View Full Version : Flatiron Mandolins
smittypants
Apr-28-2004, 7:39am
What's the deal with Flatiron mandolins? Do they still make them? Where can you get them? I played a friend's the other day and couldn't believe how great it sounded. I gotta get one.
They are made special order now by the Gibson company
jjboone101
Apr-28-2004, 8:41am
You can usually find a couple Flatiron's for sale in the Classifieds at any given point or on eBay. Prices appear to range from $1800-2200 and up for the F-styles. I've owned a couple and they are great.
John Flynn
Apr-28-2004, 10:42am
FWIW, the main luthiers who used to build Flatirons in thier heyday are now building Webers. Just MHO, but while Gibson may own the Flatiron name, Weber carries on the tradition.
Scuttlebutt has it we will see Flatirons again......but they aren't going to be made in the USA....... And no I won't reveal the party I heard that from...... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
jjboone101
Apr-28-2004, 10:55am
You've got one of those fine Flatiron Festivals for sale, don't you Dale?
Nope, it went out on approval yesterday.
pickinNgrinnin
Apr-28-2004, 11:12am
[QUOTE]Scuttlebutt has it we will see Flatirons again......but they aren't going to be made in the USA....... And no I won't reveal the party I heard that from......
Well...Charlie did recently make a trip over to Europe. Perhaps he met with Jiri Lebeda and other builders??
IMO, if this were indeed true, I'd hate to see the Flatiron name resurface and find they are not built in the USA.
I believe Gibson discontinued the line in spring of 2002. The folks that did build them in Montana, stayed on with Bruce Weber. They say there are difference between the Montana Flatirons and Weber's current line. If the difference are indeed there, they must be pretty subtle differences.
Greenmando
Apr-28-2004, 7:03pm
Scuttlebutt has it we will see Flatirons again......but they aren't going to be made in the USA....... And no I won't reveal the party I heard that from...... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Yep, I heard a rumor as well about it. If the info is correct we may see Flatirons with a Korean stamp of approval. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
I have a Montana made Festival F that I love, she's a keeper! Bought it here from the classifieds. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
mandorado
Apr-29-2004, 9:16am
Oh please ... that would just s*&# if Gibson took the Flatiron brand and started making them with cheap labor in Asia ... CHEAP business move to capitalize on a well known, high quality brand name.
Give me a break. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
Someone tell me it ain's so.
Greenmando
Apr-29-2004, 4:58pm
That's what happened to the Epiphone brand they bought out, used to be a American competitor.
jessboo
Apr-29-2004, 8:51pm
That would be a sad day indeed http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif