OME Alpha Openback Banjo
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OME Alpha Openback Banjo: 12 Inch Maple Tone Rim, Built to Order in the USA
The OME Alpha is a 5-string openback banjo with a 12 inch maple multi-ply tone rim, a mahogany neck and a scooped rosewood fingerboard, made for clawhammer and old-time players. At $1,695 it is the entry point to OME, the American banjo maker that has been building since 1960. Available from Banjo Warehouse, an OME dealer in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Built to order. OME builds each Alpha after it is ordered, in its shop in Titusville, Florida. When it arrives here, our banjo tech Tara gives it a full professional setup before it ships to you. Call Geoff at (404) 218-8580 for the current build time.
Why the Alpha?
The Alpha keeps to the parts that matter for an old-time sound and leaves out the rest. There is no metal tone ring. The sound comes from the wood of a 12 inch maple rim under a Remo Renaissance head, which is the combination that gives an openback its round, woody plunk. A larger 12 inch pot also gives more low end than the 11 inch pot on most bluegrass banjos.
The Pot
12 inch maple multi-ply tone rim with 14 brackets and a notched brass tension hoop. Remo Renaissance head. No Knot tailpiece. .656 inch walnut bridge with an ebony cap. Wooden rim stick. Mahogany armrest. Thin satin lacquer finish on the rim.
The Neck
Mahogany neck with a rounded heel and a hand-rubbed oil finish. Rosewood fingerboard with dot markers and an S-shaped scoop at the end for clawhammer. 17 nickel frets. Two-way adjustable truss rod. Mini paddle headstock with K&H low-profile planetary tuners and amber buttons. 1 11/32 inch nut, 25 1/2 inch scale.
What's Included
Padded gig bag. Professional setup by our banjo tech Tara. Free shipping anywhere in the United States.
Financing available through PayPal at checkout.
Built to order by OME. $1,695. Call Geoff directly at (404) 218-8580 with any questions.
What does built to order mean?
OME does not build Alphas ahead for stock. Your banjo is built after you order it, then comes to our Yellow Springs shop, where Tara sets it up before it ships to you. Call Geoff for the current build time.
Is the OME Alpha good for clawhammer?
Yes. The scooped fingerboard gives your striking hand room over the end of the neck, and the 12 inch wooden tone rim with a Renaissance head is the classic clawhammer voice. The 25 1/2 inch scale is also comfortable to tune up for old-time keys.
Is the OME Alpha made in the USA?
Yes. OME builds the Alpha in Titusville, Florida. OME was founded in Boulder, Colorado in 1960 and is now part of Gold Tone Music Group.
Contact Banjo Warehouse
For detailed descriptions or to chat about banjos, call Geoff Hohwald at (404) 218-8580. Email us anytime at .
Follow Banjo Warehouse:
- Facebook – Join our community
- YouTube – Watch demos and lessons
- GeoffHohwald.com – Banjo lessons and books
Want to visit? Call Geoff to schedule an appointment at our Yellow Springs, OH location.
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