Gold Tone OB-250+ Block/L Orange Blossom Left-Handed Banjo with JLS Tone Ring, Companion Block Rim & Case

This is the left-handed version of the Gold Tone OB-250+ Block Orange Blossom Banjo — and if you play left-handed and want a serious professional instrument without the six-figure price tag of a prewar original, this is one of the most compelling banjos on the market today. At the heart of everything is the JLS #12 bell brass tone ring, hand-cast by master founder Jim Stull of San Antonio, Texas. Stull spent years metallurgically analyzing pre-World War II tone rings to reverse-engineer the exact bronze alloy that gives those instruments their famously complex, singing voice. The result is a long-skirt flat-top ring that improves contact between neck, rim, and ring — maximizing energy transfer across the entire pot — and delivers the warmth, clarity, and sustain of the costly originals at a fraction of their price. Pair that ring with the Made-in-America birch block rim (part of Gold Tone’s Companion Banjo program) and you have a fundamentally more powerful, more resonant foundation than a standard turned rim can provide. The block construction eliminates the tonal dead spots inherent in single-piece rims and gives the pot a density and authority that serious players notice immediately.

The rest of the OB-250+ Block/L is built to match that tone ring. The neck is curly maple, topped with an ebony fingerboard bearing the classic Hearts & Flowers inlay — the same pattern found on the finest vintage instruments — and fitted with a ZeroGlide nut (1-3/16″ width) for dead-accurate open-string intonation. Gotoh planetary tuners hold pitch with the kind of dependability that professional players demand on stage and in the studio. The one-piece cast flange, notched tension hoop, and Prucha Presto tailpiece round out a hardware package that is entirely chrome-plated and elegantly restrained. The 14″ flame maple resonator in Vintage Brown high-gloss finish is visually stunning, and the engraved armrest fits the full range of Gold Tone engraved accessories. Whether you are a seasoned bluegrass picker who has always played left-handed or an advancing player ready to step into professional-tier gear, the OB-250+ Block/L is built for the long haul — the kind of banjo you hand down.

Every OB-250+ Block/L receives a professional setup at the Gold Tone factory in Titusville, Florida before it ships.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every OB-250+ Block/L we sell is a genuine new instrument covered by the full Gold Tone manufacturer warranty — and backed by our own team’s support after the sale. 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. When you have a question about setup, strings, or how this banjo compares to another instrument in its class, you are talking to people who play, teach, and build banjos — not a call center. We offer flexible financing through PayPal Pay in 4 and 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month plans with no late fees, plus Afterpay, so you can bring home the banjo you actually want without compromising.

Gold Tone OB-250+ Block/L Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the JLS #12 tone ring different from a standard bell brass ring?

Jim Stull developed the JLS #12 by spending years analyzing the metallurgical composition of pre-World War II tone rings — the hardware that makes vintage instruments so sought after. The #12 designation refers to his specific alloy formula, which replicates the tin and copper ratios found in original prewar castings. Beyond the alloy itself, the long-skirt design increases the contact surface between the tone ring, the rim, and the neck heel, so more vibrational energy moves through the pot as a coherent system rather than being lost at the joints. The result is a ring that produces the warmth, complexity, and sustain associated with the best vintage banjos — at a price that does not require a second mortgage.

Is this banjo truly ready to play when it arrives, or will I need to take it to a shop?

It is genuinely ready to play. Gold Tone gives each banjo a professional setup at its factory in Titusville, Florida before it ships. You should be able to tune it up and play it at a high level the day it arrives. If anything needs a tweak after shipping, our team is here to walk you through it.

How difficult is it to find left-handed accessories and strings for this banjo?

Strings are completely universal — standard five-string banjo sets work for left-handed players without any modification, since the string gauges are symmetrical around the third string. Accessories like capos and picks are equally interchangeable. The main consideration for left-handed players is the instrument itself and the nut cut, both of which are handled at the factory for this model. Gold Tone builds the OB-250+ Block/L as a purpose-made left-handed instrument — not a converted right-handed one — so the neck geometry, truss rod, and nut slot positions are all correct for left-hand play out of the box.

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