# General Mandolin Topics > General Mandolin Discussions >  New Northfield Case Is A Winner!

## Glassweb

I got to check out the new, lightweight Northfield cases yesterday at Wintergrass in Bellevue and was quite impressed! I will be getting one as soon as they are available. The look, build quality, interior/exterior treatment and light weight of the case pushed all the right buttons... and my venerable Kimble A model fit perfectly in a case which is, ostensibly, built to fit most F models.

About the colors... my fave was the classy-looking grey with the modernistic green being a close second. I also tried my first NF octave mandolin and not only did it sound and look superb, their setup work was perfection.

These folks are creating a most impressive line of mando-centric products...

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AlanN, 

almeriastrings, 

carleshicks, 

Chris Daniels, 

darylcrisp, 

Gerry Cassidy, 

Ivan Kelsall, 

Jim Roberts, 

Mandolin Cafe, 

Paul Statman, 

Russ Jordan

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## Denman John

Glassweb ~ were you in an evevator jam Saturday night?  If so, I might have spoken to you briefly between floors about Kimble mandolins (I have an oval hole).  Just wondering if that might have been you?

Yeah, the Northfield cases looked pretty sweet.  A lot of storage space compared to some of the other cases out there.

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## Ivan Kelsall

I e-mailed Northfield last Friday regarding these new cases. Northfield did mention on here that 'hopefully', they can arrange for them to be bought directly from Germany,where they're made. Obviously it will take time to organise something like that,but i'm anxious to know if it's even feasible,or are we in the UK / EU going to be disappointed ?,
                                                                                                      Ivan

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## carleshicks

I had the opportunity to view the new recurve cases last Tuesday at the Northfield shop,  just before Adrian left for wintergrass, I am very impressed. I think the gray one looks awesome also.

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## AlanN

Where is the storage space - under the neck, off to the side(s), is it covered space?

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## Mandolin Cafe

Reposting this flier from the NAMM Show as reference for those that may have missed it.

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AlanN, 

darylcrisp, 

Ivan Kelsall, 

Jammer61, 

Rush Burkhardt

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## Glassweb

> Glassweb ~ were you in an evevator jam Saturday night?  If so, I might have spoken to you briefly between floors about Kimble mandolins (I have an oval hole).  Just wondering if that might have been you?
> 
> Yeah, the Northfield cases looked pretty sweet.  A lot of storage space compared to some of the other cases out there.


nope... must have been someone else in that elevator! and Alan, if my memory serves me well i believe the storage is under the neck... these are REALLY nice cases!

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AlanN

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## Jammer61

Looks great! Thanks for the report! Did the Northfield folks indicate when these would be on sale for the public?

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## Chris Daniels

> Looks great! Thanks for the report! Did the Northfield folks indicate when these would be on sale for the public?


Quote from Northfield on this site and in response to email queries: 




> Cases will be available starting around March 1st. We’ll keep everyone updated.


Getting close!

C.

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Ivan Kelsall, 

Jammer61

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## almeriastrings

These look to be a very nice case.... I have seen a couple of the Jakob Winter fiddle cases of (very) similar spec and they both look great and provide good protection with light weight. They are a step up from the Travelite/Gator 'foam' type cases without getting into Calton/Pegasus/Hoffee territory. Ideal for gigging around town. Love the exterior finishes...

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## Gerry Cassidy

These do look really cool! 

Although they claim it to be universal, does that include the short neck, Gibson-styled mandolins? I have a short neck F4 and it doesn't fit in a couple of the aftermarket hardshell cases I have.

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## Mandolin Cafe

Edit: the retailer advertising these as coming with their Northfield stock jumped the gun. Inaccurate information.

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Ivan Kelsall

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## Ivan Kelsall

I get the impression that it's very early days yet for these new cases. I'm still living in the hope that they will be available direct to us in the UK / EU,
                       Ivan

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## Northfield mando

> I get the impression that it's very early days yet for these new cases. I'm still living in the hope that they will be available direct to us in the UK / EU,
>                        Ivan


Hi everyone! Thanks so much for the encouragement and all the interest in our new cases. Were still about 2 weeks out from having them ready for distribution in the USA. A little later than we expected, sorry for the wait! 

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. Please stay tuned for delivery and availability changes - well announce as soon as were ready to start shipping from Michigan. 

Thanks again everyone. There are a lot of exciting things happening for Northfield right now. Exciting and challenging. New cases, new instruments, and an additional location that were renovating now in Marshall.
-Adrian & the Northfielders

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DHopkins, 

Folkmusician.com, 

Ivan Kelsall, 

John Lloyd, 

Kevin K, 

Mandolin Cafe, 

Paul Statman

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## Glassweb

> Hi everyone! Thanks so much for the encouragement and all the interest in our new cases. We’re still about 2 weeks out from having them ready for distribution in the USA. A little later than we expected, sorry for the wait! 
> 
> 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. Please stay tuned for delivery and availability changes - we’ll announce as soon as we’re ready to start shipping from Michigan. 
> 
> Thanks again everyone. There are a lot of exciting things happening for Northfield right now. Exciting and challenging. New cases, new instruments, and an additional location that we’re renovating now in Marshall.
> -Adrian & the Northfielders


All good news... thanks!

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## FPhil

If possible I'll buy one directly in Germany, so let it happen!

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## ccravens

Any word on pricing?

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## pops1

> Any word on pricing?


Was wondering that yesterday.

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## HoGo

I'd like to ask wheteher there will be two versions of body interior - standard vs. big mon size?

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## Don Grieser

It's on the nf website for 275.

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## DougC

There is a story about someone wanting to sue the company because the latches did not hold and her violin fell out. This is their violin case obviously but it is the same design as the mandolin case.


BTW I like the case but I wish it had some sort of locking-latch as a backup.

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## Luna Pick

[QUOTE=DougC;1641213]There is a story about someone wanting to sue the company because the latches did not hold and her violin fell out. This is their violin case obviously but it is the same design as the mandolin case.]

Sheesh. So there is "a story about someone who wants to sue. . . "

What's the point/implication of this post?

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## DougC

[QUOTE=Luna Pick;1641248]


> There is a story about someone wanting to sue the company because the latches did not hold and her violin fell out. This is their violin case obviously but it is the same design as the mandolin case.]
> 
> Sheesh. So there is "a story about someone who wants to sue. . . "
> 
> What's the point/implication of this post?


There are a number of "implications". I'm glad someone is sharp enough to notice...

First, and foremost, it is an effort to help other Mandolin Cafe readers to be more informed about a product. 

Second, it is an observation about a product design that might be improved.

Third, it is a concern for Mandolin Cafe readers in an effort to keep their beautiful mandolin safe. 

Fourth and lastly, it _is not_ an effort to be negative about something that many consider to be a "winner".

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## Luna Pick

We know nothing about whether there was a lawsuit, the specific claim, or if it was successful, or exactly why the instrument fell out. Your post comes off to me at least that the Recurve mandolin may be faulty, at least by association. 

I think most people want to take good care of their instrument. 

My post isn't ill-intended, and I don't think yours is either. Just want the Northfield folks, and all others in business, to have a level playing field. Any product, cases included, can be flawed. 

To the extent there are similarities between the violin and mandolin cases I certainly appreciate being informed, but at the same time think the Northfield folks are pretty diligent about their product design, selection, due diligence. NFI.

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## DougC

> My post isn't ill-intended, and I don't think yours is either. 
> 
> (I) think the Northfield folks are pretty diligent about their product design, selection, due diligence. NFI.


My first impression about the Northfield folks and this new case was the same. They probably do an excellent job of selecting good products and good designs. So after some of _my due_ _diligence_, I found the lawsuit story. Personally, I favor Northfield's good judgment.

But the lack of a LOCKING LATCH in my humble opinion creates some doubt about the design. And Mandolin Cafe is just the place to share ideas and insights about the design.

I could care less about the silly person and her lawsuit.

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## Mandolin Cafe

> But the lack of a LOCKING LATCH in my humble opinion creates some doubt about the design. And Mandolin Cafe is just the place to share ideas and insights about the design.


As in the new Collings Vintage cases?

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## Roger Adams

Given that instrument cases are no longer permitted to be locked when flying, I personally see no practical need for a locking latch on an instrument case. I can't recall the last time I locked a case.....All my case keys are still in the envelope!  I do want the latch to be of good quality and fit so there is little issue with them coming undone through handling.  YMMV  :Mandosmiley:

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Jill McAuley

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## DougC

I was thinking of a Swiss-style latch often found on violin cases. It clicks into place when you close the case. Can't seem to find a good picture right now... 

As for the Jakob Winter latches on Northfield cases I wonder if you can see if the latch is actually 'caught' when it appears to cover the place where the 'catch' mechanism is located. 


On the other hand you can see if the Collings latch has fit over the 'catch' knob.

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## MontanaMatt

> Given that instrument cases are no longer permitted to be locked when flying, I personally see no practical need for a locking latch on an instrument case. I can't recall the last time I locked a case.....All my case keys are still in the envelope!  I do want the latch to be of good quality and fit so there is little issue with them coming undone through handling.  YMMV


You must not have a three year old son like me :Disbelief:

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## Roger Adams

> You must not have a three year old son like me


No, that's true!  My boys are all haired over and out of the house. :Laughing:

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## dschonbrun

Could be my eyes playing tricks, but in the product sheet, it seems like the latches on these Airloom light cases have a keyhole for locking.  The same design exists on the current rectangular Airloom I have... although, I never actually lock them and have never needed to.

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## DougC

Here is the catch. Pun intended. It is an automatic self catching device that is a 'back up' if the latches don't catch. There is a modern version where you can open it by squeezing it with thumb and finger. My point however is that it acts as a backup / prevention for accidental case opening.

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## MontanaMatt

> Could be my eyes playing tricks, but in the product sheet, it seems like the latches on these Airloom light cases have a keyhole for locking.  The same design exists on the current rectangular Airloom I have... although, I never actually lock them and have never needed to.


My fiberglass rectangular airloom does not have a key lock, just four latches.  Bought it direct last year, March or April.

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## Northfield mando

Hi everyone. Thought Id join in on the discussion. Here are my thoughts:

Latch Design: they look like a new style for our industry, but they work much the same as other latches. Because theyre new we are taking steps to explain proper closing. Were making a video which will be on the website, and Im very confident that anyone with a notion or experience with closing a case latch will be able to grasp it. 

Diligence: Im in very close contact with the Jakob Winter company, its development team and customer service experts. The green line cases are in their 3rd year - with some 20,000 cases made per year. 5 broken latches (all fixed) in approximately 60K cases made is very impressive. 

Latches failing (all at once): not an issue in our opinion. There are 3 separate latches. If you dont close them correctly you could have problems, just like on any other case.

Locks/keys: anyone here ever worked in a music store? Every single person at the repair shop I was involved with for many years was an expert of how to break into this type of clasp - because they regularly fail and/or people loose their key. We purposely left the lock off the tooling. Forcing a case open after its locked ruins the latch and on most designs - ruins the case.

Thanks for reading - back to work.... 

Adrian

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almeriastrings, 

bruce.b, 

carleshicks, 

derbex, 

DougC, 

Drew Egerton, 

imoir, 

Jill McAuley, 

JimY, 

Mandolin Cafe, 

Scott Rucker

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## Mandolin Cafe

Suspect many of you took notice these are now *being sold on the Northfield site*.

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## BrianWilliam

Want

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## onassis

I've been checking their site almost daily since the NAMM show.  Ordered one about an hour ago :Smile:

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## BrianWilliam

Nice!  What color?

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## onassis

The green.

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Drew Streip

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## Drew Streip

Me too -- ordered a green one yesterday. Peter at Northfield was kind enough to follow up on the email I sent them when the cases were first announced. Great customer service = good salesmanship! I'll post back when mine arrives.

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## onassis

Awesome!  I'm absurdly excited about mine.

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## BrianWilliam

Curiously, the link Scott posted no longer works. Here's the updated one: https://www.northfieldinstruments.co...irloom-recurve

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## BrianWilliam

Are the felt (green) and tweed (grey) cases differently in exterior texture?

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## Glassweb

> Are the felt (green) and tweed (grey) cases differently in exterior texture?


Yes they are... the grey tweed has a more textured exterior than the green which is smoother.

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jd.panko

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## Ivan Kelsall

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 :Frown:

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## Mandobar

My new F5s came with the Airloom case, and while I like the room it affords, I ordered a Recurve (green) as soon as I saw the ad Wednesday.  Looking forward to comparing it.

The Airloom is not light, but does its job well.

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## Eric C.

> 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


Well, they did reply to your inquiry in this very thread in mid-March (past your February email). Might be why they didn't direct reply to your email.

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## Josh Levine

I feel like this was addressed, but I can't find it anywhere. Is the tweed grey case less water resistant than the others?

Josh

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## Mandolin Cafe

> 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





> Well, they did reply to your inquiry in this very thread in mid-March (past your February email). Might be why they didn't direct reply to your email.


And they replied in late January. Give it a rest or start your own thread. 

How is we are assured the email was actually sent properly, that it was actually received, that this isn't your error? The answer is we can't. Not looking or asking for your reply. As someone that administers a server and sees all of the failed email problems that are user generated or fail as a result of a technical issue somewhere along the way I will assure everyone reading this, email has never been a 100% guarantee since day 1 of the internet and you can't pin fault of who it is addressed to. They've replied directly to you twice online. Some patience is in order. Time to give it a rest or move on somewhere else.

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Eric C.

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## Glassweb

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...

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jd.panko

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## 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.

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cayuga red

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## 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?

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## 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 :Confused:

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## carleshicks

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

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## 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.

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derbex, 

FPhil, 

Ivan Kelsall, 

JimY

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## 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 :Grin:

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## Josh Levine

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

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## 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?

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Bob Clark, 

Charles E., 

Chris Daniels, 

darylcrisp, 

Glassweb, 

hank, 

Ivan Kelsall, 

Kevin Stueve, 

Paul Statman

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## 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

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## 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.

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Paul Statman

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## Mandolin Cafe

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

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## 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 :Wink:

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## 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!

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## 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.

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colorado_al, 

Drew Streip, 

Ivan Kelsall, 

LadysSolo, 

Paul Statman

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## 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

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## 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

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## 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?

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## 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.

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Ivan Kelsall

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## 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.

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Bogle

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## 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.

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## 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  :Confused: ) 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.

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SincereCorgi

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## AlanN

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

Nice case, nice look.

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Chris Daniels

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## 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!  :Laughing: 

C.

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AlanN

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## 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 :Wink:

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## 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.

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Ivan Kelsall

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## Ivan Kelsall

Hi Chris - Many thanks indeed. The end pin slot would certainly allow my Lebeda to fit inside,
                                                                                                                            Ivan :Wink:

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## darylcrisp

OUTSIDE measurements in case(pun intended) anyone is interested (as in if you store it in a locker at work-will it fit?)

Hi Daryl, 
Total length is 30”

Width at the lower bout is 13 & 1/2

Depth at lower bout is 5 &3/4”







Best regards,

 Peter Bagale
 Northfield Mandolins
 877-367-7304 Ext. 1

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## Josh Levine

Well I just pulled the trigger. I've been stewing over it and just went for it. Ended it up going for the natural because of the waterproofing. Liked the Gray more, but wanted to best water resistance plus I can put stickers on the natural better methinks.

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## Potosimando

My Northfield "natural" arrived earlier today.  Without question, the natural is not nearly as protective as my old Calton case, which the natural is replacing.  But my gosh...the natural is so much lighter, and considerably more-comfortable to carry around, than the old Calton (maybe the new Caltons are more comfortable than the old Caltons).  If you don't feel that you need Calton-type protection, then I would give a big thumbs-up to the Northfield case--very classy case. 

Also, FWIW my Calton-fitted Colorado-Case-Company "cover" actually fits the Northfield/natural case (a little "tight", but very OK)--except that the CCC strap holes don't line up at all (this does not matter to me, in that I don't use straps).

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## Glassweb

I just received my gray Recurve case today and I'm VERY pleased to finally have it in my home... and so are my mandolins!
When I first saw the Recurve case at Wintergrass a few months ago I got pretty excited... FINALLY someone had combined the best qualities of the Travelite/Gator case with those of the Calton/Hoffee style offerings. Bingo! The Recurve nails the best of both! The case is lightweight, protective and downright gorgeous. I've now seen all 3 models in person, but for me the gray offering takes the case for elegance and protective qualities. I don't know if the woven exterior fabric of the gray is more protective or sturdy than the other exteriors, but I kinda get the feeling it may be. The interior seems to be the same on all the models and both my Kimble A and my Northfield Artist Model fit perfectly in the interior (not at the same time of course!).
Priced mid-way between the Travelite and the Calton, I feel that the Recurve is a deluxe and luxurious protection for my mandolins that I can afford. And boy is it comfortable to carry around by hand... a GREAT handle on these cases! So there you have it... chalk up another win for another great product offered by the Northfield team. Try it... you'll like it!

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## Ivan Kelsall

Quote - _"  woven exterior fabric "_. There is no woven fabric. The cases are made by pressure forming natural plant fibres which give the case a 'fabric like' texture. From the Northfiled website :- _" It utilizes their process for turning plant materials (hemp, flax, kenaf) into a pressed shell using heat and pressure instead of glue."_.

  I suspect that the natural fibres have a substance which behaves very much like a 'glue',& which holds the fibres together. 'Whatever' - Jakob Winter's Co. has been making such cases for many years,& i'm sure that the same expertise & care for quality has been used in these new cases,
                                               Ivan :Wink:

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## Northfield mando

I hope this clears this up. The gray is a covered  version of the natural. It is a woven textile laminated to the natural material in a heat pressing.
3 distinct colors, exteriors, and textures. All the same manufacturing technique and molding.

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carleshicks, 

Glassweb, 

imoir, 

Ivan Kelsall

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## Ivan Kelsall

_" It is a woven textile laminated to the natural material in a heat pressing."_ Thanks for that info. - it does indeed look as though there's a 'fabric' on the outside,but _no mention_ is given re.that in the case description,hence my personal doubt, :Redface: 
                                                                                                                                                              Ivan :Wink:

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## Gerry Cassidy

Redundant post. Mod's please delete.

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## Gerry Cassidy

> 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!


My Arches F4, which is built to the Gibson Torch & Wire F4 spec, doesn't fit.

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