Gibson and Flatiron Luthiers/Signatures

[Charles Johnson]

Does anyone have a rough chronological list of who signed the labels inside Gibson and Flatiron mandolins from Bozeman on?

In rough order:
Steve Carlson (1986-1993)
Dennis Balin
Phil Brug
Larry Barnwell (mid 90s)
Bruce Weber (1994?-1998)

(Nashville)
Charlie Derrington
Danny Roberts
Sim Daley

I know I am missing a lot of names and almost no dates for any of these. Anyone have more info?
Thanks,
Charles

[Danny Clark]

90's Jim Triggs
06-07 Casey Sullivan
08 -09 David Harvey
i also remember a lady Helen ??? from the Bozeman period

[gibson mandoman]

Helen Beausoleil who is still with Weber Mandolins.

[mandolirius]

I have an '89 Flatiron with Dennis Balian's (I think that's the right spelling) signature.

[MikeEdgerton]

Here is one thread with some Flatiron names.

[MikeEdgerton]

Some unusual Gibson info in this thread. More Gibson info here. More Flatiron information here. You might get some Flatiron info here.

[AlanN]

In rough order:
Steve Carlson (1986-1993)

minor point: I had F-5 Artist (10850106) signed by Carlson, 1985

[re simmers]

I have a '91 Flatiron signed by Weber.

[jim_n_virginia]

Does anyone have a rough chronological list of who signed the labels inside Gibson and Flatiron mandolins from Bozeman on?

In rough order:
Steve Carlson (1986-1993)
Anyone have more info?
Thanks,
Charles

I had a 1995 Gibson F5L that was signed by Steve Carlson

[CTH Man]

My 1983 A5-2 is signed by Carlson.

[D C Blood]

Now I know the chronology is all wrong on this, but I'm sure that I am right in my remembering...In '96 I bought an F-5L at Gruhn's. It was an '82 model, and it was signed by Steve Carlson. I am 99.9% sure of my recollection on this. I understand he was at Flatiron at this time, but is there some way he might have snuck in to Bozemen and signed a few in '82?

[fatt-dad]

Now I know the chronology is all wrong on this, but I'm sure that I am right in my remembering...In '96 I bought an F-5L at Gruhn's. It was an '82 model, and it was signed by Steve Carlson. I am 99.9% sure of my recollection on this. I understand he was at Flatiron at this time, but is there some way he might have snuck in to Bozemen and signed a few in '82?

I'm just not too sure that Flatiron was making arched-top mandolins in '82, I think it was more like '83. I'm pretty sure that there was no connection between Gibson and Flatiron until late '87. I'm not sure when Gibson moved their complete production to Bozeman, but it would have been somewhere in 1988 and Carlson would have been involved in these Gibsons.

f-d

[Jim Garber]

In rough order:
Steve Carlson (1986-1993)

minor point: I had F-5 Artist (10850106) signed by Carlson, 1985

And I have an A5-2 1983 signed by Carlson, one of the first carved Flatirons.

[acruzn]

I got a '82 1N Flatiron based on the serial number 82051665 but i do not discern a signature on the main label nor on the smaller label that gives the recommended string gauges.

why is there no signature? i got the impression that the head luthier signed off on all the instruments at Flatiron...

[pueo]

I have a Flatiron 1N with a serial number that starts with 79 . . . but it was actually made in 1993.

The instrument that I bought new in 1979 came with a lifetime warranty for the original owner. When it began to fall apart in 1993 I got in touch with the now-Gibson-owned factory (still in Bozeman MT). They agreed to look at the instrument if I shipped it to them. After examining it, they informed me that my instrument had been subject to "climate abuse" and thus the warranty coverage was void. I fussed but figured the decision was final.

To my immense amazement a few months later I received in the mail a brand new 1N mandolin. There was never a note or any explanation from the company, just a brand new mando delivered to my door, bearing the same serial number as my original instrument. It was not signed. (I don't remember if my original was either, however).

I tell this story both to commend the Flatiron folks for honoring their warranty and also to point out that the vintage of these instruments may not be as straightforward as reading the serial number.

[fatt-dad]

I'm not aware of a signed pancake Flatiron. If I recall correctly, there is a signed Gibson army-navy mandolin made in the Flatiron shop as a custom job and it may have a signature. Somebody at the 'cafe bought this mandolin, but I'm not sure where it is today.

f-d