Originally Posted by
Northfield mando
Hello Everyone. Always interesting to read these comments. Just a couple responses:
IMO, tone is a very subjective thing. It really takes a mind reader to know exactly what everyone will like. So, what we try and do is make our mandolins very consistently respond with the characteristics we've admired from other instruments we've studied, along with our own ideas about what we ,as a shop, like in a mandolin. We like an easy response, a mandolin that doesn't take a huge amount of effort to pull out the sound. We like the sound of wood more than strings and voice our tops so that the mid range is clear and powerful. We prefer a darker chop and thorough bass to a cutting treble, but want that sparkle at the top end so guys like Emory who play up the neck, where we can't, can really make it sing. However, even with all of this there are still variables that can change tone...variables that change all the time. Like: Humidity Levels, the bridge (the set-up and even the particular piece of ebony), the strings you use, your pick, your tailpiece (whether it's muted or it's ringing like crazy) and most of all your touch. Without question, this last variable is the hardest to figure from our end. Every mandolin sounds different, right..we all agree on that. However, that same mandolin will sound different depending on the person playing it, their posture when playing, their attack, how they hold their pick...and even what they like to play. Some play real close to the bridge and get a more harsh sound, some play only softly up at that sweet spot around the end of the fingerboard. Some play nothing but down strokes...others play with a more contemporary 16th note melodic style. That all changes the way we hear the mandolin and it also changes the way the mandolin responds over time and changes along with the person playing it. And, of course, our ears change too. What we like today, might not float our boats tomorrow.
Since the very beginning of our little shop, we have been in a backorder situation. Nearly 90% of all instruments we have made have been ordered, shipped without anyone outside of ourselves playing them. It's a very demanding predicament to be in actually and I think we've done very well at meeting or exceeding people's expectations. That's our number one goal. We surely don't want to send something out that people won't like. Of course, our mandolin can't possibly be everyone's ultimate axe. In the few cases that people have decided not to keep their mandolins they have been able to send them back, either directly to us or to Elderly. With special orders we're not going to make you keep something that you just don't like. With some custom orders, like ones where we've had to adjust the neck shape, or have customized the fingerboard, etc it gets harder to find another home for the same instrument, so taking them back can get tricky. We always encourage people to stay within our standard specification options because of this. In some cases we have had people purchase a new instrument with some standard specs, play it for a while and then order a custom instrument from us with special features. I guess what I'm trying to say is this: We absolutely realize the pressure to preform that we are under given the situation and the fact that nearly everyone is buying an instrument they haven't played yet. Myself, I am an avid player and collector. I worked at Elderly Instruments for many years doing exactly the same thing: selling higher priced instruments to people that hadn't played them yet. It's all about knowing your expectation as a buyer and communicating that to..well, me. I hope to get it right a more times that I get it wrong and if we work together that'll happen. I This forum has been a fantastic way to learn, develop and improve. Still, some (maybe most) will always feel more comfortable playing the exact instrument you're considering before pulling the trigger on a purchase. At some point we hope to have instruments available at places for people to try and buy. That'll take some time, as it is we're staring at dozens of orders...stretching into next spring. Orders haven't slowed so we'll just have to keep up the hard work and hope to impress all of those with orders on the books now...along with those that are on the "fence".
Last thing: For John A above. I'll put this offer out there: Please have the owner of that instrument call me 269.267.3678. Perhaps we can find a way to make it sound better.
Thanks for reading. Hope you've all had a chance to download the tracks we put up yesterday. Some great moments.....Adrian
Re: Northfield mandolins
Re: Northfield mandolins
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