Gold Tone revive the Bowtie: the OB-2, due out next month (update)

The Gold Tone Music Group announce a new banjo model: the Mastertone™ OB-2 Bowtie (right), a replica of one of the main banjos the Gibson company produced after the second world war.

Marc Horowitz, banjo expert and Gold Tone representative, explains on the OB-2 web page how the development of the 'mystique' of pre-war instruments led to the qualities of the Gibson Bowtie RB-250s being overlooked and undervalued. His experience in rehabilitating original Bowties convinced him that the time was ripe to reintroduce the model.

Full specifications are on the Gold Tone website, together with a demonstration video. Production models of the OB-2 are expected to be available in April and can be pre-ordered now at $1999.99.

Update 18 Apr.: The OB-2 has now been released. See John Lawless's detailed feature on Bluegrass Today.

© Richard Hawkins