Northfield S Series NFS-F2WN Wide Nut, Scroll Inlay Mandolin - New

$4,145.00

Details

Northfield’s S Series of mandolins are an excellent choice for the player looking for the best tone with a little less bling. The NFS-F2WN offers the same quality woodworking as their more expensive instruments but by binding only the edge of the Adirondack spruce top and leaving the back unbound, the number of hours in each instrument is significantly reduced. Another cost saving measure is using a satin finish, which is easier to apply than a gloss finish. Happily, Northfield’s builders didn’t skimp on the important stuff like tone and playability. We ordered this mandolin with a black top, a look that dates back to the 1890s, and the option Scroll headstock inlay, which a subtle bit of flash.

At first glance the NFS-F2WN looks like another oval soundhole F-model mandolin, so no big deal. But look again. Note the high soundhole, tucked up beneath the scooped fretboard end, in fact the soundhole is almost underneath the 20th fret. This allows the bridge to be moved up to the same position on a typical F-5 with f-holes, with the longer neck giving the player two more frets clear of the body. The high soundhole allows the portion of the carved soundboard above the bridge to be fully active, again like an F-5, and the result is the most modern oval hole soundhole yet. You get the sweeter, more open tone of an oval hole mandolin, but with the playability and range of an f-hole mandolin.

The "WN" at the end of the model code stands for "Wide Neck," so if you find your fingers a bit cramped on a typical 1 1/8" mandolin neck this Northfield may win over your left hand very quickly. The surprising thing is that for most of us these WN Northfield necks don't feel wide at all when you're playing, you just have a bit more room and fewer muffed notes.