Goldtone Factory

[DavidE]

I stopped in at the Goldtone Factory in Titusville, FL last week. Business is good and Sweetwater is now selling the brand so they’re hopping.

They have a new line of American Made banjos under the brand name OME. They looked seriously nice!

Some pics.

IMG_6234.jpgIMG_6235.jpgIMG_6232.jpgIMG_6233.jpgIMG_6231.jpgIMG_6230.jpg

[Poppa]

Nice!!! However, I keep looking for Gary Larson's caption:

"Welcome to hell, maestro!"

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by DavidE

I stopped in at the Goldtone Factory in Titusville, FL last week...They have a new line of American-made banjos under the brand name OME. They looked seriously nice!

Actually, Gold Tone recently acquired the name; fact is they've been building high-quality banjos since who-knows-when - here's some background:

https://www.omebanjos.com/about/history-part-1/

[Wade Hampton]

Thanks for providing the link, Steve. That was a fascinating read. Chuck Ogsbury, the founder and president of both Ode and Ome banjos, must have either died or retired if Gold Tone has the Ome brand name now. That history of Ome is over twenty years old now.


Wade Hampton Miller

[stevo58]

Chuck retired. He’s not dead yet. There was a discussion on the Hangout.

We’re all curious what will happen with OME banjos now that they will no longer be made in a small shop in Colorado. OME was top of the top.

[rllink]

I've been looking at Gold Tone banjos online. When I get back from vacation I'm thinking pretty seriously about getting a banjo and the Gold Tones have been catching my eye.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Actually, Gold Tone recently acquired the name; fact is they've been building high-quality banjos since who-knows-when - here's some background:

https://www.omebanjos.com/about/history-part-1/

Yes, but most of Goldtone's instruments come from China and are finished and set up in Florida. I think there is maybe one USA Goldtone... Bela Fleck model? I don't remember off the top of my head. These OME banjos are a completely different ball of wax and my impression is that to some extent the brand will be kept separate from Goldtone. Wayne and Robin (the owners) weren't in so I couldn't ask those kinds of questions. I'm friends with several people who work there and have played gigs with the guy in my closeup photo, Scotty. In fact, I played the whole third set with Scotty and my friend Jason last night. LOL

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by stevo58

Chuck retired. He’s not dead yet. There was a discussion on the Hangout.

We’re all curious what will happen with OME banjos now that they will no longer be made in a small shop in Colorado. OME was top of the top.

Wayne (the owner of Goldtone and now OME) is very serious about maintaining the high standards of OME banjos. Goldtone may seem like a big shop, but it's really not at all. Maybe a dozen people total? 6 or 7 working on the instruments? I don't now who is actually making the OME banjos,

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by DavidE

Yes, but most of Goldtone's instruments come from China and are finished and set up in Florida. I think there is maybe one USA Goldtone... Bela Fleck model? I don't remember off the top of my head. These OME banjos are a completely different ball of wax and my impression is that to some extent the brand will be kept separate from Goldtone...

It appears you misread my comments: I know how long Gold Tone has been around (BTW I own an early-2K's OB-250) and that they've always been Pac-Rim instruments (mine's Korean BTW) - it's OME (formerly ODE - click on my link and read the history) that's been around forever; FWIW I've played a few (under both names) over the years, and I agree that they're among the best out there - I'd have a Golden Mogul plectrum in a heartbeat if I could justify the expense...

I suspect it's going to be a Fender/Squire or Gibson/Epiphone arrangement once they get everything squared away: Gold Tone for the beginner/intermediate/semi-pro players - all solidly-built, consistent, reliable high value-per-dollar instruments IME - and OME for the professional market, each with its own distinct corporate identity and point of origin, and I wish them every success...

[Br1ck]

My square neck Gold Tone Beard model resonator was made in China, assembled in US with Beard resonator cone and remains the bang for buck king as far as I'm concerned.