Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
Glassweb, Thank you. Very thorough and inspiring review. I appreciate the critique and details, both of which added to the veracity of your great info!
Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
Great review!... if I could afford one, I would be highly influenced by this review!
Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
Thanks for the thorough review. Have they refined the neck profile any? I've only played an F5s and a Big Mon and those necks wouldn't work for me.
Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Don Grieser
Thanks for the thorough review. Have they refined the neck profile any? I've only played an F5s and a Big Mon and those necks wouldn't work for me.
Hi Don... I think the profile on this neck may be a bit slimmer and more Loar-like than say, their Big Mon neck which can be a bit chunky. I've found the Northfields to vary a bit like old Gibsons with some having a more pleasing profile than others. Actually an early Northfield A5M that I owned had about the most comfortable neck I've ever played. But that was from about 10 years ago! It had a VERY specific, well tapered and slightly more "vee-d" profile than what they're currently producing. Not as much shoulder mass either. For my left hand it was amazingly playable with zero stress or discomfort. I say go back towards the past...
Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
It seems like the neck shape can't really be totally standardized by any makers, because there has to be some final hand shaping. The final neck shape ends up being what feels good to the person working on it that day I guess.
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Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
I played the prototype Northfield 4.0 that was heading to Mike Marshal and i was blown away. The clarity and tone color was at my master models level. I was extremely impressed.
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Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
My mate and I both have a 2016 Big Mon. They are different which is a little odd really. Mine has a chunkier neck which I totally love. Mine also has ivoroid colour neck and headstock binding and his doesn't have the same. Cant quite remember what he has but not the same binding but definitely both Big Mon made dated 2016. As I've said before on Cafe before I honestly believe I got the best mandolin ever to come out of their workshop and I've owned hundreds of mandolins over the last 50 years. I love it all although I would have preferred the same 6mm dots all the way up fretboard instead of the 'graduating to very small ones'. The bridge sits on the top absolutely perfectly at 90 degrees so no tilt back or forward and I love that aspect. Gives me the confidence that it will always be like that.
What a fantastic mandolin terms of volume, tone, balance, intonation, set up and suitable for all types of mandolin music.
I was lucky. Bought it used from Trevor at Tamco.
Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
Very nice review, thanks! I played a 4th gen at Swannanoa and I really wanted to bring it home. It was kind of an experience where at first I was like yea that's a nice mandolin with a great finish, and the more I asked it to do, the more it performed and impressed. I just bought a flat top octave from them directly and love it as well. Their service and response has been top notch throughout the process.
Re: Northfield 4.0 Reviewed
I'm glad you got to play one of the 4.0s... mine is impressing me more day by day. It's amazing how changing the bridge action by just a fraction can give it a whole different character. I believe I have finally dialed in to "the sweet spot" where both sound and playability are optimal. What a great instrument!