Has anyone found a decent case that fits the Northfield Calhoun yet? I think I’ve read most of the previous threads on this subject but don’t recall seeing any substantiated solutions. Unfortunately a gig bag just isn’t going to cut it for my needs.
Has anyone found a decent case that fits the Northfield Calhoun yet? I think I’ve read most of the previous threads on this subject but don’t recall seeing any substantiated solutions. Unfortunately a gig bag just isn’t going to cut it for my needs.
Ask Northfield. They are very open to customer or potential customer questions.
Big Muddy EM8 solid body (Mike Dulak's final EM8 build)
Kentucky KM-950
Weber Gallatin A Mandola "D hole"
Rogue 100A (current campfire tool & emergency canoe paddle)
Looks like I’m going to have to.
Bit of a head scratcher that they don’t stock any hard cases for the Calhoun, or at least list a compatible hard case on their website that can be sourced from an external vendor. Specs on the Recurve would seem to indicate it’s a no go for the Calhoun.
I’ll shoot them an email.
You could also put a call into Elderly Instruments. They seem to have a Calhoun in stock, as well as a variety of cases. I'm sure they'd be willing to check the fit on a few different options for you.
If you find one, please post. I’m sure there are many of us who would prefer a hard case.
I certainly will Ed.
I struck out at The Music Emporium and so far no reply from Northfield.
Does anyone have a recent Superior fiberglass case they’d be willing to measure the interior bout width on? I am having difficulty finding the specs on-line - curiously the saga site doesn’t list them. I’d be interested to know that internal width on both the A and F style cases. Also wondering how deep the case is in the bridge area.
Quick Update:
Peter B. from Northfield got back to me today. He was kind enough to call around to some of their dealers that he knew typically have a lot of different cases on hand. Unfortunately all reported that none of the hard cases they had in stock were a perfect fit for the Calhoun. Peter did mention a case on Amazon that they are going to buy in hopes that it will be a good fit, but until they (or someone else) tries the case out, we won’t know for sure. I’d be the Guinea pig, except I happened to find a Superior Fiberglass case at Amazon Warehouse for a steeply discounted price just prior to getting Peter’s email and I pulled the trigger.
I expect the Superior will be too large to be ideal, but my main priority for now is keeping the mando humidified at home. I’m less concerned about impact damage due to the Calhoun flopping around loosely inside the case because I don’t expect this Mando to leave the house in the foreseeable future. I’ll report back on the fit once the case arrives next week.
Thanks to Peter at Northfield for doing the legwork of calling around to dealers, many instrument companies would have just said “sorry, don’t know which cases might fit”.
Update #2:
The Superior Fiberglass F case arrived today and it’s a complete no-go - The Calhoun headstock won’t even clear the built in accessory box.
Going to try a TKL Collings MT case tomorrow.
BTW, the adhesive stink coming out of the Superior case is crazy strong and smells like a combination of acetone and stale beer. Or maybe someone just spilled stale beer and acetone in the case. Either way, serious downside.
I bought a Calhoun from the MandolinStore a couple of years ago and they gave me an Eastman case that fits great. Not sure what model it was for, but I bet they know. Give them a call. Great folks.
Guessing if there was enough demand for them that NF would consider selling one themselves. I haven't played a Calhoun yet but they're very intriguing
Drew
2020 Northfield 4th Gen F5
2022 Northfield NFS-F5E
2019 Northfield Flat Top Octave
2021 Gold Tone Mando Cello
https://www.instagram.com/pilotdrew85
Northfield did have an interesting gig bag they used to offer as an option, but their supplier stopped producing them. I don’t know what “enough” demand would constitute, but it’s hard to imagine that they currently produce and sell enough Calhoun’s to make it cost effective enough for a custom spec’d case, produced just for this one particular model. As I mentioned previously, Peter did say there is a commercially available case they are looking into, but they hadn’t yet gotten one to test the fit.
Certainly there is some demand though, as this topic has come up a few times in past. Considering the base price of a Calhoun is now $995., I’m guessing more people are going to feel the need for a hard case.
Also, trying to keep a mando properly humidified in a gig bag is a losing proposition if you live somewhere dry, and a dried out flat top mando is a recipe for disaster, IME.
I wonder if it might fit in the same hard TKL case that the flat backed Waterloo mandolins come with.
A hard case.
I contacted TDK about making cases and there is a 25 case minimum. Shouldn't be too much for Northfield to make a case for the Calhoun.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
My Calhoun fits nicely in an SKB 80A case.
OK, a little follow-up FWIW:
One can make a Travelite work, but the fit is right up against the bottom two tuners at the bottom of the headstock, so you’re likely to have to return every time you remove the Calhoun from the case. Otherwise the fit is quite good.
Collings (TKL) A and F cases will work, though not really an economical solution unless you can find a good deal on one used. The fit of both cases is pretty good, though the Calhoun has a shallower body than carved Collings mandos, but I’d be perfectly comfortable using either Collings case for typical usage.
Seems like any standard case made for a carved top mando should work for the Calhoun, but I found several to be either too big in the body width/length, too deep causing the Calhoun’s to sit at an awkward angle to the neck rest, or too long below the neck, like the travelite. Maybe TKL makes an unbranded case with dimensions very close to that of the Collings case, those needing a case might call TKL to ask.
I’m all set for now, hope this thread has been helpful to someone, cheers.
I just got my Calhoun the other day. Going through the same dilemma. Hopefully I can find something here in Canada that will fit.
Northfield Calhoun Mandolin
Eastman MD505 Mandolin
Seagull S8 Mandolin
Godin A8 Mandolin
Fishman Loudbox Mini
Blue Chip Picks
Wayne
A COLLINGS MT case is good bet .
I wonder if a Hiscox would work?
Girouard Concert A5
Girouard Custom A4
Nordwall Cittern
Barbi Mandola
Crump OM-1s Octave
www.singletonstreet.com
Hi everyone! We have done a lot of searching and the very best case we have found for this instrument is one made by SKB. From time to time we have them but mostly we send people to Sweetwater. our friends in Fort Wayne. Here’s a link to it. Hope everyone is having a great summer!! …and if you’re one of the 100+ people that have emailed us inquiring about all the new instruments Thank you! and please know that we’re trying to get back to each and every one of you and make more updates to our website as things roll along.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-mandolin-case
Bookmarks