Gold Tone OB-3CJ Carl Jackson Ruby Pearl Signature Mastertone Banjo (Presale)

The Gold Tone OB-3CJ Carl Jackson Ruby Pearl is a signature model Mastertone banjo built around a custom inlay pattern designed by Greg Rich, a mahogany neck and resonator, and gold plated hardware. Banjo Warehouse in Yellow Springs, Ohio is the exclusive source for the first six instruments Gold Tone produces, and every one of the six ships with a head autographed by Carl Jackson.

Why it is called the Ruby Pearl

Carl Jackson named this banjo after his mother. In his own words, announcing the model in July 2026, he said she was precious and sweet, and that this banjo is pretty sweet too. He said he could not be more proud of the name.

That is what the red stone in the peghead is. Set into the center of the pearl inlay, below the flower and above Carl’s signature, is a single ruby. It is a tribute, and it is the one thing on this banjo you will not find on any other Gold Tone.

What makes the OB-3CJ different from other Gold Tone Mastertone banjos

The inlay pattern was drawn for this model by Greg Rich rather than reissuing a prewar Gibson pattern. The fingerboard carries the MASTERTONE block, and the peghead carries the Gold Tone script above Carl’s signature.

Two details that do not show up on a spec sheet. The resonator back carries two concentric double line purfling rings in cream and black, and the tuner buttons are amber rather than the usual white or black. Small things, but they are what you notice when the banjo is in your lap.

Gold Tone was founded in Titusville, Florida in 1993, and their Mastertone banjos are assembled and set up there. The OB-3CJ sits at the top of their Legend Series, alongside the Bill Keith Reissue Top Tension and the Reno-75 Hot Rod Chicken Reissue.

Specifications

Model	Gold Tone OB-3CJ, Carl Jackson Ruby Pearl Signature
Neck	Mahogany
Resonator	14 inch mahogany, angled sidewall
Fingerboard	Ebony, 22 frets
Rim	11 inch, 3 ply Canadian maple
Tone ring	11 inch flathead, 20 hole, bell brass
Flange	One piece cast
Hardware	Gold plated
Tuners	Gotoh planetary, gold plated, amber buttons
Truss rod	Two way adjustable
Head	11 inch Remo coated
Tension hoop	11 inch notched, 24 brackets
Tailpiece	Kershner
Bridge	5/8 Mastertone
Binding	Cream
Coordinator rods	Dual 11 inch
Finish	Gloss vintage brown
Inlay	Custom pattern designed by Greg Rich, exclusive to this model
Peghead	Ruby stone inlay, Carl Jackson signature, MASTERTONE fingerboard block
Scale length	26-1/4 inches
Weight	11 pounds
Case	Deluxe hardshell included
Included with the first six	Head autographed by Carl Jackson

If you need a measurement or a detail that is not listed here, call me at (404) 218-8580 and I will pull it off the Gold Tone spec sheet for you.

Is the OB-3CJ Ruby Pearl available with an archtop tone ring?

Yes. Gold Tone is building the Ruby Pearl with an archtop ring as well, at $3,499.99. The tone ring is the only thing that changes. The neck, the resonator, the inlay, the hardware and the case are identical, so every photograph on this page shows the archtop version just as accurately as the flathead. The ring itself sits inside the pot, under the head, where you would not see it either way.

The flathead is the sound most people picture when they think of bluegrass banjo, with more low end, more thump, and the fuller bottom that Scruggs style playing is built on. The archtop is brighter and more cutting, with a drier, more focused note that speaks quickly and sits above a band rather than underneath it. Reno players and a lot of jazz and older style pickers reach for it. If you are not sure, take the flathead. It is the more common choice for a reason.

One archtop remains out of the six. Call or text me at (404) 218-8580 or send an email and I will take your order directly.

Hear Carl play the Ruby Pearl

Carl introduced the model himself in July 2026 and played it on camera. This is the banjo, not a stand in, and it is the only recording of the Ruby Pearl available anywhere right now.

Video courtesy of Robin and Carl Jackson, published July 31 2026.

The instrument in that video is the prototype. Gold Tone may refine details before the production run, and if any published specification changes I will tell every deposit holder in writing before the instruments ship.

Who is Carl Jackson?

Carl Jackson was born in Louisville, Mississippi in 1953 and was playing banjo in his father’s band as a boy. At fourteen he was asked to join Jim and Jesse McReynolds’ Virginia Boys, which put him on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry while he was still a teenager.

He then spent twelve years in Glen Campbell’s band, where Campbell introduced him night after night as the greatest banjo player in the world. He recorded for Capitol, Sugar Hill, and Columbia along the way, including his Earl Scruggs tribute record Banjo Man.

Jackson went on to win a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album in 1992 for Spring Training, made with John Starling and the Nash Ramblers, and built a second career in Nashville as a songwriter and producer. He produced Glen Campbell’s final studio album, Adiós, in 2017. His harmony singing turns up on records by Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, and Garth Brooks.

A signature model is a real endorsement from a player at that level, not a marketing arrangement. That is what the Ruby Pearl represents.

Setup before it leaves the shop

Every banjo we sell gets set up here before it ships, and this one is no exception. Our banjo tech Tara is Huber factory trained, and she will go through your OB-3CJ Ruby Pearl before it goes in the case: head tension, bridge placement and fit, action at the nut and the twelfth fret, truss rod, tailpiece angle, and a fresh set of strings. A banjo that arrives playing correctly is worth more to you than one that arrives in a box exactly as the factory sealed it.

If you want the action set to a particular height, capo spikes installed, or anything else specified, tell me when you order and Tara will build it into the setup at no charge.

Payment options

PayPal Pay in 4 is available on this order. Afterpay is also available, either as four interest free installments or as a 3, 6, 12, or 24 month plan, with no late fees. Both are selectable at checkout.

Questions before you order

Call me at (404) 218-8580 or send an email. I would rather talk through an instrument at this level with you than have you guess. I have been playing and selling banjos since 1963, and I am happy to tell you if I think this is the wrong banjo for what you are trying to do.

Join the Banjo Warehouse email list for a free banjo lesson every Monday, plus first notice when instruments like this one come available.

Browsing other options? See our full lineup of Gold Tone banjos.

How do I reserve an OB-3CJ Ruby Pearl?

Payment in full reserves your instrument and your place in the run of six. The Gold Tone OB-3CJ Carl Jackson Ruby Pearl is not yet in production. Gold Tone has committed the first six instruments off the line to Banjo Warehouse in writing, and this page is where those six are being reserved.

Two are already spoken for. Three flatheads and one archtop remain. When they are gone this page comes down.

When will my banjo ship?

Estimated delivery is January through March 2027. That window comes from Gold Tone. If it moves, I will email you directly rather than making you check back here.

Can I cancel and get my money back?

Yes. Your payment is fully refundable at any time before your banjo ships, for any reason and with no restocking fee. You are not locked in by placing an order today.

What does the autographed head mean?

Each of the six instruments comes with a banjo head signed by Carl Jackson. Only the first six carry one. Later production runs of the OB-3CJ will not.