Northfield NFO-AT2 carved top Octave Mandolin (2026), ser. #AT260374, original molded hard shell case.

Northfield NFO-AT2 Model carved top Octave Mandolin (2026), made in Quingdao, China, serial # AT260374, sunburst finish, figured maple back and sides, Special Italian spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard., original molded hard shell case.

The Northfield Mandolin family are really fine modern instruments featuring excellent materials with very high build quality and 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 is one of their most unique creations, a truly excellent F-hole Octave Mandolin which has no real vintage equivalent. Northfield's inspiration for the design IS a vintage model, but a pretty much forgotten one. The body pattern and layout is based on original Martin C2 guitars from the mid-1930s, archtops built on the body pattern of a flat top. The Northfield crew studied two original Martin tops noting the unusual geometry to the arching of the top as well as the graduation. This carve pattern with high peak of the arch running down the center of the instrument yields a vibrant high end frequency response quite suitable for the octave mandolin.

Increasing the volume while keeping the balance and the articulation across all the strings was the core ideal; the NFO-AT2 body is smaller than a C-2, tuned specifically to the frequency of the octave mandolin G-e tuning. Northfield's crew also recounts working on the proper string gauges for each course, paying a lot of attention to the feel of the string tension. The result is a truly exceptional instrument, with a big powerful yet articulate sound that never gets shrill.

This lovely example of the fancier maple AT-2 model has a beautifully figured flame maple body and neck with an exquisite "Special Italian" Alpine spruce top. This is really the best instrument of this type we have encountered, a truly new "vintage" creation now waiting for modern musicians to discover its potential in many styles of play.

Overall length is 36 in. (91.4 cm.), 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 22 in. (559 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/8 in. (35 mm.).

This instrument is new stock, unplayed and already sounds superb. It is complete in the Airloom Recurve molded hardshell case. Near Mint Condition.