Page 3 of 6 FirstFirst 123456 LastLast
Results 51 to 75 of 143

Thread: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

  1. #51

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Does anyone have any more precise information regarding price and availability?

  2. #52
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    ~ $350 US. The first batch sold out quickly, more to come in the next weeks, as far as I know.

  3. #53

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Quote Originally Posted by AlanN View Post
    ~ $350 US. The first batch sold out quickly, more to come in the next weeks, as far as I know.
    Sold out where? Are there a small number of dealer/stockists? They aren't listed on the Northfield website.

  4. #54
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    No idea. That was told to me by the NF guy I spoke with.

  5. #55
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Kalamazoo, MI.
    Posts
    7,487

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    So, how's the tone?
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

  6. #56

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Quote Originally Posted by Timbofood View Post
    So, how's the tone?
    And is it BC friendly?

  7. The following members say thank you to Ron McMillan for this post:


  8. #57
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Case arrived. Dandy. Quality build, hardware, interior, look, feel. Not too heavy or bulky.

  9. #58

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    My case just arrived from Peter at Northfield. Fiberglass, foam, and velvet have similar qualities of a Price or Calton... appears to include some thermal insulation in the build. The top and bottom mate perfectly, and the rubberized gasket ensures an air and watertight seal. Fit and finish look really good.

    Low profile closures are light and effective, there's a comfortable handle, and numerous rubber "feet" so you can put the case on end, or on it's back. My mando fits with the tone-guard and my mcclung rest installed, no movement of the body once in place.. the foam sculpting is perfect. The folding compartment is larger than most other cases... provides long support for the neck. I also love that the headstock has no risk of damage from impacting the case sides (a.k.a TKL) and that the way they angled the folding compartment provides support for the headstock.

    Re the Hiscox: this airloom is lighter and smaller than the Hiscox in several dimensions, and the instument is supported and isolated from movement in the Airloom far better than in the Hiscox.

    Price is $350, and Northfield is only selling direct to consumer to keep the price reasonable. If sold through retailers, I suspect the price would be nearly double.

    Best,
    D

  10. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to dschonbrun For This Useful Post:


  11. #59

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Here are some pics of my new Mando and the case details including the bumper/feet, closures, hinges, and gasket.

    Adrian and Peter tend to do a lot of research before making any decisions, and they get input from people like Mike Marshall, Adam Steffey, Emory Lester, and Don Julin. They are also very willing to take voice of customer feedback from a mandolin student like me.

    Enjoy the pics. Feel free to ask questions.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0332 (1).jpg 
Views:	448 
Size:	117.1 KB 
ID:	143642
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0333 (1).jpg 
Views:	395 
Size:	37.4 KB 
ID:	143643
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0334 (1).jpg 
Views:	407 
Size:	46.9 KB 
ID:	143644
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0335 (1).jpg 
Views:	409 
Size:	62.1 KB 
ID:	143645
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0336 (1).jpg 
Views:	381 
Size:	66.4 KB 
ID:	143646

  12. #60

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Very impressive. I would be surprised if demand wasn't very high.

  13. #61

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    They can't keep the cases in stock. Because it doesn't have NF branding, there a huge potential customer base. I see this as a huge opportunity for the company to demonstrate that they only produce well designed and executed products; and they prefer smaller batches to maintain optimum quality.

  14. #62
    Registered User John Duncan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    395

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Hey Adrian, (if you are reading this), I'll buy a guitar case and fiddle case from y'all if you make them.

    My Youtube Channel: http://bit.ly/1F9sJ8G

  15. #63
    garded
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    now Los Osos, CA
    Posts
    1,996

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    And those wonderful hinges with open stop built in! ��

  16. #64
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    I will amend an earlier remark where I wrote this was a good case for the money to...it's a good case for twice the money.

    I asked the NF rep about a case cover. He's working on it.

  17. #65
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Manchester - Lancashire - NW England
    Posts
    14,187

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    From Alan N - "I asked the NF rep about a case cover. He's working on it.". Nice one Alan !!
    Ivan
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
    Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
    Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.

  18. #66
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    I just hope the cover isn't too $$. The last time I pursued this, the cover cost more than the case
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	P1230400.jpg 
Views:	285 
Size:	78.1 KB 
ID:	143676  

  19. #67
    garded
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    now Los Osos, CA
    Posts
    1,996

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    So it's hard to tell by the pix, but looks like the bottom is slightly domed/curved... Is the top?

  20. #68
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Just checked, the top does have an ever-so-slight dome to it.

  21. #69
    garded
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    now Los Osos, CA
    Posts
    1,996

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    So it feels like it will withstand some direct pressure in the middle of the top? Sounds like a dream come true if it does.

  22. #70
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Manchester - Lancashire - NW England
    Posts
    14,187

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Tony - Don't put too much trust in a fiberglass case simply having a slightly domed lid. Fiberglass in most of it's uses isn't a very good structural material, & unless it's pretty thick,it can easily deform under pressure & could even crack. Fiberglass is usually laid up one laminate on top of another,in layers,& the layers can separate,especially if the f/glass has any air bubbles in it. If it does de-laminate,you won't see it,but the strength of the case will be compromised. The only way to avoid that is to cure the layup inside a vacuum bag with all the air pumped out so,allowing external air pressure to squeeze any bubbles from between the layers. After that,the layup needs to be tested for de-lamination usually using an ultra-sonic scanner. Personally,i don't think that they're going to go to all that trouble for a mandolin case. This isn't to say that fibergass cases aren't any good - they are, as long as you don't abuse them. The only f/glass layup where de-lamination won't occur,is one where there aren't any laminates to begin with. With cases such as the Caltons,their strength comes in part from the relatively small area which can be subject to pressure. Increase that area, & there could be a problem.
    The old Mark Leaf cases were made using what's termed 'chopped strand' glasscloth. This consists of very loosely woven glass fibers which intertwine to form a very strong matrix with no laminations. Unless the top of the N/field case is pretty thick,i suspect that my TKL 'American Vintage' case with it's extra wooden plies & very much more 'domed' top,would be stronger. But all this is academic unless you're going to jump up & down on the thing,
    Ivan
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Top__Medium_.jpg 
Views:	265 
Size:	80.5 KB 
ID:	143712Click image for larger version. 

Name:	fiberglass chopped mat.jpg 
Views:	247 
Size:	48.2 KB 
ID:	143713
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
    Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
    Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.

  23. #71
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Quote Originally Posted by TonyP View Post
    So it feels like it will withstand some direct pressure in the middle of the top? Sounds like a dream come true if it does.
    The top does 'give' a bit when forcibly pushed down on. Not a concern. I placed the Hoffee with mandolin inside on top of the NF. No push-down.

    Again, a solid, well-crafted, well-thought-out case.

  24. #72
    garded
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    now Los Osos, CA
    Posts
    1,996

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Thanks Alan.

    Thanks Ivan. I've been around fiberglass but not into the actual process or engineering. So it was good to get a technical explanation. And truth be told even when I was around where it was being done I stayed as far away from it as possible. The whole thing is incredibly nasty stuff. Fiberglass, resin, acetone, all of it horrible messy stuff to be around. The one place I did work where they did it was to make water tanks and they used the chopped method. This is why I would expect fiberglass and carbon fiber(which is also very flexible) to be expensive because of the manufacturing process and working with toxic materials.

    Wood does get a bad rap for somehow being inferior, but as a material and especially when laminated extremely strong and light. And won't delaminate when flexed. But it's way more labor intensive to do complicated things like corners than molding processes like fiberglass and CF. And there's the added process of finishing and sealing wood, so there's lots of trade offs.

    NF seems to have done their homework on this case and its definitely an improvement on the wood rectangular case they used before. I'm not looking for a flight case because as long as a case can fit in an overhead(which seems to be part of their design criteria) I'm satisfied. I always wait and pack my case last whenever I do a road trip with other musicians, making sure my precious is last and on top of the stack. At $350 NF has thread the needle between low end and flight cases right where I might be tempted to make the jump where I can't even touch a used Calton.

    All that remains at this point is see how they do in the field.

  25. #73
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Manchester - Lancashire - NW England
    Posts
    14,187

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Hi Tony - Yes,fiberglass & even more so,Carbon Fibre,is pretty nasty stuff. In it's raw state,fibres can break off & stick into your skin so gloves are a pre-requiisite. The resins used,although not 'toxic',can be very bad for your lungs so,breathing apparatus is sometimes used & a good ventilation system in the work area is required. Contact with the resins,over a long period can cause Dermatitis & other skin conditions.
    Lots of folk seem to think that anything made from glass or carbon fibre,is 'cheap & cheerful' - it's anything but that !!. Depending on whether you go for a 'hot' or 'cold' cured resin system,you need the moulds making from the right materials ie wooden mould tools used for a 'cold cure' system wouldn't last a month in a 'hot cure' system. After making the 'shells' for the top & bottom case parts,you then need trimming jigs to trim them to depth & which might also incorporate drill bushes to drill holes for the 'whatevers'. After trimming & drilling,you're left with exposed fibers,the edges of which require sealing = a lot of tooling expense & it's very labour intensive = costly !!. In aircraft production,we often got a call to make a non-structural (non-load bearing) part from glass fiber. More often than not,we'd request a design change so that we could make it from Polycarbonate which we could hot vacuum form in multiples at a time. We could make 100's of items in the time it would take to lay up a single item. That was because even our design engineers thought of glass fibre as a cheap option - it's not !!,
    Ivan
    Weber F-5 'Fern'.
    Lebeda F-5 "Special".
    Stelling Bellflower BANJO
    Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
    Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.

  26. #74
    Okay, I'm with you fellas tburcham's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Jonesboro, AR
    Posts
    726
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    I think Northfield has another batch of Airloom Cases available. Click Here to visit the Airloom link at Northfield.
    Tim Burcham
    Northfield Big Mon (Red Spruce/Red Maple)
    Gibson F-9 Custom
    1942 Strad-O-Lin
    1948-54 Gibson LG-3
    2011 Gibson J-45 True Vintage
    2017 Martin HD-28 VTS Custom Shop
    Bailey Mandolin Straps (NFI)
    Bell Arm-rests (NFI)

  27. #75
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    12,258

    Default Re: Northfield Mandolins "Deluxe Airloom" fiberglass Cases

    Cover coming soon..yeehaw!

    And I see the price is 'introductory'. Better get your orders in, kids.

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •