What's New at OME Banjos



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New Ome Products Now Available
Banjo hardware
  • Aged Brass or Nickel Hardware is now available on most OME models at no extra cost.
  • The new "Sweetone" Tailpiece is precision machined from solid brass, is offered in Aged brass or Nickel finish and comes complete with attachment screws and ball lug. List price: $30.
  • The new OME Exotic Wood Armrests are precision-machined to fit either an 11" 24-bracket or a 12" 26-bracket pot. Both are offered in several exotic hardwoods. More pictures coming soon.

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Ome 50th
Models shown, L to R: Celtic Star, Southern Cross, Sundance & Trilogy

OME 50th Year Flatheads

  • Available in Vintage, Professional & Custom Series
  • Mahogany, Curly Maple, or Walnut Woods
  • Megatone or Holy Grail Flathead Tone Ring
  • Polished Lacquer or Tung Oil Speed Finish
  • Nickel, Chrome or Gold OME Hardware
  • Harp, Sweetone or Presto Tailpiece
  • Optional Rosewood or Radius Fingerboard
  • Hard-shell, Plush-lined Case
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

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Ome 50th Year Open-Backs
Models shown, L to R: Southern Cross, Trilogy, Celtic Star, Sundance & Woodsong

OME 50th Year Open-Backs

  • Available in Vintage, Professional & Custom Series
  • Mahogany, Curly Maple, Walnut, or Cherry Woods
  • 11" or 12" Minstrel, Old-time, or Silverspun Pot
  • Nickel, Chrome or Gold OME Hardware
  • No-knot, Harp, or Sweetone Tailpiece
  • Polished Lacquer or Tung Oil Speed Finish
  • Optional Radius Fingerboard
  • Hard-shell, Plush-lined Case
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

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Ome Banjos Launches "OTIS" Banjo

Otis Taylor

We are hand-crafting a limited number of "OTIS" banjos for Ome's roots Bluesman, Otis Taylor. This 5-string open-back banjo gives a warm, woody tone, similar to the banjos made and played by African Americans who originally brought this instrument to the Americas. The "OTIS" features a 12" wooden pot construction which is ideal for alternative 5-string banjo styles requiring earthy, percussive sounds. The "OTIS" is made of maple with hand-rubbed satin finish and is priced at $2225 with a hard-shell case. It is currently on order with Elderly Instruments and Denver Folklore Center.

Otis & Tanya Otis with the Ome crew
Otis inspects Ome's workmanship with Tanya Otis with Ome Banjos crew:
(L to R) Gustavo, Tanya, Rich and Chuck


OME Guitar Banjos

          The Guitar banjo reached its greatest popularity in the 1920's as a Jazz and Ragtime instrument. It is usually tuned in standard Guitar tuning, EBGDAE, and is readily played by most guitarists.
          The new OME Guitar Banjo features our larger 12" diameter pot combined with the OME wood, rolled brass or Silverspun brass and steel tone ring. The larger 12" body size produces more bass and depth than the normal 11" diameter pots, and greatly increases the performance and desireablility of this style of banjo. This new OME also features an radiused fingerboard for extra ease of playing.
          As of 2009 our Guitar Banjo is offered in the Juniper 12" model - mahogany and ebony with oil finish, $2,915; and the Sweetgrass 12" model - amber maple and ebony with high-gloss finish, $3,740. These prices include a hard-shell, plush-lined case. The guitar banjo is an excellent instrument for Ragtime, Blues and Irish music, as well and other guitar playing styles. Both Rev. Gary Davis and Johnny St. Cyr played our early Ode guitar banjos.

OME Tenor/Plectrum Banjos

          This versatile instrument was first made in the late 1920's by the Gibson Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Its original production was quite limited, perhaps due to its late entry into the Jazz era. It can be played in either Tenor Ocatve Mandolin Plectrum, or Guitar tuning.
          The OME Tenor/Plectrum has a 23-3/8" scale with a full 22 frets. The bridge of this banjo is placed closer to the center of the drum head than is normal and produces a very sweet, round, and deep tone.
          List prices start at $3,790 for the open-back style and $4,445 for resonator styles, and include a hard-shell plush-lined case.

OME Banjos, © 2010