New Northfield Case Is A Winner!

[Eric C.]

Just ordered mine... Slate Grey Tweed, the one I checked out at Wintergrass. I will be glad to receive this classy, well-made case from the classy, well-known outfit known as Northfield Instruments. Many thanks to both Adrian and Peter for their wonderful obsession of all things mando...

Nice! I'm ordering the green case and the leather strap. That looks so classy.

[FPhil]

I'm still waiting for Northfield to tell us folk in the UK / EU if their new cases will be available 'direct' from Germany. I e-mailed them back in Feb.,but received no reply - so ???,
Ivan

For what it's worth, asked the question at their Instagram account:

Also available in Europe?
northfield_instruments: The Recurve case will be paired with mandolins sent to our European dealers. We will gladly ship a case directly to you as well.

On topic: Anyone received the case already and want to share his/her thoughts?

[Ivan Kelsall]

This was the Northfield response (post #14) - "....and hope we can have our fulfillment setup from Germany established by the time the cases are finished ". With respect - that doesn't tell me IF i can actually buy one direct from Germany !. Will they be sold direct from the makers,or via a German music store & 'when' ?.

From FPhil - "We will gladly ship a case directly to you as well " Where from ?. Pairing the new case with Northfield mandolins sent to EU,seems to indicate that you can only get one in the EU if you buy a mandolin.

All i asked Northfield for was IF the new cases would be available direct from Germany for us in the UK & EU - not a big ask - a yes or no would surfice,& i could wait for further details to be announced on here.

I'm a prospective customer,simply asking for information in order to buy a Northfield case - is that really too much to ask ?,
Ivan

[carleshicks]

I had a chance to handle the three prototypes in Marshal michigan last month, they are awesome.

[Northfield mando]

Ivan,

Sorry if you haven’t gotten the answer you’re expecting. Rather than write everyone that sent emails I decided to post inside this thread to try and spread the information around. Here’s what I said:
“Our plan is to get a feel for the sales and production requirements here in the states first. Meanwhile, start the next batch and hope we can have our fulfillment setup from Germany established by the time the cases are finished.”

Okay - so here’s what I meant:

1st: we’re bringing cases here to the USA. They have just arrived and we’re sending out orders now.

2nd: we’ll gauge demand by the initial shipment, orders and comments. We’ll address FAQs on our store page. Then schedule the next order/production.

3rd: this second production run will include cases we want on-hand in Germany for European fulfillment. This fulfillment is a bigger project than it might seem. We have both wholesale/dealer, and retail (direct to consumer) sales to consider. VAT and a host of other logistical variables must be worked out before we can process orders easily and make sure they end up getting to customers. I have experience with this - however, we are a small outfit and time is spread pretty thin. After all, we make instruments too and that’s our focus. It’s very satisfying to receive the amount of encouragement we’ve gotten for stretching out and make new products, like cases and straps and such.. but it is difficult to meet the expectations of everyone. We initially designed this case for our own instruments knowing exactly what we would need to make to fill order commitments.

We’ll continue to try our hardest.

[Ivan Kelsall]

My grateful thanks for your response !. That's all that i needed to know - they WILL be available to us in the UK & EU 'direct' - BRILLIANT - i want a grey one when they're available,
Ivan

[Josh Levine]

Eagerly awaiting some reviews, especially from A owners...

[onassis]

So...like many here, I was smitten by the pictures of the Northfield Recurve case from the NAMM show. So much so, in fact, that I bookmarked their website and would check in every day to see if they were available yet. When they were finally available to buy, I placed my order and started compulsively checking my email for a shipping confirmation. Still no no confirmation as of this morning but then - abracadabra - a package from Northfield is on my doorstep!

My immediate impressions are all positive. It's very handsome (i got the green), light, sturdy-looking, well made. Everything so far seems well designed and executed. My mandolin (a Northfield NF5S) fits in snugly - but not too tight - with a toneguard attached. I shook it aggressively with the mando inside and couldn't feel any movement. There's a minimum of 1" clearance on all sides of the headstock. The bridge doesn't seem to be in any danger of contacting anything - in fact, the main holding point seems to be a foam block positioned on the lid right over the neck cradle, so that the neck is clamped in place at about the 8th fret. Another foam block on the lid contacts the tailpiece. And these two foam blocks on the inside of the lid are not stiff styrofoam, but a very compressible open cell foam. The support around and under the instrument is also open cell foam, much stiffer than the lid blocks, but nearly as rigid as the styrofoam of my Travelite.

The storage compartment seems at least as large as the one in my Travelite, with a secure and well fitted lid. The interior is covered in a very tight-napped velvet, super soft.

The exterior has a fabric covering (I believe), but it's so completely bonded to the shell that it doesn't seem like fabric at all. When I saw the NAMM pictures, it seemed like the green had an almost velvety look to it, but in person it's much smoother and tighter than that. Which I think is a good thing, since I was worried I would ding or dirty it in no time. The build quality seems fabulous - latches have a strong, positive feel, hinges appear bullet-proof, handle is comfortable yet flexible. It even has a little finger-hold for opening. The only thing I'm not crazy about so far is that the strap hangers are on the ends of the case instead of the back, so that there's a tendency to pivot when used with a single strap. Thinking about getting another strap and trying it backpack style.

All in all, I'm thrilled! Who knew I could get so excited about a case?

[Ivan Kelsall]

It's not a fabric covering,it's the natural fibers that comprise the case moulding itself :- https://www.northfieldinstruments.co...irloom-recurve
Ivan

[Drew Streip]

Well, my new case was waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday! My first impression was, wow, this thing is light! The shipping box weighed more than the case.

The exterior is flawless: Tightly woven/pressed, like the texture of a fine wool overcoat if it had been stretched over and glued onto a mannequin. The latches have easy action and are pretty self-explanatory, although I do suggest watching the video on Northfield's site to make sure you close them all the way.

The interior really sets it apart from the hard case that came with my Eastman 515. The lining is finer and more uniform, and the foam is denser without being a brick. The shape allows just about a pinkie's width around the rim (and I have tiny hands). I'm assuming if I used a Tonegard it'd fit perfectly. Also, there's a cutout at the endpin which makes it possible to keep my Lakota strap fastened.

I ordered two straps with it, so I hooked them up backpack-style. They're comfortable and it'll make my life easier when loading in and out of gigs.

Overall, it cuts a smaller profile than my previous case, yet still provides more storage room. It seems well-built, and I'm anticipating many years of use. (Also, my wife's favorite color is green, so she didn't try to talk me out of this purchase.)

My only question to Northfield is: Would it benefit from an occasional spraying of Scotchgard to help improve the water resistance? I'm not worried about it, but seeing as it's technically a porous material, it could be beneficial for people in wetter areas.

[Mandolin Cafe]

There was another case review out there and thought it best to combine into this discussion vs. having on its own.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Drew - "...technically a porous material..". I'd wondered about that myself - however - i can't see that the maker, or Northfield, would market a case that was water absorbent,that would defeat the whole object. I can see that the fibrous outer texture might hold water on it's surface,but i doubt it the case would absorb any.

The idea of an overspray with some water repelent agent such as Scotchguard seems reasonable,as long as it wouldn't harm the case. The maker,Jakob Winter, has been making cases of this material for many years,& if they were water absorbent,i think he'd have gone out of business a long while back !,
Ivan

[Ranger Tommy]

I'm curious about whether or not the case fits most F-style mandos. I have a Hinde, and am really interested in one of these cases. Thanks in advance!

[Northfield mando]

Hi Everyone. Couple quick answers for ya:

Coverings/water repellance:
The Green is a natural felt material, the Grey is a poly blend textile. Both work very well to guard against rain but scotch guard or other types of water proofing sprays are great for prolonging the replellancy and adding an extra barrier, like you might add to a work or hiking boot or a raincoat. Try misting it rather than suturating a specific spot.

The natural has a poly coating exterior to the pressed layer - it’s very much water proof already. You could add a barrier but it would need to be a different type of polish style applied material to really take hold. Haven’t tried that yet and don’t really think it’s necessary.

We don’t call these cases water proof because the seams aren’t “taped” and we don’t use a rubber gasket style valence around the case perimeter. I wouldn’t try submerging or standing for hours in a downpour. There are lots of different backpack raincoats and we’re thinking of developing one for the Case for people that want to take it in extreme conditions.

Case fit: in our experience the Case fits 90% of F model mandolins. Fits “Griffith” style Loar A5s tighter than teardrop styles, fits most old F4/F2s without their pickguard hardware (depending on the necks and the accuracy of the hardware as the short necks run right up against our accessory pocket, fits most mandolins with a tone guard on but not all. The foam inside is compressible and will adjust over time to the push of a tone guard.. but I’d say it’s safer to resist forcing your mando in.

Dealers have started to get mandolins with the new case. If you're curious about fit you could check one out a dealer with your own mandolin and see how it looks/feels and fits.

Have a nice weekend.

[Chadah77]

Hello all,
How does this case compare to a standard shaped, or rectangle case? Maybe like a standard TKL or similar? Rigidity and protection are more important to me than weight, but I LOVE the look of that green case! Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks

[Ivan Kelsall]

From the Northfield post #64 - "..and we don’t use a rubber gasket style valence around the case perimeter.". Neither do my Gator moulded ABS case,or my First Quality / TKL rect. case. So it's no problem for me,
Ivan

[Anglocelt]

They do look lovely but how rigid/ robust/ shockproof are they? And how well do they protect your instrument relative to other makers cases? Hiscox provide videos of their protective performance. Is there any such evidence about these, admittedly lovely-looking, cases?

[Mandobar]

Jakob Winter has been making violin cases for years. While I would not stand on this case (not sure I’d stand on any case), it does it’s job well. I like it a lot better than the old square cases, and its much lighter than the hard Airloom case.

[onassis]

My impression of it is that it's just as protective as my Travelite case. It's not as bulletproof as a Calton, but it's not intended to be. It costs half as much and weighs half as much. If I had to compare it, I would say it's like a much more polished and aesthetically pleasing Travelite.

[Bogle]

Mitch--Your analogy is spot-on, IMO. I was very anxious to see these and had the opportunity to inspect the examples (I believe they were prototypes) of the Recurve earlier this year at Wintergrass. They ARE aesthetically appealing, however I did not see overwhelming value vs. the Travelite or Gator Lightweight. The price and interior lining, which reminded me a bit of the material used in automobile trunks, caused me to remove the Recurve from my "want list". Again though, they really ARE great looking cases.

[Chris Daniels]

Whelp, it's here! I was been able to watch it all the way because according to my inbox I got the tracking email 27 minutes after the order confirmation.



I know many were attracted to the gray or green but the natural is what spoke to me, especially having my F5 mandolin be an amber finish. The sealed exterior and the theoretical possibility of adding case stickers (my new will I/won't I ) made it my only true color option. BTW, here's an up-close of the exterior so you can really see the fibers beneath the overspray.



First impressions are very positive. Weight, actually the lack thereof, is impressive, especially considering the rectangle TKL it's slated to replace. I went for the double straps and glad that I did because wearing like a backpack is infinitely more comfortable than slinging the Recurve over one shoulder.

Latches are just fine despite requiring some conscious thought to ensure proper closure, the handle flexible and easy in hand, and the interior is soft and classy (I don't get the trunk interior impression myself).



Yes, the Tonegard fits easily although the one arm pad beneath the scroll drags so I'm hoping the foam beneath adjusts before the fabric frays (the TKL had the same issue). The tail pad in the lid of the case does contact about an inch and a half of the McClung armrest but it's soft enough to not require any force to close the top. All of my other, many attachments are untouched.

Overall, there's enough to be thrilled enough where it's probably the last case I'll need for this mandolin. That being the case (ha!), for me it's worth the premium over a Travelite/Gator which I have considered in the past.

C.

[AlanN]

Ah, but can it core a apple? You Millenials simply are too young to get that...

Nice case, nice look.

[Chris Daniels]

Ah, but can it core a apple? You Millenials simply are too young to get that...

Although I know you're not referencing me good friend, since I'm as far from a Millennial as yourself from my own Gen X: Har har hardy har har!

C.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Would somebody with a new Northfield case,kindly measure the overall inside length for me. I ask because i want a case for my Lebeda which is a larger than normal mandolin. It's 27 5/8" long against my Weber which is 26 7/8" long. My Weber fits a Gator ABS case,but the Lebeda overhangs the headstock end. Obviously i don't want to order a case only to find that my Lebeda won't fit lengthwise - however,there does seem to be a good bit of extra length in the new case - always a good idea (IMHO).

From Chris Daniels - " ...especially considering the rectangle TKL it's slated to replace." That's what mine wil be replacing - excellent cases in every way,but bulky'.
Ivan

[Chris Daniels]

Would somebody with a new Northfield case,kindly measure the overall inside length for me.

28" from the rear padding to the headstock end, 28 3/4" if you include the end pin slot.

C.