If you teach banjo to kids or have a child that REALLY wants to get serious about the five-string banjo, you are faced with a problem. Your eight- or ten-year-old is crazy talented, but playing a banjo that's bigger than he or she is can be a hurdle that's very hard to manage. You've perhaps gone the route of the "bargain" banjo; it's still full-sized, and maybe it didn't play or sound that terrific, either. If you want to encourage a little picker, the Gold Tone BG-Mini is the only way to go.

The Mini is a for-real, actual Bluegrass banjo that's been scaled down in size to provide pint-sized pickers with a professional-grade banjo. Its design echoes that of Gold Tone's BG-150F and features an eight-inch diameter head sitting on a rolled-brass rod tone ring, a two-way adjustable truss rod, bone nut, planetary tuners, geared fifth-string peg, and a complete pro setup in Gold Tone's Florida shop. The BG-Mini is tuned to open C (like the fifth fret of a standard banjo). This is NOT a novelty banjo; it's the real deal, and adult players can use it as the ultimate travel banjo! Available as a left-handed model.

Features: 

• Folkternative Design.
• Planetary Tuners.
• One-Piece Flange.
• Maple Construction. 

Specifications:

Headstock:

• Buttons: A-Style.
• Nut Width: 1-3/16" ZeroGlide Nut.
• Tuners: GT Planetary.

Neck:

• Fingerboard: Rosewood.
• Frets: 19.
• Inlay: Snowflake.
• Material: Maple.
• Truss Rod: Two-Way Adjustable.

Body:

• Armrest: Vintage-Style.
• Binding: White ABS.
• Brackets: 16.
• Bridge: Maple with Ebony Cap, 5/8".
• Coordinator Rods: Single 8".
• Finish: Vintage Brown / High Gloss.
• Flange: One-piece cast.
• Hardware: Chrome-plated.
• Head: 8" Remo LC Smooth.
• Resonator: 10" Mahogany.
• Rim: 8" Multi-Ply Maple.
• Tailpiece: No Knot.
• Tension Hoop: 8" Flat Bar.
• Tone Ring: 8" Rolled Brass Flat Bar.

Dimensions:

• Scale Length: 19-3/4".
• Weight: 5 lbs.

Other:

• String Gauge: .011, .024w, .016, .013, .011.
• Tuning: CGCEG.
• Option 1: SMP+ P.
• Option 2: Fishman Rare Earth Pickup.
• Left-Handed Available: Yes.

Accessories Included:

• Gig Bag.