Minstrel, Wizard, Flora and North Star Open-Back models are here!

"Flora" Open-Back

Ome’s new Open-Backs are finally ready to be unveiled! After much research into vintage designs and current trends, and after talking to many players, we have finally arrived at offering a new series of banjos which are “Old-Timey” in their sound and look, while retaining our trademark balanced tone, elegant feel, unique designs, lively response, high-quality craftsmanship and life-long durability.

The first thing we did was to widen the neck just enough to fill the fretting hand better and to increase ease of string work. Then we shortened the neck to bring out more warmth. And we simplified the inlays while adding a flourish in the s-shaped frailing scoop.

"North Star" with Silverspun tone ring

Inspired by the elegant simplicity of Ashborn Banjos, we also decided to replace the two brass rim rods in the 12″ pots with a single adjustable J.Romero-style wooden rod. This really brings out a “woodier” tone while connecting the neck solidly to the rim. To keep the strings nice and even sounding and to cut out some overtones, our leader, Chuck Ogsbury, designed the “Sweetone” tailpiece of heavy gauge solid brass – it’s long enough to just add some pressure to the strings, but not too much. Last but not least, and after many experiments with different methods, we decided to offer these banjos with raw brass which is antiqued in our shop by Chuck himself. (His next career might be a chemist!)

The final touches of these banjos include hand-rubbed stains and oil vanishes; new solid brass Ome ball shoes; wonderful fret-work and set-up done by yours truly Rich Sharples – our master luthier who has been with us since 1989!; hand-made bridges; and our chenille-wrapped banjo strings.

"Wizard" Open-Back - click photo

Here are the specifications:

• Mahogany, Maple or Walnut with Ebony
• Mother-of-Pearl and Abalone inlays
• Hand-rubbed oil varnish finish
• Shorter scale length of 25.5″ as opposed to 26.25″
• Wider string spacing and nut width of 1.34″ as opposed to 1.28″
• Raw brass hardware instead of nickel plated hardware
• Adjustable wooden rod instead of double rim rods
• 11″ and 12″ maple rims
• Sweetone tailpiece – we will start using nickel versions on our other open backs
• S-shaped frailing scoops
• Fretless model available in “Minstrel” and “Tupelo”

**Wooden armrest are additional +$75

Here are the model breakdowns, all with 17 frets and a s-shaped frailing scoop, hard-shell case included:

"Minstrel" Open-Back - click photo

“Minstrel” – scroll peg head; 12″ wood tone rim; dot inlays, 14 brackets – $1895, or $2095 for curly maple and select walnut

“Wizard” – (sister model to Jubilee) standard peg head; 12″ wood tone rim; star and dot inlays; 26 brackets – $1995, or $2195 for curly maple and select walnut

“Flora” – (sister model to Juniper and Celtic) standard peg head; 12″ rolled brass tone ring; flower and dot inlays; 26 brackets – $2325, or $2525 for curly maple and select walnut

“North Star” – (sister banjo to Sweetgrass and Bright Angel) standard peg head; 11″ Silverspun tone ring; fancier inlays; 24 brackets – $2650 (no up-charge for maple/walnut)

** Add $200 for curly maple hand-stained and select woods

Some of our dealers already have these new models or have them on order! They are: Spruce Tree Music, Dusty Strings, Acoustic Music Works, Acoustic Vibes Music, Artichoke Music, Bernunzio Uptown Music, Folkway Music in Guelph, Canada, Mass Street Music, Zepp Country Music, Gryphon Stringed Instruments, Music Emporium, Elderly Instruments, Banjo Netherlands, Matt Umanov Guitars and Denver Folklore Center.

And for more information please email us at info@omebanjos.com or call 303-449-0041!