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View Full Version : Trade Flatiron for F4? free advice, anybody?



Cara Z.
Oct-14-2008, 2:17pm
If anybody is bored or idle and cares to give an opinion, I'd appreciate it.
I have a '96 MT Flatiron F5A that I'd rather not trade. I also have a custom F5 made by a local guy (great instrument, but unknown).
I'm looking at a nice early 'twenties F4. Husband would rather not have me buy a whole 'nother mando. Seller has offered to take the Flatiron as partial trade.
I didn't want to go there. I wanted to keep the Flattie, sell the custom and buy the F4. However, I'm not getting any bites on that unknown custom.
Anybody want to convince me that I'll be happier w/the F4 than the Flatiron?
Or that there are lots of F4s and I should just wait for another one?
Remember I already have one nice F5.
Guess I'm allowed to have just 2 good mandos.
But he also let me get a good fiddle, bow, guitar, cases, so things aren't too bad.;)
Thanks.
CZ

MikeEdgerton
Oct-14-2008, 2:19pm
Selling the good fiddle, bow, guitar, cases, etc. sounds like a better option to me. He won't miss them.

Brent Willis
Oct-14-2008, 2:25pm
I'd say to hang onto the Flatiron. I traded a F5sb 96 and regret it! I later purchased a Gibson F4. The sound is really different. Depending on the type of music you play, you just might be disappointed. The old Flatirons have a really great tone and you don't see them come available very often. They won't bring the Gibson prices but are fantastic instruments.

Jkf_Alone
Oct-14-2008, 2:28pm
Judge honestly which is the better instrument. You want the F4 right now because you don't have it. After the flattie is gone you will wish you had that. Same thing probably goes for the handbuilt mando. Blind test the 3 mandolins with a friend playing them, and see if you can hear enough of a difference from the audience point of view to justify the purchase. I am amazed how similar most mandolins sound from across the room, provided they are well built and well setup.

allenhopkins
Oct-14-2008, 2:49pm
1] Have you listed the "unknown custom" in the Cafe classifieds? Might spark some interest.
2] What kind of music do you do? The F-5 and the F-4 are going to feel, sound, and play differently. I love the old Gibson round-hole F's, but if you're strictly bluegrass, the 4 won't replace the sound you're getting from the Flatiron.
3] Now I stick my nose in where it's not welcome. When I hear of someone not being "allowed" to acquire an instrument, assuming he/she can afford it in this somewhat bewildering economic situation, I start to fidget. Owning three mandolins will probably put you in the lower quartile of Cafe members. There aren't "lots of F-4's" -- they haven't been made since before WWII -- and a good-condition Gibson F-4 is a smart investment as well as a quality instrument. You can take your time in selling the one-of custom, if it's become superfluous; perhaps another player at a jam or festival will take a fancy to it, as an upgrade from an Asian import or other "starter." But if you have a chance to get a high-end vintage mandolin, eminently marketable as well as playable -- well, were I in your shoes, I'd jump for it, and work out the sale of the third, and the interpersonal details, later.

Of course, it's this acquisitional attitude that made me end up with 15 or so mandolins. Everyone makes his or her compromises. But I surely can't see anything wrong with having two or three really good mandolins.

lenf12
Oct-14-2008, 2:55pm
I can certainly appreciate the value of owning both an F-4 and an F-5 mandolin. You said "remember, I already have one nice F-5". Which one is it, the Flatiron or the custom?? I would keep the nicer of the two and continue to persue the sale of the other. As for hubby, I would think that you are making a good faith effort to sell one of the mandolins and he should not try to prevent you from buying the F-4 (provided you have the funds available and the price is fair). You have every intention of replacing the funds once the F-5 sells. You did mention that the seller of the F-4 will take your Flatiron as a partial trade. How much would you still owe them in addition to the Flatiron? Is it worth it to you to lose the Flatiron simply because it is more "liquid" (the seller would take it)? Lots of questions, I know, but you didn't provide too many details of the entire transaction (i.e. which F-5 do want to keep?). Your husband should be willing to keep an open mind on this one as well because your happiness should be his highest priority. ;-)

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

mrmando
Oct-14-2008, 3:07pm
I wouldn't say Dave B. is entirely unknown. But I saw him at a guitar show this summer and he didn't even have any mandolins with him for sale. So maybe he's in need of a demo instrument, and you could consign the mandolin back to him and see if it sells that way. He usually brings a few mandolins to Wintergrass, where they get a fair amount of attention. Or you could look into a consignment with a local music store.

D C Blood
Oct-14-2008, 3:27pm
If you're doing mostly bluegrass, stay with the "f-hole" mandos. If you're more into celtic, old-time or "other", go for the F-4...If you are looking for a vintage collector piece, make sure the F-4 is original, in good shape, etc, before you do a deal...

Cara Z.
Oct-14-2008, 3:28pm
your happiness should be his highest priority. ;-)
It is. :)
He is coming around. Said a little while ago to go ahead, but I may have to sell something...
Did I say I had one nice mando? Oops. Both of my F5s are nice, in diff. ways. My custom mando is the Bertoncini on the cafe classifieds. Wasn't custom for me; I bought it last summer from a collector, but I'd played other Berts, couldn't afford/wait for a real custom. The Flatiron is a little more playable for me than the Bert because of its v-profile neck. The Bert sounds amazing, but different.
Believe that I will jump on this F4, just buy it and try it out for the stated 48 hrs, keep trying to sell that Bert.
Thanks for helping me with this decision and pointing out that some of you have MAS way worse than I do. :)
Want to know which one it is? I'm looking at four, a couple of which are on the classifieds.
CZ

lenf12
Oct-14-2008, 3:41pm
This is going to have a happy ending, I can just tell. You are doing the right thing. Keep us posted.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

Cara Z.
Oct-17-2008, 11:47am
The F4 arrived yesterday. Anybody want to buy two F5s? ;)
Now that we're used to each other, it sounds incredible. I even sorta like those tiny flat frets.
My 48-hr trial period includes the wkend. Gonna have a luthier look at it, but so far so good.
CZ

lenf12
Oct-17-2008, 12:16pm
Nah, I think you'll need to keep at least one F-5, if just for the difference in sound from oval hole to f hole. But, which one will you keep? Can you post a picture of your new F-4? Curious minds want to know.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

Ken Olmstead
Oct-17-2008, 1:01pm
Keep the Flatiron first off. Once you have one that you really like, it is best to keep it. You'll regret it later. Second, what about aquiring the F4 but keep the "custom" marketed? Might take longer to sell an unknown but as they say in the car business " There is an A$$ for every seat!" If things get too tight there is a pretty liquid market for F4s and you can undo any damage pretty quickly. I agree with Allen but find myself having a hard time approaching the subject. You are capable of determining your financial situation and taking his feelings into consideration, but in the end you decide whether you own three mandolins or not.

Cara Z.
Oct-18-2008, 9:47am
You are capable of determining your financial situation...
Yes, I am, and I've decided that my kids aren't college material anyway. ;)
A picture? Simple:
1) find camera
2) find batteries, place in camera
3) take pic
4) look for appropriate USB cable, fail, settle for the universal USB cable
5) search for appropriate adapters for each end of said cable
6) download pic
7) edit/crop/resize pic
8) upload pic
9) edit reply; somehow lose the picture
10) upload pic again
20 min later, here she is - maybe

Jim
Oct-18-2008, 9:56am
wow!

Ken Olmstead
Oct-18-2008, 10:00am
No mystery why you were excited about that one, its a beauty!!!

Greenmando
Oct-18-2008, 10:14am
She's a beauty, want to trade her for a Flatiron? :grin:

Fretbear
Oct-18-2008, 11:59pm
Looks cherry...you don't have to worry, you can sell that one pretty easy if you ever have to. It has those rare "locking" thumbwheels that I remember that guy from Gibson on Youtube who did the vintage concert with his buddy talking about.
He says it sounds better with them off (and put away in a very safe place obviously)