Trip To Dusty Strings Today

Spent the afternoon Seattle at Dusty Strings... once again vetting mandolins for a student. I was very impressed with their 3 Northfield A-models... the M model ($2,500), an A5 Special ($3,500) and an A52 ($3,600) which had very attractive binding on top and back. Even the ebony fingerboard had side and top-facing binding. Done in their Icelandic Brown finish it was most attractive. At their respective prices they seemed a lot of mando for the moolah!

I also played an attractive and unusual mandolin by Dr. Cohen... again a very nice, if not unusual, take on the F5 design. It sounded and played quite nice and, for the money, seemed like a lot of mandolin. The folks at Dusty Strings were extremely gracious and helpful to both me and my student. The way a music store should be run in my opinion...

Thank-you Dusty Strings!

Excellent trip report! For anybody thinking about it, there's their online inventory, the 2 Collings also look very nice, you don't need to make appointment in advance anymore and they're fully stocked on picks/strings/accessories. Parking's kind of hectic, I always park on the other side of hte troll.

https://store.dustystrings.com/c-2311-mandolin.aspx

I was at Elderly Instruments a few weeks back buying a Martin and finally had a chance to play a Northfield. The $3500 F-5 model blew away everything else on the wall, even a Big Mon and a $5k Collings A. They've definitely got their formula down.

Thanks for posting this! I’m in Tacoma for a few days and was planning to head up there tomorrow to play their Brock cittern and buy some accessories.

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Originally Posted by Rob Roy

I was at Elderly Instruments a few weeks back buying a Martin and finally had a chance to play a Northfield. The $3500 F-5 model blew away everything else on the wall, even a Big Mon and a $5k Collings A. They've definitely got their formula down.

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Dusty Strings sold their amber/tortoise bound F5S that I played and commented on last week. I agree with you that they have their formula down on that F5S... they always impress the hell out of me and yes, often outdo the higher-priced, fancier models.

Talk about a mandolin success story... NORTHFIELD!

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Originally Posted by Marcus CA

Thanks for posting this! I’m in Tacoma for a few days and was planning to head up there tomorrow to play their Brock cittern and buy some accessories.

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I played that Brock cittern/octave mandolin yesterday when I was at Dusty's... VERY impressive. A big gun with a big sound and immaculate workmanship. You won't be disappointed...

I wasn’t!!! It sounded great at full force and with a delicate touch, perfectly balanced from the low strings to the high ones. I had never played a cittern with octave courses before, which I wasn’t expecting. Its tone absolutely shimmered!

I live on the east coast and work takes me to the west coast once or twice a year. A visit to Dusty Strings is well worth it, if you are in the area. The thing that kills me is that every time I am there I am sorely tempted to spend money. And twice I was unable to avoid it. I got my Big Muddy M11 there, and I got my old Gibson TG-0 tenor guitar.

looks like a lot of the Northfields are gone........Adam, they should be paying you a commission.

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Originally Posted by Mandobar

looks like a lot of the Northfields are gone........Adam, they should be paying you a commission.

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They are always very patient with me and my students when I go down there to match student with instrument... so I don't mind bringing them the business.

They are good folks down there at Dusty Strings. As a one-time small business owner I can really appreciate the brilliance and competence of their operation. Between their instrument building (harps and hammered dulcimers), their store, their teaching program and their fairly recent expansion they seem to have done everything right in terms of measured and successful expansion. Certainly the best acoustic shop here in the Northwest and one of the best in the country.

My niece lives over in the marina near there. I sent her in to buy her first mandolin. They were extremely patient with her and super nice. I’ve since sent them other folks who live in the area.

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Originally Posted by JeffD

Big Muddy M11 there, and I got my old Gibson TG-0 tenor guitar.

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I remember that tenor, last week i walked up the steps then noticed it was not there anymore. I don't remember the Big Muddy but I'm sure I've played it.

also if anybody's road tripping for guitars, be sure to look at American Music 10 blocks up Fremont Ave and Mike and Mike's Guitar bar, which looks close on the map but it's a 25 minute walk. Emerald City in Pioneer square, which isn't close but worth the trip. There's other interesting shops, Trading musician, Lull's, in the area.

What a great trip and it sounds really interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

When you walk in, pick attached to the top of door strums a mountain dulcimer. So cool.

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Originally Posted by JeffD

When you walk in, pick attached to the top of door strums a mountain dulcimer. So cool.

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Our little guitar store here does that too, only an open tuned guitar.

I live in Seattle and get down to Dusty Strings fairly regularly, great folks there, always have wonderful instruments and lots of accessories. I'll go in there to pickup some strings or some other item and I have to stop and play some of the mandolins even though I don't intend to buy any. They don't seem to mind, in fact, welcome my playing. I recently dealt with Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar just down the road from Dusty Strings and had a great experience, nice folks there. If you are looking for a guitar, electric or acoustic, check them out. And you get to meet Moose, the Great Dane dog that greets you as you walk into the store.