Gold Tone PS-250 Plectrum Special Banjo with Case

If you have ever listened to recordings from the golden age of jazz and wondered what it would feel like to hold one of those magnificent 4-string plectrum banjos, the Gold Tone PS-250 Plectrum Special is about as close as you can get without paying vintage collector prices. I have been playing and selling banjos for more than four decades, and I can tell you that a well-built plectrum banjo with a proper bell brass tone ring is something genuinely special. The PS-250 delivers that big, authoritative voice — the kind that cuts through a horn section without breaking a sweat — while remaining comfortable enough for extended chord-melody sessions. Whether you tune to the traditional CGBD plectrum tuning or prefer the DGBE Chicago tuning that puts you right at home with your guitar chord vocabulary, this instrument handles both beautifully. It is the right choice for jazz enthusiasts, dixieland players, chord-melody explorers, and any guitarist who wants to step into the plectrum tradition without hunting the vintage market.

The engineering behind the PS-250 is what really sets it apart in its price range. Gold Tone built this instrument around an 11-inch bell brass flat-top tone ring — the same tonal philosophy that drove the best banjos of the pre-war era — paired with a one-piece flange that keeps the pot assembly rigid and resonant. The 14-inch mahogany resonator projects that tone outward with authority, and the three-ply maple rim underneath gives it a solid, focused foundation. The maple neck carries a rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets and elegant Hearts and Flowers inlay work that is a genuine nod to the aesthetic of the period. Gold Tone’s ZeroGlide nut at 1-3/16 inches keeps the action honest at the first position, and the GT Master Planetary tuners hold pitch reliably through long playing sessions. Dual 11-inch coordinator rods and a two-way adjustable truss rod mean this neck can be dialed in precisely and stay there. The chrome hardware, notched tension hoop, and Vintage Brown high-gloss finish round out a package that looks as serious as it sounds.

Every PS-250 receives a professional factory setup at Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida before it ships. The setup includes inspecting the neck angle, adjusting the coordinator rods, leveling and polishing the frets where needed, setting the bridge position and height for optimal intonation, and bringing the action down to a comfortable, low playing height across all 22 frets. A plectrum banjo demands accurate intonation across a wide range of chord positions, and the PS-250 is dialed in before it ships. You receive an instrument that is genuinely ready to play the moment it comes out of the HD16 hard case.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every PS-250 we sell comes with the full manufacturer warranty and the assurance that you are buying a genuine, current-production instrument — not a grey-market or diverted unit. I have been in this industry since the late 1970s, back when I was Deering Banjo’s number-one dealer, and I spent decades co-owning Watch & Learn in Atlanta and writing Banjo Primer, which has helped more beginners get started on banjo than just about any other method book out there. I co-designed the OB-Standard with Gold Tone, so I have a hands-on relationship with how these instruments are built and what makes them perform. When you buy from us, you are buying from people who actually play and understand what you are getting. We also make it easy to bring this instrument home on your schedule: financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and longer-term 3, 6, 12, and 24-month plans with no late fees. Questions before you buy? Reach out — we are happy to talk banjo.

Gold Tone PS-250 Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a plectrum banjo and a tenor banjo, and is the PS-250 right for me?

A plectrum banjo has four strings and is played with a flatpick, just like a tenor banjo, but it has a longer scale length — 26-3/16 inches on the PS-250 — and is tuned CGBD (or DGBE in Chicago tuning) rather than the tenor’s CGDA fifths tuning. That longer scale and those tunings make the plectrum banjo feel much more natural for guitarists, since DGBE matches the top four strings of a standard guitar exactly. If you play guitar and want to explore jazz chord-melody or dixieland rhythm playing, the PS-250 is an excellent entry point. Dedicated tenor players who prefer fifths tuning would want to look at Gold Tone’s tenor models instead.

Does the PS-250 come with a case, and what kind of setup work has been done before it ships?

Yes — the PS-250 ships with the Gold Tone HD16 hard case, which provides solid protection for travel and storage. Every instrument receives a professional factory setup at Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida before it ships. That includes checking and adjusting the neck angle, setting the bridge for proper intonation across all 22 frets, optimizing the action for comfortable low playability, and verifying that the head tension is balanced. The goal is that you open the case, tune up, and the banjo plays beautifully from the very first chord.

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