A friend and I took a trip to Marshall, MI to visit the Northfield shop in Nov of 2015 and both came home with a N5S mando. The price was right and, more importantly, the mandolin is everything I'd heard, seen and read about. Great tone, easy to play, rings like a bell with excellent sustain, and balanced from high to low. It'd be awhile, if ever, that I could afford a Duff or Gilchrist. I'm very happy with this instrument. I look forward to future offerings by Northfield. It'd be fun to get an Artist model as that's an awesome instrument from the one I got to hear and play when I was in the shop. Derek Smith was a gracious and personable host.
