The Sweet Tupelo!

"Tupelo" 12" Open-Back Banjo

In the spirit of offering another high-quality and affordable Old-Timey banjo, we present the “Tupelo”. Like the new “Minstrel” model, this banjo has a 12″ tone-rim (our wood tone ring) fitted with 14 brackets and a single wooden rod in the pot; a slightly shorter and fuller neck with a scale of 25.5″ and nut width of 1.34″; and aged brass including our new tailpiece, the “Sweetone”.

Weighing only 5 pounds, the “Tupelo” makes an earthy, round tone with nice volume, and has wonderful bounce in playability. Any player seeking to blend into an Old-Time jam will be very satisfied with the articulate yet sweet sound of this banjo.

Master Luthier Rich Sharples carefully files frets

With a case the “Tupelo” is priced at $1795 for mahogany; and $1995 for curly maple.

Here’s what Chuck Ogsbury says about this and his new line of “Old-Timey” banjos:

A look at the pot of the "Tupelo"

“…It’s been an interesting journey.  When I first started building banjos in 1960, the rage was an 11″ pot with lots of metal and an extra long neck.  Then Bluegrass came along and we added more metal, pearl, and a resonator. Then Jazz came along and we added even more pearl, lots of carving, metal and inlay engraving, and gold.  In the last few years, the pot has grown to 12″,  the scale shortened to 25.5″, the neck got wider, and we got rid of lots of metal, pearl, flash, and the resonator. We are back to where we started! And we’ve never made banjos so sweet sounding!”

Bernunzio Uptown Music, Denver Folklore Center, Elderly Instruments, Zepp Country Music, Matt Umanov and Spruce Tree Music Guitars are carrying this new model.

For more information please email info@omebanjos.com or call 303-449-0041.