crisp, articulate tone. Twelve brackets keep everything in balance, and chrome hardware ties the look together cleanly. At under two and a half pounds, it goes anywhere.
Each instrument receives a professional setup at Gold Tone’s factory in Titusville, Florida before it ships to you.
Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse
Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every instrument we sell is covered by Gold Tone’s manufacturer warranty and backed by our own commitment to getting you the right instrument. I’m Geoff Hohwald — I’ve been in this business since the late 1970s, co-founded Watch & Learn in Atlanta, wrote Banjo Primer (still the top-rated beginner banjo method out there), and co-designed the Gold Tone OB-Standard. I know these instruments, and I stand behind everything we sell. Financing is available at checkout through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans — all with no late fees.
Gold Tone LG-S Little Gem Specifications
| Model | LG-S (Amethyst) |
| Nut Width | 1-3/8″ Bone |
| Tuners | Sealed Guitar-Style |
| Tuner Buttons | Metal |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Maple |
| Frets | 18 |
| Inlay | Dot & Star |
| Scale Length | 15″ Concert |
| Rim | 8″ Acrylic (See-Through) |
| Head | 8″ Clear |
| Tension Hoop | 8″ Rolled Brass Flat Bar |
| Brackets | 12 |
| Bridge | 5/8″ Maple with Ebony Cap |
| Tailpiece | Banjo Uke Style |
| Binding | Black ABS |
| Finish | Purple (Amethyst) |
| Hardware | Chrome Plated |
| Tuning | GCEA |
| String Gauge | .027, .038, .028, .022 |
| Weight | 2.63 lbs. |
| Bag | Included |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Little Gem a good first ukulele or banjo-ukulele for a beginner?
It really is. The concert scale length (15 inches) gives beginners a little more room between frets than a soprano, and the sealed tuners hold pitch reliably. The action comes set up and ready to play out of the box. If you or someone you’re buying for already plays standard ukulele, the transition is immediate — same GCEA tuning, same chord shapes, just with that distinctive banjo-uke snap.
Does the see-through body affect the sound, or is this mostly a visual thing?
The acrylic rim is structural, not just decorative — it functions the same way a traditional wooden rim does, and the 8-inch clear head does the acoustic work you’d expect. The tone is bright and cutting, which is characteristic of banjo ukes generally. The see-through design is genuinely striking in person, but Gold Tone built this to sound good first. The NAMM Best in Show award reflects that it impressed working musicians and industry professionals, not just booth visitors looking for something eye-catching.
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