Gold Tone OT-800LN Left-Handed Old Time Tubaphone-Style Banjo with Case

I want to be straightforward with you: this is the left-handed version of the Gold Tone OT-800LN, and if you’re a lefty clawhammer or old-time player who has been searching for a serious instrument built to authentic pre-war specs, this banjo deserves your full attention. The OT-800LN pays direct homage to the Boston School of banjo making — that golden period between roughly 1890 and 1930 when American banjo craft was at its absolute peak. The centerpiece is a pre-WWII-style Tubaphone tone ring: a square-section tube mated to a solid brass rod and encased in a turned brass sleeve. That construction is responsible for the warm, complex, slightly woody overtones that old-time players crave, and it’s a design that has been nearly impossible to find in a production instrument at any reasonable price. It sits on an 11-inch three-ply maple rim, and the authentic bracket-band carries the 24 shoes without drilling holes in the rim — a detail that matters enormously for sustain and projection.

The neck is maple with a bound ebony fretboard, old-time-style inlays, and — this is the detail that separates an old-time banjo from a crossover instrument — a scoop at the pot end of the fretboard for the hardcore clawhammer player. If you play in the fretless tradition or love to dig into the upper register with your fretting hand, that scoop is not a cosmetic feature; it’s functional. The ZeroGlide nut keeps open strings in tune with the same intonation as fretted notes, the GT Master Planetary tuners hold pitch with authority, and the No Knot tailpiece gives you the clean, direct string break angle that old-time tone requires. A Remo Renaissance head and a maple-with-ebony-cap bridge complete a package that is thoughtfully spec’d from headstock to tailpiece. The vintage brown high-gloss finish and chrome hardware look exactly as dignified as they should.

Every instrument receives a professional factory setup at Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida before it ships — action adjusted at the nut and bridge, coordinator rods dialed in, intonation checked, and every string seated properly. The OT-800LN plays like a much more expensive instrument right out of the case. The deluxe arched-top hard case is included.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means your OT-800LN comes with full manufacturer warranty support and you’re buying a genuine instrument, not a gray-market import. I’ve been working in the banjo world for over 45 years — I co-own Watch & Learn in Atlanta, wrote Banjo Primer (still the top-rated beginner banjo method on the market), and co-designed the OB-Standard with Gold Tone — so when I say this instrument is worth your serious consideration, I’m speaking from decades of handling instruments at every price point. We carry the OT-800LN because it delivers on its promise. Financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans with no late fees, so you can get the right instrument now without waiting.

Gold Tone OT-800LN Specifications

Handedness	Left-Handed
Nut Width	1-3/16″ ZeroGlide Nut
Tuners	GT Master Planetary
Headstock Buttons	C-Style
Neck Material	Maple
Truss Rod	Two-Way Adjustable
Fingerboard	Ebony with Scoop
Frets	18
Inlay	Old Time Style
Scale Length	26-3/16″
Tone Ring	11″ 32-Hole Tubaphone-Style
Rim	11″ 3-Ply Maple Tubaphone-Style with Bracket Band
Coordinator Rods	Dual 11″
Head	11″ Remo HC Renaissance
Tension Hoop	11″ Notched
Brackets	24
Bridge	Maple with Ebony Cap
Tailpiece	No Knot
Armrest	Vintage-Style
Binding	White ABS
Hardware Finish	Chrome Plated
Body Finish	Vintage Brown / High Gloss
String Gauges	.010, .024w, .015, .012, .010
Tuning	GDGBD
Weight	8 lbs.
Case	Deluxe Arched-Top Hard Case Included

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Tubaphone-style tone ring different from a standard flathead or archtop ring?

The Tubaphone design — a hollow square-section tube paired with a solid brass rod inside a turned brass sleeve — produces a tone that is warmer and more complex than a flathead ring, with a characteristic woody resonance and pleasing upper overtones that sit beautifully in old-time music. It’s one of the reasons the original Tubaphone banjos from the 1890–1930 era are so sought after by collectors and players. The OT-800LN brings that voicing into a modern, playable instrument without the fragility or cost of a pre-war original.

Is the neck scoop standard on this model, and how does it affect playing?

Yes, the neck scoop is a standard feature of the OT-800LN and is specifically designed for clawhammer and old-time players. The scoop is a gentle relief carved into the ebony fretboard near the pot end, which allows your fretting hand more freedom of movement in the upper register — particularly useful for drop-thumb techniques and passages that move between fretted notes and open-string drone patterns. If you’re coming from a bluegrass banjo background, you may not use it at first, but dedicated old-time players often consider it essential.

Does this left-handed model have full warranty support?

Absolutely. Because Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, your left-handed OT-800LN carries the full Gold Tone manufacturer warranty just like any right-handed model. Gold Tone builds their left-handed instruments to the same standards as right-handed ones — this is not a modification or a special-order conversion. You’re getting a factory left-handed banjo with complete warranty coverage.

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