Marshall, Mich. — Compelling music is often a finely tuned collaboration of extraordinary talent. Believing the craft of making great instruments is no different, Northfield Mandolins and Mike Marshall are pleased to announce a new partnership.
Marshall will partner with Adrian Bagale and Kosuke Kyomori of Northfield in a quest to create a series of instruments that exceed expectations.
"When Mike to came to us with the idea to work together we jumped at the chance. I mean, we just had to go for it. We kicked around a lot of ideas and both agreed that a true artist collaboration on the development side instead of a basic product endorsement would be a lot more meaningful," said Adrian Bagale, founder of Northfield Instruments.
"It's one thing for a great player to put their name on an instrument, but we think it says far more when they are deeply involved in every part of its creation."
Marshall brings his experience and insight to the process, and will push the talented group at Northfield to craft unique instruments that suit a range of styles.
"This isn't a one-and-done kind of thing for me," noted Marshall. "I see it as an ongoing process and a chance to really explore the boundaries of what makes a great mandolin.
"There is no such thing as a 'perfect' model so we'll continue to work to produce a number of instruments that offer the qualities different performers are seeking."
Northfield has long been a proponent of artist collaboration. Throughout its history, the company has worked with top talents such as Adam Steffey, Emory Lester, Martino Coppo, and Aaron Ramsey, relying on them to road test instruments and provide essential feedback.
Bagale believes this venture expands on that approach. These mandolins will reflect not only the collaboration between Mike and the Northfield team but also the deep connections that Mike has within the musician community. The road testing in live performances will grow, small batches will be produced and fine tuned, and the information gained will be part of a constant evolution.
"Mike understands, in a way that very few do, all the different contexts that a mandolin might need to fit into, or what different player styles demand of the instrument," continued Bagale. "This effort is going to be about constant dialogue and interaction with the musician community."
The mandolins produced as part of this project will be sold in the Artist series. The first batches are scheduled for a production release in December 2015.
Additional Information
Section Widget
Message