Compulsive purchase- Flatiron 1N

**DryBones** · Sep-11-2007, 3:43pm

Shaun you may want to reread and edit this post! #

#I can't believe THAT slipped through the filter #

**sgarrity** · Sep-11-2007, 3:47pm

Ooops.........my bad #

**Chip Booth** · Dec-20-2007, 10:36am

Thought I would revive this thread...

Turns out I now have the pancake bug. I'm thinkining about the Flatiron koa, model 2K? How do you folks like koa compared to the maple ones? Does anyone have one they want to part with?

Chip

**Eric F.** · Dec-20-2007, 1:33pm

Go for it. I've had two 2Ks and two 2Ms pass through my home for wayward flattops. One of the 2Ks stood out as the best. It was REALLY loud, in a good way. Each was very crisp. I think the koa was a touch heavier on the mid-range than the maple.

I used to just buy any Flatiron pancake I saw under a certain price, play it for a while, then sell it when I needed a few extra bucks. Sort of a savings plan you can enjoy while the interest accrues. My Big Muddy M-4 has cured me of that, although I still get a bit twitchy when I see a 2K at a reasonable price.

**allenhopkins** · Dec-20-2007, 3:03pm

My Flatiron 3K octave mandolin is koa. Sounds really good. Koa's closer to mahogany than maple, IMHO.

**pickinNgrinnin** · Mar-08-2008, 8:33pm

Check out <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Bozeman-FLATIRON-MANDOLIN-MODEL-1SH-w-Original-Case_W0QQitemZ330216632210QQihZ014QQcategor
yZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this</a> Pancake! It's perhaps the oldest I've seen - 1981. Looks to be in good shape.

Time to get this thread up and running again

**steadypluckinaway** · Mar-08-2008, 9:38pm

Why not, I'll bite; I just got my 3MC back. She's a beauty, and it sat here on the classifieds for a bit while I was nervously scrapin' cash together. I love this mando, it is such a beast!

**pickinNgrinnin** · Mar-11-2008, 10:13pm

A Pancake <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1996-Gibson-AN-Custom-Mandolin-New-Flamy-Old-Stock_W0QQitemZ350034728641QQihZ022QQcategory
Z10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Deluxe</a> and with extra syurp. Very tasty version!

**Chip Booth** · Mar-16-2008, 11:24am

Yum!

**Chip Booth** · Apr-29-2008, 1:58pm

I thought this thread needed a bump, so I bought this little guy.

I played it against a couple of other Flatiron pancakes a few weeks and it was the winner in sound hands down, plus I was hoping to find a nice koa instrument. #It should arrive in a day or two.

Chip

**pickinNgrinnin** · Apr-29-2008, 10:49pm

Beautiful Koa on that Pancake! Nice assist in bumping the thread

We're expecting a report with more pictures when you receive it.

**Eddie Sheehy** · Apr-30-2008, 1:03pm

I had a 1983 model 1SH - no idea what the model means. I had it for 20 years. I really enjoyed playing it. I only sold it because it had appreciated so much and allowed me to start my MAS collection.

**Eddie Sheehy** · Apr-30-2008, 1:06pm

I just saw the 1SH a couple of posts back. Because of the nick in the back at the edge I believe it to be my old one. Nice to see it again......

**Chip Booth** · Apr-30-2008, 7:58pm

Got the 2K today, less than 24 hours after I ordered it! It's an '83, in good shape, especially the koa. The top has a few minor cosmetic issues but nothing of consequence. It sure is fun to play! I haven't spent a lot of time with these pancakes, but my first reaction is that this is a very serious instrument and that I will get a lot of good use out of. It strums in a way that none of archtops do.

I'll try to post more pics and sound clip.

Chip

**fatt-dad** · Apr-30-2008, 10:00pm

1SH - the basic pancake, spruce top, maple sides and back with the "SH"aded top. Not to be confused with the 1N with the "N"atural top.

For reference the 2N would have body binding and be in a "N"atural top.

Get it?

f-d

**Chip Booth** · May-01-2008, 11:59am

After spending an evening with my 2K I am just as happy as I can be. I can't believe how much mandolin this little thing is. It's incredibly loud, sweet and very full, with a rich low end and ringing top end.

But you guys all already knew that didn't you?

Chip

Beautiful koa back:

**Chip Booth** · May-01-2008, 12:00pm

Front:

Someone put a Fishman bridge pickup on it. There is another bridge in the case (the original hardshell five latch case BTW) but I don't think it's original either as it has too much arch and is too high. So I cut off the carpenter jack and left this one on for now. The jack has been on there for a long time and left a little discoloration on the top underneath where it was. I hope that with some years of sun the top will even out a little bit.

**Chip Booth** · May-01-2008, 12:05pm

Koa headstock as well. #Ok, that's all the pics for now, although it does have interesting tuners with a sort of flower motif in the etching. #I assume they are original, they look right.

**pickinNgrinnin** · May-01-2008, 9:33pm

Yes, those tuners look original. Not sure what brand they are. Same ones as I have on my 86 2MW. I had a mid 90's 1N and it had Schaller tuners on it.

That's some beautiful looking Koa on the back. These little Pancakes really pour out the tone and volume!

Great to see this thread back up here again

**fatt-dad** · May-01-2008, 10:20pm

Wow! Perfect finish. Love it!

f-d

**Eric F.** · May-01-2008, 10:32pm

Beautiful mando. I'm no longer a member of the Pancake Club, though still a Flatiron owner. Chip's pics have me thinking I need another pancake, though. Yum!

**epicentre** · May-02-2008, 10:51am

One more time;

Yep, well that worked after a fashion. Kinda small.

Well aged spruce top, poplar back, white cedar sides, maple neck, Cumberland Acoustic fretboard, bone nut, pinned mortise and tenon neck join.

Has low action and great sound. Finally got a neck angle right....

**Dan Adams** · May-24-2008, 10:47pm

I was just playing my 83' Flatiron 2MB while thumbing through some old Mandolin World News publications from my past and came across a Flatiron ad for their mandolins. The oldest 'pancake' I've ever seen and/or played was made in 1979, which was at the Denver Folklore Center a couple years ago. This ad is in the Winter 1979-80 edition with Ry Cooder featured. Is this the first Flatiron ad ever? Just wondering! Dan

**Mace** · May-25-2008, 4:50am

Having played our weekly jam with my 87 1N this week, I realized why I've kept it while so many others have come and gone. It used to be my loaner although that policy is about to change. It is no longer in the near mint condition as when I first acquired it showing its age and use now. It just keeps sounding better to my ears. Occasionaly, I go looking for a hardcase for it. Any suggestions?

**pickinNgrinnin** · May-26-2008, 4:10pm

If you are brave enough to sift through the initial pages of this thread, there are some comments about cases. I've yet to find a manufacturer who makes cases for these Pancakes