'91 Flatiron F5 Master Model

[fbounds]

I have a '91 Flatiron F5 Master Model (signed by Dennis Behlin) and am looking for information. I saw some of the earlier discussions and thought I would open a new thread. I like this mandolin a LOT. I took a chance several years ago and bought it from Mass Street Music. Was wondering if any more historical information on the Master Model has been uncovered. How many were made, specs, etc.

I also have an '81 Carlson A5-2 and an '89 A5 Artist. Both are great mandolins.

[DerTiefster]

Sounds like a Flatiron fanatic. I'm sure there are worse things to be. I can't answer your question, but it would interest me (and possibly provoke more conversation here) to know what prompts you to play each at different times. What different character or feel is different between the two A's and the F? Thanks....

[fbounds]

Sounds like a Flatiron fanatic. I'm sure there are worse things to be. I can't answer your question, but it would interest me (and possibly provoke more conversation here) to know what prompts you to play each at different times. What different character or feel is different between the two A's and the F? Thanks....

Hmmm.... I am not so sure that I am a Flatiron fanatic but I do like them. The A5 Artist was first and I ran across it at a guitar show a long time ago and liked it enough to buy it. I got a good deal on the F5 Master and the '81 Carlson was found by my wife. She knew I liked Flatiron's and suggested I may want to grab it. I was just fortunate in the way I ran across them and the prices were decent at the time for the quality of the mandolin. They have gone up quite a bit now.

I prefer the A styles especially for fiddle tunes. The A5 Artist and A5-2 have a bit of a different tone and both are different than the F but equally as loud. I find the A styles seem to have a bit sweeter tone and a little more sustain. I think the F5 chop cuts better in a jam.

[Big Joe]

These were very nice mandolins for that era. It was during the era Gibson owned Flatiron and production was in Montana. I have seen a number of these and they were all very nice. Enjoy it! As far as the signature, it was the person who was in charge of final inspection at that time. Steve Carlson signed many and Bruce Weber signed a number of them as well. As with all divisions of Gibson, the person signing labels changes as does the people or job descriptions.

[Bill Van Liere]

I owned a 88 F5 Master signed by Dennis (double check your label for the proper spelling of his last name).

My best guess is that about 50 total were made, mine was special order then.

I believe they were essentially an F5 Artist with some extra binding, pearl and an extra point on the fretboard extension. Like the D-45 of Flatiron.

I still own an 84 A5-JR and the main difference between the two was the amount of extra cut the Master had.

I consider myself as more of a flathead than a fanatic. Good mandolins, my 84 is a very solid workhorse, very stable.