The Ome ‘Celtic’ ‘ is a 19 Fret, 12” Openback tenor banjo that’s hand-built in Boulder, Colorado, USA. The quality 2 ply maple frame features rolled brass tonering, aged hardware, and Celtic MOP inlays. The case comes with a hardshell case.

Around 1910, the 4-string TENOR banjo became a popular melodic-picked instrument. It was used to strum chordal accompaniment and as rhythm-instrument in jazz dance-bands of the 1920s. Its volume, timbre and versatility made it a good choice for early music styles. Tenor Jazz banjos can be tuned CGDA (the same as the mandola and viola)

Around the same time, some Irish banjo musicians started to pick out the melodies for reels, jigs, and hornpipes using the tenor banjo. They also decorated the tunes with snappy triplet ornaments. The tenor banjo has been a mainstay in many Irish bands over the years. The tune of the Irish tenor is the same as that of the mandolin and violin, GDAE.

OME offers both an 11″ and 12” Tenor with a 19 fret, 22.125” scale. Our 11″ tenors sound brighter and more crisp, while our 12′ models have more depth and bass. Open-back and resonator models are both available for the 11″ and 12’ models. Our most popular resonator is the 11″ Omega. We also offer Megavox and Silver Bell resonators for our 11′ models and the OME Standard, removable resonator to our 12′ models. RESONATORS can be found on our DETAIL page.

We can set up every OME Tenor banjo in our shop for Irish and Jazz tuning. Irish players use both 12″ and 11″ open-back models, while Jazz players prefer 11″ resonator banjos. Many of the best 4-string players in the world have used and endorsed OME tenor banjos for decades.