Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

  1. #1

    Default New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Looks like an A5 Special to me but they aren't bound on the back. A possible upgrade? A new A style? Any ideas?
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Northfield A5.jpg 
Views:	187 
Size:	128.7 KB 
ID:	190627
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

  2. #2
    not a donut Kevin Winn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    735

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    This photo is on their IG account, and one of the hashtags they include is "#a5"

    The caption reads "Preparing for takeoff," so it may indeed be a new model.

    That would be cool....
    "Keep your hat on, we may end up miles from here..." - Kurt Vonnegut

  3. #3

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Looks bound on the back to me?

  4. #4

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Quote Originally Posted by Northwest Steve View Post
    Looks bound on the back to me?
    Yeah looks triple bound which would mean it's not a typical M or an A5 special. Might just be an upgrade to either model.

    It looks to be bound like a Big Mon so maybe an A style Big Mon?
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

  5. #5
    not a donut Kevin Winn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    735

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    I seem to remember seeing an A style Big Mon in the Classifieds some time ago (or maybe it was on one of the sponsor sites), but the description said they only made a few. Wonder if they are trying it again...?
    "Keep your hat on, we may end up miles from here..." - Kurt Vonnegut

  6. #6
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    2,045

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    With the post on Facebook stating "ready for takeoff" am thinking it's an upgraded A5. Which probably makes sense as they are making more Model M in Michigan.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

  7. #7

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    It looks beautiful!

    If it was an Artist A5 model and it came in somewhere under the Big Mon it would be hard to resist! Right now there's a gap in their line from 3500 for the A5 Special to 4700 for the Big mon. NF are the most comfortable playing mandos for me. For a triple bound Icelandic Brown A5 Artist I would probably sell off everything except the Trilluim. Meh getting ahead of myself here but it's fun to speculate.
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

  8. The following members say thank you to Chuck Leyda for this post:


  9. #8

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    I suppose it could also sit between the Big Mon and the Artist F somewhere in the 5k range?
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

  10. The following members say thank you to Chuck Leyda for this post:


  11. #9
    not a donut Kevin Winn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    735

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Whatever it is, it has my attention...
    "Keep your hat on, we may end up miles from here..." - Kurt Vonnegut

  12. The following members say thank you to Kevin Winn for this post:


  13. #10
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    2,045

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Leyda View Post
    It looks beautiful!

    If it was an Artist A5 model and it came in somewhere under the Big Mon it would be hard to resist! Right now there's a gap in their line from 3500 for the A5 Special to 4700 for the Big mon. NF are the most comfortable playing mandos for me. For a triple bound Icelandic Brown A5 Artist I would probably sell off everything except the Trilluim. Meh getting ahead of myself here but it's fun to speculate.
    Okay, that shocks me, have heard your F5S and it's a great mandolin, IMO. Surprised you'd be thinking of trading it. In fact, it's what got me seriously thinking about buying one before going off in a totally different direction with the Weber.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

  14. #11

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    I know. It's a sickness isn't it? MAS continues.

    Any justification is slight. It's certainly more mandolin than I need.

    But here goes: I think the NF5S is a pretty bluegrass focused instrument. The tone is quite nice and not at all harsh but it's a strong fundamental tone to cut through a band setting and I don't know if I will ever play in a band again. Sherri and I are playing more as a duo and that might be the future going forward. I'm quite enchanted by the tone of the Northfield Artist 5 bar which seems to have a richer harmonic content and a little more complexity and sparkle. I've heard that same tone in a few other mandolins.

    You could certainly read that last paragraph as: It's fun to buy more mandolins.

    I also wrecked my back in 2019. It got better, then worse, then better-ish. Mandolins and mandolas feel fine but playing the long scale instruments kinda hurts. It's not awful but at 54 playing things that are comfortable probably translates into playing longer. So I would have some nice guitars/octave mandolins/bouzoukis to sell.

    I could use that money to upgrade the appliances in the house. Or.......
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

  15. The following members say thank you to Chuck Leyda for this post:


  16. #12
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    3,859

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Leyda View Post
    I'm quite enchanted by the tone of the Northfield Artist 5 bar which seems to have a richer harmonic content and a little more complexity and sparkle.
    You mean like this one in the classifieds?

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/159397#159397
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

  17. #13

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Yeah that's very nice and not too far from me.

    This one really caught my eye too although I prefer a standard 1 1/8 nut:
    https://themusicemporium.com/product...e-artist-model

    My wife has been more than kind regarding instrument acquisition so I would need to move a lot of gear before any upgrades.
    Girouard Concert A5
    Girouard Custom A4
    Nordwall Cittern
    Barbi Mandola
    Crump OM-1s Octave
    www.singletonstreet.com

  18. #14
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    2,045

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Leyda View Post
    I know. It's a sickness isn't it? MAS continues.

    Any justification is slight. It's certainly more mandolin than I need.

    But here goes: I think the NF5S is a pretty bluegrass focused instrument. The tone is quite nice and not at all harsh but it's a strong fundamental tone to cut through a band setting and I don't know if I will ever play in a band again. Sherri and I are playing more as a duo and that might be the future going forward. I'm quite enchanted by the tone of the Northfield Artist 5 bar which seems to have a richer harmonic content and a little more complexity and sparkle. I've heard that same tone in a few other mandolins.

    You could certainly read that last paragraph as: It's fun to buy more mandolins.

    I also wrecked my back in 2019. It got better, then worse, then better-ish. Mandolins and mandolas feel fine but playing the long scale instruments kinda hurts. It's not awful but at 54 playing things that are comfortable probably translates into playing longer. So I would have some nice guitars/octave mandolins/bouzoukis to sell.

    I could use that money to upgrade the appliances in the house. Or.......
    Totally get that. Very similar to my thinking. Hence my going for the Weber. Ended up realizing the tone of Bob Dixon's Weber was closer to the sound I wanted. Although recently have been playing my other mandolins more around the house. Just to get a different sound in my head. So who knows? Maybe my Collings will win out in the end anyway.

    Or, I'll just go out into left field and find an F2S. Part of me is really starting to think about cutting down on the number of instruments. Have too many choices now. Maybe just one or two good ones would serve me better.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

  19. #15
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    3,859

    Default Re: New Northfield? Custom? Upgrade?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Platt View Post
    Or, I'll just go out into left field and find an F2S. Part of me is really starting to think about cutting down on the number of instruments. Have too many choices now. Maybe just one or two good ones would serve me better.
    Like this one? https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/164570#164570
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

  20. The following members say thank you to pheffernan for this post:


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
  •