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I've been looking for a F-style mandolin for a while, and a Flatiron showed up about an hour away from me. The Label says its a style "F-Festival" and the number says "DW07120097" I haven't been able to figure out what the DW means, but it appears to be made in 2007. They guys asking $1,000, does this price sound fair?
I am not an expert on Flatirons, but the DW prefix does not sound typical of a USA serial number to me.
This might be an Asian instrument. If so, I would consider the price to be high.
Chinese made Flatirons were student grade instruments, of the same grade as modern imports which sell for a few hundred dollars new.
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I just found this from a post on another forum:
"Mandolins previously produced in Bozeman MT between 1977 and 1996, in Nashville TN between 1997 and circa 2003, and China between 2007 and 2009."
In 2007 Flatiron mandolins were made in China.
I just google searched "Epiphone serial numbers" and came across a website called www.guitarinsite.nl.
According to that website, a DW prefix indicates that an instrument was made in the DaeWon factory in China.
Further exploration on this website indicates that several brands use a letter prefix to indicate the factory where an instrument was made. If anyone wants to explore this website, it is Dutch and you have to use a translate function to convert the language to English.
To much for a Chinese Flatiron. Usually see them listed in the $700-850 (?) range. For a grand you can find a better mandolin, especially if you are willing to buy an A style.
Yep, sadly the only thing about that mandolin that's really a "Flatiron" is the label on the headstock. It's too bad because you'd expect more from the name, but that particular story is one of the sad ones in mandolins over the last few years.
There are plenty of better brand new import mandolins for under $1k from Eastman and Kentucky. For that matter, at or below that price there are many other choices that could be better still in the Classifieds on this site. I'd consider a domestically-made mandolin you could be much happier with. NFI on my part, but there are several in the Classifieds I'd think of first.
Good luck!
Some have termed the new imports "Flatasians" -- no ethnic disparagement intended, though.
Sorta sad to see this name attached to lesser quality instruments, regardless of where they are made. Flatirons were made with pride and care.