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Old 02-23-2019, 12:49 PM
hag99 hag99 is offline
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Default Northwood Guitars - MJ

I've been looking at these as a lower priced alternative to Collings, Bourgeois and other "boutique makers" and wondering what the general consensus is. Not a lot of information available as far as feedback.

Also wondering how people feel about the mini-jumbo, the most popular model. Is it a comfortable size compared to a jumbo or dread?

Thanks!
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Old 02-23-2019, 03:40 PM
chippygreen chippygreen is offline
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I can't give you a head-to-head comparison to the makers you list, but I had a very positive experience with my Northwood MJ, which I owned for about a year and played quite a bit before selling it. I would describe it as a guitar that did many things very well, and nothing poorly. I could understand why someone would be happy with it for many years. It was one of the first guitars I purchased getting back into guitar after many years, and I certainly could have been happy with it for quite a while, had I not been led down the path of commissioning builds, a creative process I very much enjoy.

As an illustration of the thought process behind my decision, I discovered that I like to play with a very light touch. Michael Bashkin makes superlative guitars in this respect - incredibly responsive and with a linear response in terms of energy and attack relative to tone and volume. The Northwood was not "unresponsive" by any means - but it was not built with this particular attribute as a focal point.

I ultimately sold the MJ to make space for the Bashkin build, recognizing it made sense to spend more of my playing time on a pair of Bashkins I purchased as reference guitars to guide my build. So not a ding on the MJ by any means, just the logical thing to do once I set down this path.

Truth is, I had second thoughts about it even as I set it up for delivery and packed it up for its new owner. As with many things, there is no substitute for experiencing it yourself personally and deciding what works for you, but as a former Northwood owner I would not discourage anyone from trying one out based on my experience with the MJ (+ John is super responsive if you write to him with questions).

From a comfort perspective, the MJ is quite a bit deeper than my M-36, and my Michaud SJ is remarkably comfortable due to its Manzer wedge, but I generally find small jumbos fine to play. If I recall it has quite a cinched waist and that helps.
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Old 02-23-2019, 04:25 PM
Treenewt Treenewt is offline
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I owned a Northwood MJ (rosewood and engleman) for about 6 months. It was a stellar guitar. Extremely well built with impeccable woods, along with fit and finish. Perhaps the favorite neck I’ve ever owned. I got it used, as amazingly these instruments are a steal on the used market. I moved it in a fit of GAS, but primarily because my style of play favors mahogany, and this instrument was simply too lush for my tastes.

As far as compassions go, I can say it didn’t remind me of any collings I’ve played, tone-wise. Just a different animal entirely. North woods are in the Larrivee school of lutherie, and tend to be very balanced. From a quality standpoint, it is an outstanding well-made handcrafted instrument. We’re I looking for Collings tone, Northwood would not be where I’d likely find something to please me. But then again, individual guitars are so varied, who knows what will hit you on a particular day?
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Old 02-23-2019, 09:08 PM
jab.phila jab.phila is offline
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I went into Northwood as a step up from my Larrivee. It blew my mind. The factory-level Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, and Larrivees haven't been able to touch it before or since. I haven't played a Collings, Bourgeois or custom shop Martin that moved me MORE than my Northwood, with them typically costing 2-3x more used or new. These are all major league guitars. I have played Kostals and Froggys and Circas that blow my Northwood out of the water in the same way my Northwood did my Larrivee, but that's hall of fame level stuff with the corresponding price tag to go with it.

As far as the MJ, I play a deep bodied 000, and it balances both the depth of a dread and the articulation of an OM extremely well. With an MJ, you get the same sort of surface area only over a wider bout and with slightly less depth. I wouldn't hesitate to go with an MJ if the 000 hadn't been available.

Your best online Northwood resources are going to be at Shoreline and Paramount.

Good luck, Jake
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Old 02-24-2019, 07:00 AM
hag99 hag99 is offline
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Thanks for the all the replies, great and positive feedback. Wondering as well if John's guitars have gotten better with time - are the older and newer models created equal? I'm am looking at both a 2000 MJ and a more recent model.
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Old 02-24-2019, 07:34 AM
jab.phila jab.phila is offline
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I play a 2010, which sounds great to me. Because Northwoods are relatively rare (only 40 a year or so), there probably won't be very many of us who can give a thorough perspective across all the eras since John started. I've read all the info on AGF that there is and have never read about a "golden era" or some sort of a dry period. I would probably ask John personally or the online retailers I mentioned about their opinions. They've touched more Northwoods than anyone if you're trying to discern eras.
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Old 02-24-2019, 08:34 AM
Treenewt Treenewt is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hag99 View Post
Thanks for the all the replies, great and positive feedback. Wondering as well if John's guitars have gotten better with time - are the older and newer models created equal? I'm am looking at both a 2000 MJ and a more recent model.
Mine was a late 90’s model if I remember correctly, maybe early 2000s, and it was, as I said, very nice!
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Old 02-24-2019, 08:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hag99 View Post
Thanks for the all the replies, great and positive feedback. Wondering as well if John's guitars have gotten better with time - are the older and newer models created equal? I'm am looking at both a 2000 MJ and a more recent model.
I would certainly gravitate toward the newer model - he has lightened the builds up some in the last 19 years!

I've owned probably a dozen Northwoods, and all but one have been very nice sounding guitars. There is a "smoothness" to the tone in my opinion - not a huge dynamic range, but very pleasing with no strident trebles or overpowering bass.

The best of the pack was an older (probably '03 or so) D80 - it was from when he was building with 1.77 nut width, which fit me better. If that guitar had been Mahogany I'd probably still have it!

I don't think you can go wrong - buy a used one "right" to test it out, and if you don't like it - send it on it's way.
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Old 02-24-2019, 10:10 AM
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I've put a deposit on a OOO eng/hog. Another month or so before it arrives at the shop. I too have tried to find all I could on them as I anxiously wait.
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Old 02-24-2019, 07:52 PM
M Sarad M Sarad is offline
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I bought my L-00 of Mahogany and Torrefied Adirondack at the last SBAIC. I couldn’t afford a Boswell, Wingert, Maegan Wells or the others. It caught my eye and blew my mind. As the owner of a 37 year old Santa Cruz, 17 year old Merrill, and 7 year old Brondel, this Northwood sounds every bit as good in it’s own way.
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Old 02-24-2019, 09:11 PM
Steadfastly Steadfastly is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hag99;5988283[B
]I've been looking at these as a lower priced alternative[/B] to Collings, Bourgeois and other "boutique makers" and wondering what the general consensus is. Not a lot of information available as far as feedback.

Also wondering how people feel about the mini-jumbo, the most popular model. Is it a comfortable size compared to a jumbo or dread?

Thanks!
eBay has a few used ones. These lower priced guitars start at $3270.00-$5000.00.
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Old 02-24-2019, 09:15 PM
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They are a big bang for the buck! Be forewarned, that their string spacing tends to be narrower than your forementioned brands, which is why I never bought one. That doesn't bother most players, so for you it might not be a problem.
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Old 02-25-2019, 05:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steadfastly View Post
eBay has a few used ones. These lower priced guitars start at $3270.00-$5000.00.
Those auctions are asking prices from sellers from Japan who typically have the same guitar listed in three or four auctions at prices over double market reality. They have been listed for over a year now, and will be for much longer.
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Old 02-25-2019, 07:44 AM
dhalbert dhalbert is offline
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The eBay listings are pretty useless, and there are no "sold" examples. There are many more Reverb listings, both current and sold.
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Old 02-25-2019, 07:57 AM
Treenewt Treenewt is offline
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I both bought and sold my MJ used, and it was WAY less than those auctions. His guitars take an unfortunate major hit on the used market, it seems. Totally unwarranted IMO.
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