Northfield mandolins

[trevor]

I just received my first two Big Mons, one with a one piece back and one with a single peice back. The two peice back sold immediately. Both sound incredible.

Here's some photos.

[almeriastrings]

I am rather partial to 1-piece backs, myself... that said, my own Big Mon is a 2-piece and it is not half bad..



They sound even better after a year or two of playing.....

[Nick Gellie]

I would have to say it is one of the most stunning two piece backs I have seen on an F-5.

[trevor]

I received two F5S's today and thought I would do some fun photos.

[bigskygirl]

Love mine! #268

[Northfield mando]

Attachment 141915

[Northfield mando]

Happy holidays everyone. All the best wishes for a great end of the year from all of us here at Northfield Mandolins.

Here is a new video we made with Mike to compare the new Artist Series mandolins. We hope you enjoy them.


More videos of Mike comparing the new Northfield Artist Series here

[Andrew B. Carlson]

Those new 5 bar beauties are sure getting tempting. Bravo guys!

[klartunz]

FYI they are made in china. One reason I want to get one from a small builder is to support local craftsmen.

[FLATROCK HILL]

FYI they are made in china. One reason I want to get one from a small builder is to support local craftsmen.

FYI, the folks in Marshall Mi. would be considered "craftsmen" in my book. Maybe not "local" as I'm a whole state away.

You can buy yourself a Northfield and support folks on both sides of the Ocean.

[tkdboyd]

FYI they are made in china. One reason I want to get one from a small builder is to support local craftsmen.

There are Northfields that are "Local"

[f5joe]

FYI they are made in china. One reason I want to get one from a small builder is to support local craftsmen.

Unbelievable comment.

[almeriastrings]

We should count ourselves very fortunate that there are great craftspeople (there are superb women builders too, you know), in many diverse locations these days. Years ago this was not the case. Choice was far more limited. As the owner of a Northfield I have no hesitation in saying it stands up there with the best of them. Although I am by no means local to either Qingdao or Marshall, IL., or Austin TX, or Nashville, TN, or Lawrence, KS or Kentucky ....I am very happy to support various luthiers from these places because they are all building a great mandolin. I doubt hardly any of of us are local to Warrnambool, but I would never rule out a Gilchrist on that account, and I suspect few others would, either.

[Johnny60]

100% in agreement with what Almeria just said!

[Mark Miller]

Hey Nick, those are the three mandos I am considering to upgrade from my Eastman 305. I will have a chance to try out the Pava A and Collings MT in a couple of weeks, along with a Northfield FS. But the Northfield M is only available by ordering one. Any thoughts on how you'd compare tone and playability among these three mandolins?

P.S. This is in reference to Nick's praise of the Pava A, Collings MT, and Northfield M

[Nick Gellie]

Well Mark, I have appreciated having all of them. The Pava has a beautiful richness in tone. The Northfield model M has a more organic woody tone. The Collings MT has a fantastic loud well rounded top end with more projection than the Pava. However, the Northfield was loud too in that department. One thing with the Northfield was that I got tired with my right hand really easily, much less so with the Collings and the Pava. Is is due to the spacing within and between each course of strings? I am not sure about that.

I ended up with a honey amber Collings MT with a pickguard second-hand. It is a fantastic instrument.



I prefer Engelmann Spruce topped instruments to Red Spruce - they are generally more open as Mike Marshall says in the above video. You can hear the lushness in the second F5 he plays in the video. Kim Warner says the same thing when talking about Collings MTs with Engelmann Spruce tops in his videos with Collings.

Go for it - try them all. They are all great mandolins. I had to sell my Northfield model M because I needed the cash to renovate my shed. Yip, the Northfield was traded for a slab of concrete I hate to say.

[Andrew B. Carlson]

That new video with Mike is the first recording that I've preferred englemann over red spruce on any instrument. You got me Mike (and Adrian).

[yankees1]

So how is finish on the newer Northfields ? I had one of the earlier F5's and there was a finish problem at that time but I assume this issue has been taken care of by now. Loved the sound of the Northfield however.

[Mark Miller]

Thanks Nick. I have to say that Mike Marshall video really makes me want an Engelmann top. That baby sounds beautiful. Those Artist Series are too rich for my blood though! And the Northfield FS is Red Spruce. So I won't be able to tell what the Northfield M sounds like based on that. Aaaargh!

[pheffernan]

So I won't be able to tell what the Northfield M sounds like based on that. Aaaargh!

Do these videos help?

[Andrew B. Carlson]

Adrian, are you guys putting string trees on these artist series headstocks now? Or what are those?

[JeffD]

Here is a new video we made with Mike to compare the new Artist Series mandolins.

Wow. I really like the second one. Such a lovely sound. A real sweetie.

[9lbShellhamer]

Showing up fashionably late to this Northfield party...

I've always been a fan in theory, but had only had a chance to play one last December for the first time. Last year I walked away from the Northfield and ended up with a Collings MT2 that is a great mando (I was looking for a more modern sound.)

Well...

This year when I went to Nashville for my yearly trip I played a brand new NF-F5S that was signed just several days prior. This one... WHEW! It was awesome! I went down to Nashville specifically to test out the Ellis A5 against a Pava Pro.

I am now the proud owner of a brand new NF-F5S just signed on 12-9-15! This baby is loud, resonant, and it pops and sings! It impressed me more than the others I played. The Ellis, Pava, etc are GREAT instruments, but the Northfield possessed most of the same attributes! It would give any of these a run for their money. I'm not saying it's better than the Ellis, I'm just saying it's pretty close...Close enough for me. (and I won't have to sell my Collings.) I'd love to play the Ellis, the Pava, and my Collings in a closed room with similar strings.

I was worried once I got it in my house last night I'd suffer some buyers remorse, but on the contrary, this mandolin spoke to me at the shop and I wasn't wrong. When you find a great one, don't let it go. I figured it wouldn't sound as good in my home but it sounded much better.

The treble courses are sweet and complex. I love that this Northfield can have such a complex tone and still possess volume to spare.

I like the neck profile... kind of a modified V. Less chunky than a Gibson but more rounded than my MT2.

I couldn't believe the responsiveness when I played the upper register. When I took my break for the B part of Salt Creek it was loud and resonant and the tone contained all the beauty of the lower register.

I see that the pricing changes are now in effect too. The Mandolin Store has their new one listed for $2995.

[bigskygirl]

So how is finish on the newer Northfields ? I had one of the earlier F5's and there was a finish problem at that time but I assume this issue has been taken care of by now. Loved the sound of the Northfield however.

Hi Yankees1, while there were finish issues on some early models...a friend of mine has one and Northfield has made it right with him...I will be celebrating the 1st Birthday of my F5M and have had no issues with the finish other than mishaps caused by my hand. The varnish finish is susceptible to dents, dings, and scratches and I was not as careful with it as I should have been.

[yankees1]

Hi Yankees1, while there were finish issues on some early models...a friend of mine has one and Northfield has made it right with him...I will be celebrating the 1st Birthday of my F5M and have had no issues with the finish other than mishaps caused by my hand. The varnish finish is susceptible to dents, dings, and scratches and I was not as careful with it as I should have been.

Merry Christmas ! Not concerned with dents, chips and scratches as this would be my fault but my Northfield had major clouding issues which evidently was a moisture problem. Adrian fixed it several times but the cloudiness always came back. Adrian was great to work with and the sound was great ! I assume that this moisture problem has been fixed by now.