Re: Kentucky KM-1050 vs Northfield F5S
I have played a bunch of the high end Kentuckys, I own a J Bovier F5 Special, and I have played a number of Northfields including F5s, Big Mon, and Artist Series.
The J Bovier F5 is a nice mandolin. Mine is beautifully built, with very nice woods.
It is surprisingly cleanly built, and has a good tone.
The neck is awesome, and super easy to play.
You can find a used top of the line F5 Special for much less than the others mentioned.
New they are $1,800, but used you can find them for hundreds less,
I have see them for $800-1200 used.
Although you don't see them come up all that often anymore.
I think the people that buy them keep them.
If they get a nicer one later, the J Bovier becomes a really awesome beater.
I think the high end Kentuckys are generally pretty nice mandolins that are really good for bluegrass in particular.
They usually have a nice bluegrassy tone.
A lot of the ones I have played were good instruments.
Some I didn't like at all because they were a bit dull in tone.
One was a really nice mandolin, with a strong tone and good chop.
I preferred the ones with radius fretboards, but that is subjective.
None really WOWed me, but I was comparing them to much nicer instruments.
I would want to play a Kentucky before I bought it though.
Luckily you are much more likely to see a Kentucky in a store than the others, so you can get a feel for it.
I own a Northfield Artist, but have played a good number of F5s and Big Mons.
I owned an F5s, and it was an incredible instrument.
I wish I still had it, because the tone was absolutely amazing.
The chop thumped my chest through the back of the mandolin.
It soundly beat every mandolin in the store when I bought it, including several high end Collings.
All of the Northfields I have played have been really great instruments, and some were spectacular.
If you don't mind spending the money, I would 100% say get a Northfield.
To me they are definitely level up from Kentuckys, and well worth the money.
I would happily own any of the Northfields I have played.
I would also buy one without playing it, if I couldn't find one nearby, and I wouldn't worry about it.
They are surprisingly consistent.
The F5s has a really nice punch, and great singing tone.
They are more simply decorated than the big mon, but are beautifully built with really nice woods.
Anyhoo, I am a sucker for Northfields, but they get me every time.
They are truly satisfying instruments that you get excited to play.
Mandolins: Northfield 5-Bar Artist Model "Old Dog", J Bovier F5 Special, Gibson A-00 (1940)
Fiddles: 1920s Strad copy, 1930s Strad copy, Liu Xi T20, Liu Xi T19+ Dark.
Guitars: Taylor 514c (1995), Gibson Southern Jumbo (1940s), Gibson L-48 (1940s), Les Paul Custom (1978), Fender Strat (Black/RWFB) (1984), Fender Strat (Candy Apple Red/MFB) (1985).
Sitars: Hiren Roy KP (1980s), Naskar (1970s), Naskar (1960s).
Misc: 8 Course Lute (L.K.Brown)
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