Originally Posted by
jimmy powells
I couldn't agree more. My BigMon F5 is just the best. I've had literally hundreds of mandolins of all grades over the last 45 years and it beats them all.
Having said that, I find the lower point on all F5s sticks int your leg when playing sitting down. I wish they would just remove it. Couple of pics on the net of F5s without lower point and they look great.
If there was an A5 Big Mon in Uk I'd go for it but very much doubt that. There was an A5 in Cleckheaton Music, Yorkshire but they closed around 18 months ago and although that mandolin was in the shop a long time, don't know where it went when they closed. It was a very high end A5 and possibly an A5 Big Mon but not certain. Most beautiful back on it.
Yes Northfield have done a great job but set up on mandolins (and guitars) is everything for me. People underestimate the value of set up. I can turn my wheels on the bridge an 1/8th and find a huge difference.
When I bought this Big Mon F5 I finally realised that I would never need another F5 mandolin. The Gibson F5L was always my fancy but the long extended fingerboard giving pick click turned me off it so I now feel I have bought my last high end F5. (I've said that before mind).