Keith - I have to say that your instrument looks as good as anything i've seen on here.I love the light 'burst' that allows the grain to show through, & the scratch plate just looks absolutely 'right'. Truly beautiful,
Ivan
Keith - I have to say that your instrument looks as good as anything i've seen on here.I love the light 'burst' that allows the grain to show through, & the scratch plate just looks absolutely 'right'. Truly beautiful,
Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
Thanks, Ivan.
I'm going crazy waiting for it.
Was shipped today!
Just like a little kid waiting for Santa to arrive!
Uhh huh!
No 'Santa' for us in the UK,nobody's selling them over here,
Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
Reading all of these posts gets me excited! A friend of mine just ordered a "Big Mon" F-5 with enlarged F-holes. Sugar maple back and sides! He may never get to play it if it sounds as good as what I've heard on their website.
I read this thread again the whole way through yesterday, so I understand what you mean. It builds excitement like nothing else.
Well, I've got it. It's everything I hoped it could be. It plays like butter and sounds smooth and sweet. I should be able to get a video clip up sometime soon. I'm waiting for my brother, who has a droid, to record it. On a droid I can get closer to the exact sound of the instrument. The Iphone won't do it justice.
Congratulations! I LOVE my Northfield! It has a beautiful, full sound and really sings!
I am envious--wish mine would have worked out, just didn't seem to be in the cards.
Happy for you Mr. Witty!
Congrats Keith! Glad your happy with your instrument, the can't wait to see the video.
I hope I give this old tune justice.
Very nice, Keith.
Can you compare and contrast your Northfield with your Loar 700?
Well, I want to say that my 700 is good enough to be "the one" for me. Sometimes pac rim instruments are duds, and then sometimes they are unbelievable. Mine is unbelievable.
Tone: For my ears, it's the Northfield. The Northfield is so well balanced across the fretboard that it's mind boggling. The 700 isn't quite as balanced. The Northfield's individual notes ring more clear, as well. The only genre of music that I play that I will always pick the 700 for is Classical. The Northfield doesn't have the sound I want for classical music. I was playing a bit of Bach's E-Major Prelude, which relies on a driving baseline to give it kick, and the Northfield didn't cut it there. But I wouldn't exactly be upset if I had to play it on the Northfield lol
Playability: *Slight* edge to the Northfield. The action is identical on both instruments and they both play about the same. Really easy. Maybe the first fret on the Northfield is easier to push down? lol hardly something to take notice of.
Projection: Both are LOUD. The Loar is a lot louder, but in tone is not near as smooth. I was amazed at the sound of the Northfield when I gave it to my brother to play. It sounds completely different across me than when I am holding. Both instruments always blow me away when I get to hear them through someone else. But I will take the Northfield to a jam 80% of the time because of it's tone.
Looks: The Northfield far and away. What a looker. Something I really like is the black tuning heads. They are unique.
All in all, the Northfield is incredible. It is better than my 700, but if I would've paid this much for my 700, I would've been completely satisfied with it's own tone and playability. Not with it's looks, though. The Northfield is every bit as good as the Weber Fern I played at my local dealer, which I considered the best mandolin I've ever touched, so that brings a smile to my face. I love this mandolin. It is awesome.
Get a Northfield if you have the chance!
Got into my first jam with it earlier tonight. It just furthered my appreciation of the mandolin. I could just relax and play almost lightly and the notes rang out loudly and clear. I'm impressed by this mando every time I take it out of the case.
From Keith - "...The Loar is a lot louder, but in tone is not near as smooth.". Thanks for your appraisal of your Loar 700 against the Northfield. Your comments re.the volume / tone of each are exactly the same as mine when i compare my Weber "Fern" to my Lebeda "Special". The Weber is more refined,but still loud,whereas the Lebeda is LOUD but a bit 'in your face',which is great for jamming where you want an instrument to 'cut through'.
You seem to have 2 terrific instruments there Keith,both very good & both 'different' tonally.That's what makes it for me - the difference !,
Enjoy 'em - Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
Congratulations on getting that new Northfield Keith! I really liked the video it's a great sounding instrument and you and your brother are great players.
I'm pretty excited because I recently odered a Northfield myself. It's going to be an F5 Big Mon with modern setup on a traditional neck, Engleman spruce top.
I presently have a Washburn Jethro Burns replica which I bought new in about 2003.It cost me over $2000 AUD back then.
I never really played it much and it has been sitting in its case until recently.
I'm mostly a guitar player but lately the mandolin has caught a spark in me..so I'm picking away learning chords and scales etc.
The Washburn is a reasonable instrument ,but there isn't a lot of punch to it.
I cant wait to get the new Northfield,been checking out all the video's and reviews etc and they sound unreal!
I'm very happy with the price too as the Aussie dollar is well up against the US dollar these days and $3,400 for this caliber of instrument is a bargain compared to dropping 8 or 9 grand for an instrument from one of the one man show instrument makers.
Congratulations, Keith. That is a very fine looking instrument. I really like the wood selection there.. very tasty.
It will only get better as you play it too. Nice picking, that has always been a favourite tune.
Gibson F5 'Harvey' Fern, Gibson F5 'Derrington' Fern
Distressed Silverangel F 'Esmerelda' aka 'Maxx'
Northfield Big Mon #127
Ellis F5 Special #288
'39 & '45 D-18's, 1950 D-28.
check out the "tag line" by Adam Steffey about Northfield
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northf...01038423296386
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