Northfield NFA-5V1E Mike Marshall Artist 5-Bar Model Carved Top Mandolin (2020), made in China, serial # A20086, shaded sunburst varnish finish, flame maple back and sides, Engleman spruce top; laminated maple neck with ebony fingerboard, black road case.
Northfield Mandolins are really fine modern instruments featuring excellent materials and a very high build quality characterized by close attention to detail. Northfield was founded by a team of experienced luthiers in Michigan and China with the goal of producing the highest quality instruments they can, and have proved very successful. This Northfield Artist Series NFA-5V1e is a lovely example of their best work, an evolution of the traditional F-5 designed for and in collaboration with celebrated mandolinist Mike Marshall.
This mandolin is a "5-Bar" version of the traditional F-5 design with an evolved top bracing pattern. Northfield reports this results in a "wider harmonic array, more low-end responsiveness and an omnidirectional projection pattern". It is finished in very thin varnish with a traditional Cremona Brown sunburst pattern. The back sides and neck are figured maple with a particularly dramatic pattern on the neck. The top is Engleman spruce; the woods for these are seasoned and matched in Northfield's Marshall, MI shop with the mandolin assembled and varnished in Qingdao, then returned fior set up and final inspection in Marshall. The mandolin is hand-dated March 2020 signed by the luthiers involved and Mike Marshall.
This mandolin handles and plays beautifully with a much nicer finish than most in its price class and a full-bodied sound, with a wider tonal range than many modern F-style instruments. It has the typical F-5 bark when pushed, but also a subler sonic character at lower volume than some F-5's that only come alive under a Bluegrass attack.
Overall length is 27 5/16 in. (69.4 cm.), 10 in. (25.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.).
This modern F-5 style mandolin has seen some use and shows general play wear, mostly contact marks to the back from the thin varnish finish reacting to heat and moisture (perhaps it has been to a few festivals!). The finish overall shows some small dings and scratches; these are mostly on the top where there is also some arm wear to the upper rear quarter but no really heavy picking wear. The back of the neck is very clean. This is a fine playing and sounding instrument, a professional grade Bluegrass (and beyond) mandolin at a more moderate price than many handmade examples. It feels plated-in enough for the sound to have started to mature, ready for its next gig in a molded fiberglass travel case with some sticker additions. Very Good + Condition.
