Gold Tone OB-250+/L Orange Blossom Left-Handed Banjo with JLS #12 Tone Ring and Case

If you’ve been searching for a left-handed professional bluegrass banjo that genuinely captures the warm, complex voice of a pre-war original without spending vintage-market money, the Gold Tone OB-250+/L deserves your full attention. This is the left-handed version of the OB-250+, and everything that makes the right-handed model special is right here — most notably the JLS #12 bell brass tone ring, developed by master caster Jim Stull of San Antonio, Texas. Jim spent years analyzing pre-WWII tone rings, reverse-engineering the bronze alloy formulas that gave those originals their legendary sustain and clarity. The result is a flat-top, 20-hole, long-skirt ring that improves energy transmission between the rim, neck, and pot in ways that shorter-skirted rings simply can’t match. If you’ve played the OB-250 and wondered what the “+” buys you — this is it.

Beyond the tone ring, the OB-250+/L is built with the kind of materials and hardware that belong on instruments costing considerably more. The curly maple neck wears an ebony fingerboard with the classic hearts-and-flowers inlay pattern, 22 frets, and a 1-3/16″ ZeroGlide nut that keeps the action clean and buzz-free at the low end of the neck. Gotoh planetary tuners hold pitch reliably under hard picking. The 14″ flame maple resonator, one-piece cast flange, and chrome-plated hardware give the instrument a visual elegance that matches its sonic character. The Remo Hydra-Coated head, Presto tailpiece, and Sampson BG bridge complete a pot assembly that’s tuned to respond — whether you’re rolling hard Scruggs style or pushing into melodic territory. Having spent over 45 years around bluegrass banjos, including co-designing the OB-Standard with Gold Tone, I can tell you that what Jim Stull accomplished with the JLS #12 ring is genuinely remarkable. This instrument sounds like it belongs in a much higher price bracket.

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 your OB-250+/L comes with the full manufacturer warranty and the peace of mind of buying through an official channel. I’ve been in this industry since the late 1970s — I co-own Watch & Learn in Atlanta, wrote Banjo Primer (the top-rated beginner banjo method on the market), and co-designed the Gold Tone OB-Standard. When we stock an instrument at Banjo Warehouse, it’s because I believe in it. The OB-250+/L earns its place in our inventory. If you need to spread the cost out, we offer financing through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and longer-term 3, 6, 12, and 24-month plans — all with no late fees. A professional-grade left-handed banjo like this should be accessible, and we work to make it that way.

Gold Tone OB-250+/L Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The JLS #12 was developed by Jim Stull through years of metallurgical analysis of pre-WWII tone rings — the ones that vintage banjo collectors pay enormous sums for. What he found is that the specific bell brass alloy and the long-skirt design of those originals were central to their tone. The long skirt creates more contact surface between the ring, the rim, and the neck heel, which improves energy transfer and produces that warm, complex sustain players associate with pre-war instruments. Most production flathead rings use shorter skirts and different alloy compositions. The JLS #12 is a genuine attempt to replicate what actually made those rings special, and in my experience, it succeeds in ways that most modern rings do not.

Is the left-handed OB-250+/L a true mirror-image instrument, or are there compromises?

The OB-250+/L is a purpose-built left-handed instrument — not a right-handed banjo with the head flipped or the bridge reversed. Gold Tone constructs it from the ground up for left-handed players, which means the neck, nut, coordinator rods, and overall geometry are all oriented correctly for a left-handed playing position. There are no tonal or structural compromises. Left-handed players deserve the same quality and playability as right-handed players, and this instrument delivers exactly that.

Does this banjo come with a case?

Yes, a hard case is included with the OB-250+/L. Given the instrument’s price point and the quality of its components — particularly the JLS #12 tone ring and the flame maple resonator — proper protection during transport is essential, and Gold Tone includes a case as standard with this model.

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