Gibson Flatiron?

[Jasper]

Saw this on ebay...looks suspicious, yet the seller has very high feedback rating. Go to web address below to see.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....00&rd=1 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10179&item=3760498600&rd=1)

[fatt-dad]

This is an authentic Gibson Mandolin. It is made from laminated (read ply) wood and really doesn't have an adjustible truss rod, it just has the decorative truss rod cover. They sell them at the Opry Mills (so I've been told) for about $200.00 and mostly cater to the tourist market. This is not a real instrument, other than it can be played. It is just no substitute for the real thing, i.e., the Flatiron series made in Bozeman, Montana.

I bought one of these at one time, thinking that it was the continuation of the Flatiron series translated to Nashville. Alot was lost in the translation, is all I can say.

fatt-dad

[atetone]

Yeah, I wish they didn't sell those things. Real easy to get sucked into making the wrong purchase.

[Nathan Sanders]

I had one of these once. I bought it for $200.00 from an individual and ended up selling it on ebay for $400.00. Yep it was a cheapy Gibson/Flatiron but really it was not too bad. It too had the label inside saying made for so and so at the Gibson place in Nashville, etc. I never removed the truss rod cover so I was not aware it did not have one, fatt dad. I wouldn't exactly call it a toy. True it was not the same quality as an original Flatiron but it wasn't a Wal-Mart special either. The one I had played fine and even sounded really good.

Whoever has this one listed on ebay at the moment has very high hopes. I sure would hate to see anyone spend $1200 on it.

[fatt-dad]

Having never called it a "toy" I will offer that the bracing is much thicker than on the original Flatiron "1N-type" mandolin and with the plywood construction it doesn't have the same projection. I also struggle with the decorative truss-rod cover and consider it a guise for the impressionable.

f-d

[kupp]

I wonder if it is made in Nashville, or does Gibson import these from over seas? Does any one know if they still sell them? It might make a good travel/camp mando.

[Nathan Sanders]

Kupp, I would assume they build them in Nashville since the label says so. Maybe you have to order them, because the label says built for <Insert name>. But who really knows? When I was there in September I did not see any of them hanging around. And it would be a good travel/camp/beater mando. I wouldn't mind keeping one around at work.

[Big Joe]

We sold them in our store in Nashville as an attempt to have a nice souvenier from one's visit to the factory. Unfortunately, they really were not very good. They were not either a Gibson or a Flatiron. The parts (even bodies) were imported and assembled and finished in Nashville. They are not the same as the 1N Flatiron or the original Gibson Army Navy models. They were similar, and they were a good idea, just not what most people expected. In order to correct the problems we found with them it would require quite a bit more labor to build and the cost would be driven to a point where it would not be as salable. Again, it was a good effort and some of them were pretty good. Some were not. I, for one, am glad we are not doing them anymore.

[fatt-dad]

Oh my goodness - If they're discontinued, they may now become collectable! And I sold mine. . . .

f-d

[Nathan Sanders]

Big Joe, thanks for the information.

[PaulD]

Fatt-Dad: 4 days left on the auction... here's your opportunity to replace it with Buy It Now! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Just a quick note on this auction relative to the other fraud discussion going on. When I looked at this auction, I looked at the sellers other auctions and got the impression that the seller was legit but really didn't know what they were selling. I'm sure they hit estate and yard sales and try to turn the stuff on eBay. They have been around since 1999, and have pretty good feedback. All in all, my impression would have been that dealing with this seller would be safe, but I would still take extra precautions before sending my $1,200 for that fine Flatiron! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif