WL-250

Gold Tone’s most popular openback banjo ever! The White Ladye WL-250 provides a plunky yet punchy tone well-suited for old time and folk music. This model features an accurate replica of the vintage and highly sought after 3-part White Ladye tone ring coupled with a 1/2" rim for maximum air chamber volume. Other features include a maple neck and bound ebony fingerboard with MOP cloud inlays and frailing scoop, double adjusting truss rod, vintage heel design, Fairbanks-style headstock shape, GT Master planetary tuners, 11” Renaissance head, no-knot tailpiece, and dual coordinator rods for a solid neck fit and easy adjustment capabilities.  Final assembly and a complete setup at the Gold Tone Factory in Florida, this is the best openback banjo in its price range.

 Check out the open back review by the Banjo Newsletter!

Dear Wayne, I just wanted to drop you a note thanking you for the fine job you and your folks did on my new banjo. It's absolutely spectacular and I'm thrilled that I get to play an instrument of such beauty. Just seeing the fret spots on the "opposite" side is exciting. As a left-handed banjo player, I had to search far and wide for companies that provide the left-handed option. Some had acceptable quality but prohibitive prices. Others had adequate prices but terrible quality. Gold Tone was the only company that could provide a top-quality instrument for a price that wouldn't bankrupt me. Physically, I firmly believe that the White Ladye is the most beautiful banjo I have ever seen, especially with the gold-plating option. The hardware is magnificent and top quality. It has a versatile tone, sharp enough for picking and soft enough for accompaniment. However, as wonderful as the banjo is, I do see myself getting another one in the near future - a long-necked Gold Tone! Pete Seeger in his "How To Play the Five String Banjo" wrote: If you are left handed, I think nevertheless you'd find it best not to reverse the tuning or playing position; it's almost impossible, considering the peculiar place of the fifth string peg. One person I know had a special left-handed banjo made for him. Well, Pete, let the lefties of the world unite! We can ALL have "special left-handed banjos" made for us by our friends at Gold Tone! Thanks again and you'll hear from me before my birthday in March. - Mike DePaolo, a satisfied customer

Hi Guys, just bought a Maple White Ladye . . . what a wonderful instrument. Improved my playing by leaps & bounds, I'm in the UK, not many interested in clawhammer/frailing over here but I will be passing the message on to all who will listen. - Chris Goodfellow Essex, UK

First off, just a little history on why I am writing you.  Several weeks ago, I had a very bad day, I leaned my favorite banjo against something and walked away from it for only a moment (I do know better ), when I came back, the banjo had fallen and broke the head off. .  Somewhere, sometime, I had heard that Goldtone could and would repair the banjo, so I called your service department up and explained what had happened.  I also told them that it was not a Goldtone banjo.   Let me tell you, within about five minutes, I knew that I had called the right place.  I explained what had happened, and immediately found out that I was talking to a professional that knew exactly what I needed, and he even went and verified that the neck with frailing scoop was on hand .  I boxed up the banjo pot along with everything else and shipped it down to Florida to have the new neck installed. The banjo arrived several hours ago, and after looking it over and tuning it up, I have been playing it non stop.  All I can say is WOW.  The work is perfect.  The neck is beautiful.  The intonation is spot on.  This company has taken what was a good sounding banjo, and made it into a great sounding banjo.  I just cannot put the banjo down. I have heard that Goldtone has more bang for the buck, and you just take what is said with a grain of salt,but I will tell you that I am now a Goldtone fanatic.  You will being getting more of my business in the future, and I will being spreading the word about this fantastic company.   Jon - Jon PA

Hi Wayne,  I received the Goldtone Whyte Layde Which I am going to give my daughter for her birthday.   I know that she will be enthralled.    The banjo is wonderfully made and perfectly set up.  Since I own a musical instrument company myself,  I appreciate fine workmanship and products.   Your company and your people are top rate.   Best regards, Frank Abrams - 5/24/2010 - Frank Abrams