Gold Tone OB-250+TP Mastertone Orange Blossom Banjo with JLS #12 Tone Ring & Companion Block Rim
Original price was: $ 2,499.99.$ 1,999.99Current price is: $ 1,999.99.
The ultimate combination of vintage tone and modern craftsmanship. This OB-250+TP features the legendary JLS #12 long-skirt tone ring – the result of years spent analyzing pre-WWII tone rings to recreate that coveted bronze alloy formula. Paired with the phenomenal Made in America Companion Banjo birch block rim, you get explosive power, clarity, and sustain that rivals banjos costing three times as much. Hearts and flowers inlays, engraved flange, and sunburst resonator complete this stunning professional instrument. Includes hard shell case and expert setup.
In stock
The Tone Ring That Changed Everything
I’ve been setting up banjos for over 50 years, and I can tell you without hesitation: tone rings matter. They matter more than most players realize. And the JLS #12 tone ring in this OB-250+TP is something truly special.
The JLS #12 Story
Master caster Jim Stull of San Antonio, Texas spent years – literally years – analyzing dozens of pre-WWII Gibson Mastertone tone rings. He wasn’t just looking at dimensions or weight. He was trying to crack the code of the bronze alloy formula that made those old rings so sought-after, so expensive, and so legendary for their tone.
The result is the JLS #12: a long-skirt bronze tone ring that delivers the bell-like clarity, powerful projection, and complex overtones of those vintage rings – at a tiny fraction of the cost.
This isn’t an approximation or a “close enough” copy. This is the real deal, cast using the same bronze alloy formula that made pre-war Gibsons the holy grail of bluegrass banjos.
The “Plus” Makes All the Difference
The standard OB-250 is already an excellent banjo. But the OB-250+TP takes it to another level entirely. That “plus” designation means two critical upgrades:
1. JLS #12 Tone Ring
Instead of a standard cast bronze ring, you’re getting Jim Stull’s masterpiece. The long-skirt design improves contact between the neck, rim, and tone ring, which means better energy transfer and more efficient vibration transmission.
Translation? More volume, better sustain, improved clarity across all registers.
2. Companion Banjo Birch Block Rim
This is a Made in America, multi-ply birch block rim built by Companion Banjo. If you know block rims, you know Companion makes some of the finest available. The birch construction delivers a bright, powerful attack with exceptional clarity and note separation.
It’s denser and more resonant than standard three-ply rims, which translates directly into better tone.
Together, these two upgrades create a synergy that’s greater than the sum of their parts. The JLS ring brings vintage warmth and complexity. The Companion rim brings modern power and clarity. The combination is simply phenomenal.
Orange Blossom Heritage
Gold Tone’s Orange Blossom series pays homage to the classic Mastertone design – the banjo that defined bluegrass tone. The OB-250+TP captures that heritage while incorporating modern improvements and materials.
Complete Specifications
Pot Assembly
- Tone Ring: JLS #12 long-skirt bronze (Jim Stull formula)
- Rim: Companion Banjo birch block rim (Made in USA)
- Head: Renaissance banjo head (premium clarity)
- Flange: One-piece cast with ornate engraving
- Tension Hoop: Notched bronze
- Coordinator Rods: Dual rods for structural integrity
- Brackets: 24 hooks with brass shoes
Resonator
- Wood: Figured maple
- Finish: Vintage sunburst with gloss lacquer
- Binding: Multiple-ply cream and black
Neck
- Material: Three-piece rock maple
- Profile: Comfortable “V” shape
- Scale Length: 26-1/4″
- Nut Width: 1-1/4″
- Fingerboard: Bound rosewood
- Frets: 22 (nickel silver)
- Inlays: Hearts and flowers (mother of pearl)
- Truss Rod: Two-way adjustable
Headstock
- Overlay: Rosewood with ornate fleur-de-lis inlay
- Tuners: Planetary gear tuning machines
- Logo: Gold Tone pearl inlay
Hardware
- Tailpiece: Presto-style (nickel-plated)
- Bridge: 5/8″ maple compensated
- Armrest: Engraved single-piece with leather pad
- Finish: Gloss lacquer
The JLS #12 Deep Dive
Let me tell you more about this tone ring, because it’s worth understanding what you’re getting.
Jim Stull didn’t just measure old Gibson rings and try to copy the dimensions. He went deeper. He tracked down pre-war Mastertone tone rings – some of the most valuable pieces of banjo hardware in existence – and had them metallurgically analyzed to determine the exact bronze alloy composition.
Why does this matter? Because the alloy formula affects everything: density, resonance, harmonic complexity, even how the ring responds to temperature and humidity changes. Small variations in copper, tin, and trace elements create huge differences in tone.
The long-skirt design of the JLS #12 increases the contact surface between the tone ring and rim, allowing more efficient energy transfer from the strings through the entire instrument. More contact = more vibration = more volume and sustain.
Ready to Experience the JLS #12 Difference?
This OB-250+TP represents 50+ years of banjo expertise combined with Jim Stull’s legendary tone ring craftsmanship and Companion Banjo’s premium rim construction.
Call us today: 404-218-8580
Email: [email protected]
Contact Banjo Warehouse | Expert Banjo Sales & Lessons
For detailed descriptions or to chat about banjos, call Geoff Hohwald at 404-218-8580 — your go-to expert for vintage and new banjos.
Email us anytime at [email protected].
Follow Banjo Warehouse on social media and marketplaces:
-
Facebook – Join our community and get updates
-
Reverb – Shop our latest banjo listings
-
eBay – Find rare and vintage instruments
-
YouTube – Watch demos, reviews, and lessons
Want to visit? Call Geoff to schedule an appointment at our Atlanta, GA, or Yellow Springs, OH locations (serving Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, and beyond). Serious inquiries only, please.
Banjo Lessons & Instruction
Geoff Hohwald, author of the bestselling The Banjo Primer, offers in-person and virtual banjo lessons for all skill levels. Explore his full catalog of instructional banjo books and digital modules.
Call today to book your session and start mastering the 5-string banjo with a top instructor.
About Banjo Warehouse
Banjo Warehouse is a family-owned business backed by over 50 years of musical experience and 40 years of instrument retail and education expertise. We specialize in 5-string flathead banjos, with occasional selections of guitars, mandolins, and other folk instruments.
Founder Geoff Hohwald has been an active member of the bluegrass and acoustic music community since the 1960s. A professional banjo and guitar player, Geoff co-founded Watch and Learn Publishing and has owned multiple music stores in Atlanta. Today, Banjo Warehouse is your trusted source for vintage and new banjos, expert advice, and quality instruments.
Related products
The Gold Tone “Bluegrass Heart” Béla Fleck Signature Banjo is now a reality. Now YOU can play a professional-grade banjo that will provide the closest thing yet to the feel and the tone of Béla’s pre-war masterpiece.
Professional-grade Recording King RK-ELITE 75 with vintage Mastertone styling, Flying Eagle inlays, mahogany construction, and included hardshell case. This mint condition banjo delivers authentic 1930s tone at an unbeatable price.
Based on a custom design by noted luthier Andy Perkins of Andybanjo.com from Faversham, UK, the IT-250F is THE banjo for the Irish tenor banjoist that wants to be heard!
"Pre-war" style, at a price anyone can afford, AND authentic tone and superb playability describe the OB-150. This Bluegrass banjo sports a three-ply maple rim and one-piece flange (just like the megabucks originals), a maple neck inlayed in authentic style, an upgraded JLS tone ring, and a smooth satin finish. The OB-150 is professionally set up in our Florida shop and comes with TRANSFERRABLE lifetime warranty.
The four members of the Gold Tone banjo-ukulele choir (soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone) all utilize the same eight-inch maple-rimmed pot assembly and differ only in the scale lengths of their necks. All models feature Remo Weather King heads, maple necks with bound fingerboards, geared guitar-style tuners, and plate-style resonators.
New Gold Tone CEB5 5 string Cello Banjo GORGEOUS with Gold Tone Archtop Hardshell Case
The CC-Banjitar was our first banjo guitar and its popularity remains strong due its unsurpassed combination of great build quality, valued features and low price.