Northfield NFA-F51E Artist Series
The Northfield Artist Series are the company’s best instruments. As flagship models, Northfield showcases their best woods, their classiest inlays, and their finest craftsmanship in their Artist Series mandolins. This example is a 5-bar Engelmann NFA-F51E, and it’s nothing short of spectacular. Every detail is massaged to perfection – from finish to frets – there’s nothing the Northfield builders and set-up crew have missed in the design and creation of this incredible mandolin.
With masterfully carved Engelmann spruce top and ‘5 Bar’ bracing, highly figured and quartersawn maple back, spirit varnish finish, perfectly fit bridge with solid foot, guitar-sized frets, and Gilchrist/Northfield tailpiece, the Artist model has got all the ingredients of an incredible mandolin. It’s expressive, dynamic, and powerful, with more warmth and low end response than a traditionally braced F5, but without leaving you wanting for cut and treble string power.
The neck has a comfortably deep U carve with a slight V to its centreline, 1-1/8” nut width, and a compound radius fretboard. The ivoroid-bound ebony board has 20 frets and a shortened three fret scoop. Bound pickguard, triple-bound top, sides, and back, bound fingerboard and headstock, and graceful pearl and brass reed inlays. Through the treble-side F hole you’ll see a second label that bears the signatures of the three Northfield builders who crafted this particular F-5.
With Recurve case
Individual instruments may vary slightly in appearance
**USD Price includes Shopify fees
