Northfield mandolins

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

IF barrangtan wasn't alreadt implying it Im pretty sure he played both models on the record and they all sound good to me

I wish I have a chance to play both, but I have not encountered a Northfield in person. I just spent a lot of time listening to Adam plays his Big Mon and F5S, as well as Emory Lester and Adam Ramsey plays theirs. So I guess do take my advice with a grain of salt

[jmagill]

The booth is all set up at 2013 IBMA! Come on over and say hello..

This instrument, the one dead center in the second picture, was purchased at IBMA: a Big Mon, #215. I'll be posting a detailed review soon. Believe the hype.

[Markelberry]

You are spot on with your review,even if you haven't played one that's how they sound fantastic!

[Northfield mando]

Hi again everyone,
The IBMA has always been an important conference for our small company. We first released our mandolins to the public in 2009 and each year since then we've gone back to the IBMA with a variety of instruments for people to try out. We're very privileged to have so many fine mandolinists record and perform with our mandolins and so the annual conference is also a time for us to reconnect with friends and get their opinions on the most recent batch and new things we're working on.

This year we brought a few examples of a new model we have been developing. We kept them up in our hotel room at the Sheraton and turned the space into a mobile recording studio and invited players over to check them out. The group included, Emory Lester, Nick Keen, Zeb Snyder (who was picking up his new axe), Josh Williams, Adam Steffey, Martino Coppo and a host of others. Adam and Martino, two of the greatest guys on earth, came over and hung out for several hours--pickin', laughin' and contemplatin' with us. What could be better than that?

Here are a few tracks from that afternoon. Hope you enjoy.

All the best, Adrian

Note: Mandolins were recored with 2 OctavaMod MJE-v250 mics, run through Logic EQ'd completely flat. We added a little verb to overcome to deadness of the hotel room.

[Mandobar]

sounds good, Adrian. nice tone, especially the bottom end.

[jmagill]

So, Adrian, when are we going to see pics of this new model?

[roberto]

Sounds so good! I'd like to know what mandolin leads first on the two mandolin part.

[Kevin K]

What's the name of the tunes? Heard them and play a couple but some that I don't know the name of.

[Northfield mando]

What's the name of the tunes? Heard them and play a couple but some that I don't know the name of.

Hey there. Tunes in order: St. Anne's Reel, Cuckoo's Nest, Fisher's Hornpipe, Whiskey Before Breakfast, Kentucky Waltz. Martino starts off each tune and changes the tunes in the set. So first mandolin is Martino, second is Adam. Two mandolins are exactly the same except Martino's has a Adirondack Red Spruce Top and Adam's has an Engelmann Spruce top. Thanks for listening, pictures and video will be added sometime in the near future. -Adrian

[Markelberry]

So beautifu[ if only someday I can make my Northfield sing so sweet. The wood at r414 was drop dead killer it had faces in it Ive never seen anything like that real man wood!!

[Don Julin]

I have been using my Northfield on gigs for over a year and still love it. The finish is peeling off mine but I don't really care. As you can see in the videos, we play bars, festivals, and just about anywhere else you can easily scratch your mandolin. Mine is rigged with a K&K twin, a pick-up-the world under bridge ribbon pickup and a DPA 4099 mic, all blended together. I get a pretty darn acoustic sound at rock band volume. I love my Northfield!

[yankees1]

I know that sound is everything as it should ! But, I'm still very picky when it comes to appearance of the finish but when I play on one mandolin for three months and it looks like it has been through a war ( distressed) and I play on another for three years and it still looks new, it bothers me ! Even though I love the Northfield sound I will wait until Northfield comes up with a more bullet proof finish before I jump back in with another Northfield. Adrian and Elderly are both great to deal with and their service is great !

[almeriastrings]

It would bother me too. It is certainly the case that for a good sounding, fairly resilient finish, a thin nitro lacquer is hard to beat. I have mandolins and guitars around with lacquer, oil varnishes and spirit formulations, of various ages, from 80 years ago to recent. Of the three, I think the spirit (French polish) option is the least hard-wearing and most sensitive with some oil varnish formulations also being 'difficult'. I don't, however, think you should be experiencing major finish issues as you describe in that kind of time frame. I would be pretty unhappy with that. Fortunately, the Big Mon I have has been fine and no such issues... I do live in a very low humidity area, which might help.. and body chemistry (skin pH) can also have a big impact..... many mandolins also use a combination of finishes, French polish over oil, or tung oil/phenolic bases, or Behlan's Rock Hard with a Tru-oil overcoat (as per Ellis)... I believe Collings varnish models actually use yacht varnish... this stuff:

http://www.epifanes.com/home.htm

Said to be pretty tough...

PS: Pleading guilty in advance to some generalisations!

[Markelberry]

this is gonnCapture_20131006_3.wmv (file://IDEA-PC/Users/Mark/Documents/Capture_20131006_3.wmv)
a be rough but I am gonna try and give you a rookie vid of my Northfield?Ive gotten better,me thinks?

[Markelberry]

never mind thought I could post a link,to big a dummy

[Brendan O Regan]

I have recently gotten a Northfield F2 oval hole. It quite simply knocks the socks off my friends original F2 -lots of tone-with added projection too. It is a really beautiful solid instrument and fit and finish is second to none. It is an amazing instrument for the money.

[Markelberry]

welcome to the Northfield family you will be always happy!

[CeeCee_C]

Adrian -

Let me chime in. I bought Acoustic Music's first F5-S and I've loved it right from the start. Brian actually called me to say "Come on down.You've got to hear this". He was right. Played it and bought it; all within the space of an hour.
.
Keep up the good work.

[dreadhead]

I was just reading the warranty information on the Northfield website: The finish may craze, krinkle, or check. All of this is to be expected and should be considered at the time of purchase. This finish is not as durable against scratching or the weather elements as thicker poly based finishes, or sprayed lacquer finishes. It is not recommended that you install various musical instument accesories on the instrument which contain parts made of rubber, leather or different plastics. These items can react to the finish is they make contact with it for an extended period of time. Please read the manuals and disclaimers that accompany musical instrument accessory products carefully. Use at your own risk

I take it using a tone-gard on these is a big no-no. Would this also apply to the more durable satin finish on the F5-S model? Is anybody using a tone-gard on their Northfield? if I buy one it would most likely be the F5-S unless i can find a good deal on a used Big Mon.

[Markelberry]

My clouded and crazed on the back around the rims pretty quick nothing since someday I might have it buffed out?

[Mike Bunting]

I was just reading the warranty information on the Northfield website: The finish may craze, krinkle, or check. All of this is to be expected and should be considered at the time of purchase. This finish is not as durable against scratching or the weather elements as thicker poly based finishes, or sprayed lacquer finishes. It is not recommended that you install various musical instument accesories on the instrument which contain parts made of rubber, leather or different plastics. These items can react to the finish is they make contact with it for an extended period of time. Please read the manuals and disclaimers that accompany musical instrument accessory products carefully. Use at your own risk

I take it using a tone-gard on these is a big no-no. Would this also apply to the more durable satin finish on the F5-S model? Is anybody using a tone-gard on their Northfield? if I buy one it would most likely be the F5-S unless i can find a good deal on a used Big Mon.

It takes varnish longer to cure or set up than lacquer. I have had a TG and an arm rest on my varnished Stanley for years and it has not suffered in the least. I got it used at three years old so the finish must have been well cured. I'll soon be acquiring a varnished Duff and I expect that I won't put a TG etc. on it for a couple of years.

[Andrew B. Carlson]

It takes varnish longer to cure or set up than lacquer. I have had a TG and an arm rest on my varnished Stanley for years and it has not suffered in the least. I got it used at three years old so the finish must have been well cured. I'll soon be acquiring a varnished Duff and I expect that I won't put a TG etc. on it for a couple of years.

I'd love to see that Duff when it comes Mike.

[Mike Bunting]

I'd love to see that Duff when it comes Mike.

Well, if you ever came into town! Ha, I'll let you now, it is undergoing French polishing now. I'll let you know when it gets here and you can give me full report on your lesson with JR. You mentioned that you had some work done on your mando (in another thread), where do you get your work done?
Hope all is well.

[jasona]

I'd love to see that Duff when it comes Mike.

Yeah party in Edmonton!

[Jim Garber]

I take it using a tone-gard on these is a big no-no. Would this also apply to the more durable satin finish on the F5-S model? Is anybody using a tone-gard on their Northfield? if I buy one it would most likely be the F5-S unless i can find a good deal on a used Big Mon.

I know that the original TGs have black rubber on the prongs but Tony sent me a set of these white rubber (or plastic) that, I believe, will not affect the finish. I still might not leave it on the mandolin in the case but I would think using it would be fine.