5 Bar Northfield

[yankees1]

It appears that Northfield is having good success with their 5 bar Engelman mandolin. Is Northfield the only company that utilizes this 5 bar configuration ? What effect does this 5 bar configuration have on the quality of sound produced by this 5 bar instrument ?

[George R. Lane]

At the bottom of this page is a diagram and explanation of what it does,

http://www.northfieldinstruments.com.../artist-series

[HoGo]

At the bottom of this page is a diagram and explanation of what it does,
http://www.northfieldinstruments.com.../artist-series

No explanation, just drawing. I wonder if just leaving the upper part of top thicker and moving the treble bar closer to center would have the same effect. IMO, just using soft/light Engelmann will have enough affect on tone against heavy/stiff red spruce that the change inparted by tonebars is minor.

[fscotte]

Dr. Cohen built a mando with numerous tone bars. Still sounded like a mando. I've built mandos with 3 tone bars, still sounded like a mando. Then of course there are some without tone bars. Still sounds like a mando.

Dr. Cohen's mando:

[yankees1]

I'm glad to see that Northfield is thinking/experimenting outside the box ! I think it is paying off for them ! Great instruments !

[Lord of the Badgers]

whatever - there is a me that wishes I'd bought two Northfields even though I love what I have... but they weren't really a thing then! I'd have had change, easily!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Here's the Northfield explanation about what the 5 bar config. is designed to do :- Variation 1 5-Bar -
• Wider harmonic array
• More low-end responsiveness
• Omnidirectional projection pattern

How this would affect the 'cutting power' ie.the strength of tone/volume required to 'cut through' the other instruments in a Bluegrass band setting - it would have to be tried out. Personally,i can imagine a different tonal response,but without any change in 'cutting power',which,to a large extent is governed by strings /set up / pick choice & last but not least,the player !!.

I've played a few mandolins so badly set up, & with an unsuitable gauge of string that they could have been classed as 'silent',
Ivan