Ome 12" Flora (c. 2016)

Description

While we love every banjo we deem fit to put out on our sales floor, there's still something special and extraordinary about an Ome - their legendary balanced tone and stunning craftsmanship is on full display in this 12" Flora, which most likely dates from late 2016 or early 2017. With a warm, open tone broken in over a few years of mild to moderate playing time, this stunning five-string shows off everything we loved best about the company's late period and still sets a high water mark for quality-of-build that even the finest banjo builders still strive to imitate. This Flora combines a tight, figured cherry neck with a cherry pot and flamed maple coordinator rod for a bright tone that never veers into the strident or reedy. Visual appointments are tasteful but add a nice flair to an otherwise traditionalist instrument - an acanthus motif on the headstock, aged hardware, and a wood armrest are obvious highlights that help to set this instrument apart from its peers.

This instrument arrived in our store in very good condition, with only very mild playing wear, well below the norm for a banjo with nearly ten years of playing time to its name. The original Renaissance head was replaced with a calfskin one manufactured by Gold Tone, which shows light playing wear and discoloration in the usual places consistent with clawhammer technique. It has recently seen a full professional set up including a fret dress, level, and crown, and plays exceptionally well in all positions with medium action very well suited to melodic frailing. Included in the price is a non-original hard-shell case, which represents a slight upgrade over the original.

*Please note, per our return policy, all sales on used and consignment instruments are final.*