Northfield Mandolins Model M Engelmann Spruce/Maple A-Style Mandolin Sunburst w/Hard Case

Shorn of pretense, simply appointed, our Model M mandolin is relatively new, but it was years in the making. And, while it may be our entry level mandolin, it’s hardly a typical one.

How so? Well, this is the mandolin we had in our heads when we first started shaping wood into remarkable instruments. One that does away with fancy scroll work and relies purely on rich, warm sound to make an impression. A mandolin that reflects both our obsessive nature with the finest instruments of the past—yes, we’ve spent some hundreds of hours looking at CT scans of the world’s great violins and mandolins, studying wood densities, making 3D scans, and analyzing recordings to dial in specific frequencies when we carve and voice the instrument—and our slightly crazy ways.  

That’s slightly crazy—not risky. You see, before you play the Model M, know that a whole bunch of other musicians already have. We gave early production models to musicians. Had them take them on the road, play in front of a crowd, play in the heat, play on a bus at four in the morning. Their feedback is built into every mandolin we make.

It's the first model built in our shop in Marshall, Michigan. Without our location here, 30 miles down the road from the birthplace of the modern day mandolin, this instrument wouldn't mean as much to our entire team. Extraordinary and accessible the Model M brings together qualities at the core of our business and our approach to making traditional instruments.

History. Countless hours honing our craft. A bit of crazy. Yes, a lot more goes into this mandolin than first meets the eye.

Maple and Spruce from North America. Assembled in our Qingdao shop. Varnishing and set up in our Marshall, MI shop.

Standard Specs:

• Sides / Back / Neck: Solid Figured Maple

• Top: Carved Engelmann Spruce

• Tailpiece: Nugget® designed by Mike Kemnitzer

• Bridge / Fingerboard Material: Ebony

• Pickguard: Abbreviated Tortoise Celluloid

• Nut Width: 1 & 1/8

• Neck Shape: Soft V Shape

• Fingerboard Radius: 5.7" at the nut, 7.7" at 20th fret

• Tuners: Gotoh

• Finish Material: Spirit Varnish

• Case: Fitted Hard Case

All instruments from the Old Town School Music Store are professionally inspected and set-up before shipping, and directly support the missions, programs, and continued growth of the Old Town School of Folk Music.

Questions? Message us anytime!