This 2008 OME Silver Phoenix SB Tenor blends traditional banjo design with the detailed fit and finish. Finished in a nice ambered maple with extensive engraved metalwork and ornate inlay throughout, the Silver Phoenix sits near the top of the company’s lineup and carries a distinctly handcrafted feel. The tenor scale gives it the quick attack and bright response favored in Irish and early jazz settings, while the resonator construction adds depth and projection behind the note.
By the 2000s, OME had become a respected name among players looking beyond prewar instruments, building banjos that balanced historical influence with a more refined modern approach. Featuring stainless steel frets and a radiused fretboard, this example has a lively, responsive character with strong note separation and plenty of presence up the neck. The engraved armrest and tension hoop, carved heel, and figured wood appointments give the instrument a level of visual detail rarely seen outside small-shop banjo construction. It remains a striking example of OME’s higher-end work from this period.
Includes TKL hard shell case.
