Our Story (and we’re stickin’ to it): In some ways, making these mandolins is about finding the way back home, for the instrument and for myself. For years I had been working with other companies making Gibson-style mandolins, based on the designs by Lloyd Loar during the 1920’s, but had never been that satisfied with the outcome. I had spent several years running back and forth from the USA to China, Japan and Korea. At one point I relocated to China with my family to work as the product development manager for Saga Musical Instruments. I, as well as a couple members of The Northfield Workshop, developed hundreds of items for dozens of companies in dozens of countries. We contributed to the development of some fantastic instruments and learned a lot in regards to what we enjoy about instrument building as well as what we don’t. What we enjoyed was the thrill of getting it right, and getting it right together. What we didn’t like……well, let’s just say that trying to get it right thousands and thousands of times ends up undermining “getting it right”. We aspire to make the best instruments not the most.
Adrian Bagale
Design and R&D, Northfield Mandolins
Visit NorthfieldMandolins.com to learn more.
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John Reischman, “Little Pine Siskin” | Northfield MandolinsPeghead Nation instructor John Reischman plays an original tune at the 2019 Marshall Mandolin Summit. Read More |
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Jake Howard and Grant Flick: “Morning Breaks” | Northfield MandolinsAn instrumental duet played on a pair of Northfield Archtop and Flattop Octave Mandolins. Read More |
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Octave Mandolin Woods | Northfield MandolinsNorthfield's Derek Smith demonstrates three flattop octave mandolins with different wood combinations. Read More |
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Gilchrist/Northfield Tailpiece | Northfield MandolinsNorthfield's Kjell Croce demonstrates the installation of the new Gilchrist-designed mandolin tailpiece. Read More |
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Artist Series “4th Generation” F5 | Northfield MandolinsDan Bui demonstrates a Lloyd Loar-style F5 from Northfield Mandolins at the Music Emporium. Read More |
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Northfield CalhounA great-sounding US-made flattop mandolin at an affordable price. Read More |
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Walnut Flat Top Octave Mandolin | Northfield MandolinsEthan Setiawan demonstrates a cool octave mandolin at the Music Emporium. Read More |
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Artist Series F5 | Northfield MandolinsEthan Setiawan demonstrates a great F5 at the Music Emporium. Read More |
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Flattop Octave Mandolin | Northfield MandolinsElderly Instruments demonstrates a great option for a low-tuned eight-string. Read More |
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Don Stiernberg: “It’s a Good Day” | Northfield MandolinsThe jazz mandolin great performs at the Marshall Mandolin Summit. Read More |
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Sierra Hull: “Grey Owl” | Northfield MandolinsSierra Hull plays a fiddle tune on her Northfield octave mandolin. Read More |
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The Calhoun | Northfield MandolinsThe making of Northfield's great flattop mandolin. Read More |
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Sarah Jarosz and Mike Marshall: “Mansinneedof” | Northfield MandolinsA great mandolin duet of Sarah Jarosz’s original tune, recorded live at the Marshall Mandolin Summit. Read More |
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Don Stiernberg Trio: “I’m Old Fashioned” | Northfield MandolinsThe mandolin master plays a great version of the Jerome Kern classic with his trio, live at the Marshall Mandolin Summit. Read More |
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Northfield Big Mon Comparison | Northfield MandolinsTwo Big Mon mandolins, one built with Engelmann, the other with an Adirondack spruce top, played back-to-back. Read More |
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John Reischman and Mike Marshall: “La Arboleda” | Northfield MandolinsTwo mandolin masters play a Puerto Rican tune that John learned from a recording of cuatro player Pedro Padilla. Read More |
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Sarah Jarosz: “Build Me Up From Bones” | Northfield MandolinsThe songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist performs live at the Marshall Mandolin Summit. Read More |
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John Reischman and Don Stiernberg: “Yardbird Suite” | Northfield MandolinsTwo mandolin masters play a great version of Charlie Parker’s classic 1946 bebop composition, live at the Marshall Mandolin Summit. Read More |
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Northfield Archtop Octave MandolinJoe K. Walsh demonstrates his archtop guitar–inspired octave mandolin. Read More |
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Northfield MandolinsEach Northfield instrument is built with an exacting approach, with dedication and respect to the art of the premier designs of Lloyd Loar. We're here because he was and we know that. Read More |
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Northfield Archtop Octave MandolinsNorthfield’s Adrian Beagle tells the story of the company’s unique octave mandolin model. Demonstrated by Mike Marshall and Emory Lester. Read More |
