Last edited by Jim Garber; Feb-13-2015 at 11:28am.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Yeah, that is funny. We haven't heard from atetone here in quite a while. He told me once he had mandolins stuffed in the rafters at home. Unlike Bob A, who said he was tripping over mandolins as he walked around the house. You must have your own storage solution, Jim.
I must have a solution... you are right! I think I may just rent a dumpster and start really clearing things out. :-)
I remember when the Flatiron pancakes first came out. They were way ahead of their time. I am not so sure that there were many Asian imports then. There were also many fewer mandolin players than now.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
As some of you may know (recent thread on the eBay sub-forum), I have recently come into possession of an '84 MW. It's a superb little mandolin. It's so cool, I find my guitar-playing son picking it all the time these days.
To the point, I purchased this little axe for travel purposes, but the chipboard case is not satisfactory. I have explored some of the case and gigbag suggestions discussed on this thread, but many are no longer viable. So, what is the modern consensus for a good case or gigbag for this little pancake?
Last edited by Travis Wilson; Feb-21-2015 at 2:55pm. Reason: grammar
Thanks,
Travis
2006 Weber Gallatin, 1984 Flatiron 2MW, Wendler #194, Schwab #177
Dear Pancophiles,
I'm looking at a Flatiron 3K to buy, but I'm concerned about a slight distortion in the top (less than 1/16" longitudinally, flat from side to side). I just posted in the Builders and Repair forum, but I thought I'd check with other pancake owners. Does your instrument have a bit of a sag? If so, has it remained stable over time? How much would be enough to warn you away from buying an instrument or lessen its value?
Thanks!
Bruce
I guess we'd need a photo. Problem with the pancake is has very specific string gauge requirements. If the prior owners used the time-honored J-74s, they had too much string and the top or neck angle may be affected.
So, you got a photo of the irregular area?
f-d
¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!
'20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A
Congrats on the MW! I really do enjoy my 1SH!Mine came with the original chipboard case, too. I really never found a case that really fits the Flatiron, but eventually contacted Steve at Cumberland Acoustics to see what they ship with their Redline Traveller, a modern version of the Flatirons. He offered to sell me one of his cases so I bought it. As it turns out, the case he uses is a Guardian model made for the A-Style mando.
I think the tag that was in the case labelled it as a CG-020-MA but I must have thrown the tag away.
As you can see, the Flatiron does fit, just not that well.
There is a lot of room over the headstock. I guess you could put a strap there.
The body is also smaller than the case requiring additional padding for a reasonable fit.
I trimmed a piece of bubble-wrap that had the big bubbles to lay under the mando and raise it up so the neck rested evenly over the storage compartment. I also used a large, rolled-up microfiber cloth at the bottom to keep the mando snug & secure from moving around in the case.
Overall, this case does offer more protection than the original fiberboard one. It also looks better, too. :-) I suppose at some point I can try to create some sort of padding that looks a little better, but it is still pretty much of a compromise for a Flatiron mando.
Anyway, I'm still on the lookout for a case that really fits my Flatiron!
Take care,
Frank
I think I mentioned this earlier in this thread, but I had a Redline Traveler for a short time. I bought a Breedlove mandolin case for it, which fit very well. I believe it had a couple of small pillows included to help the fit, but overall I liked it a lot. Most of the Flatiron pancakes which have come through my hands have had the original hardshell case. I bought a Harptone hardshell for my original 1N back in the day when Harptone was still around and they made a case specifically for the army-navy style.
I'd proudly use the original chipboard case.
f-d
¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!
'20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A
1N ebay auction alert:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flatiron-1N-...ht_2251wt_1362
I've noticed 'the flatiron' headstock decal in black or white. Was this a year or model change?
1924 Gibson A Snakehead
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2015 Black A2-z
2010 Black GBOM
2017 Poe Scout
2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
2018 Vessel TM5
2019 Hogan F5
I bought the 1981 blond about six years ago on eBay for $100. The brace below the sound hole had come unglued and the top had cracked and sunken about a half inch. It also had a lot of stress cracks in the finish. I bought the chocolate 1986 a few weeks ago here for $150 plus shipping. It had some cracks that had been repaired and cleated and four cracks that ran the length of the top that were open. I repaired all of these with glue and cleats, but the cracks happened because the top shrank,mand it didn't come together with a clamp, so I glued it open, as the braces are solid. It has a 1/16" glued crack now, but it's all very solid. At first the chocolate sounded thin, but now they sound identical. I've shimmed both with ebony. I use flat wound strings from Ted Eschliman's JazzMando site. Excellent strings from La Bella. (I play jazz/swing.) The action at the 12th fret is now 4/64" (that's 1/16") for both mandolins, without buzzing. Outstanding. The tone is warm, very loud and direct, not as nuanced as my Collings, but with that slightly dead sound I want from flat wound strings.
I've used the blond for years for traveling. The cardboard case slides right in beside my suitcase in the overhead compartment, unlike a regular mandolin's case, and doesn't interfere with other people putting in suitcases. I don't use a strap because this mandolin is so light and easy to cradle in my arms while playing. It interests me that the nuts on these are rosewood. I don't think you can find a better travel mandolin than one of these pancakes. Even though repaired, these are great mandolins.
[QUOTE=Nathan Sanders;1394113]Oh, I should mention the above posted set of Flatiron Octave Mandolin strings were in the case pocket of my latest BIG PANCAKE, a 1995 3MC.[QUOTE]
Yes, but was it a compulsive purchase?
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
[QUOTE=Jim Garber;1394178][QUOTE=Nathan Sanders;1394113]Oh, I should mention the above posted set of Flatiron Octave Mandolin strings were in the case pocket of my latest BIG PANCAKE, a 1995 3MC.Actually Jim it kind of was a compulsive purchase. An opportunity presented itself. You might call it SOMAS....SUDDEN ONSET MANDOLIN ACQUISITION SYNDROME.Yes, but was it a compulsive purchase?
Already posted this in the Post a Video thread, but thought it should be included in the record here too. This is the Flatiron 3MC pictured above. I had a local luthier make an original style bridge to replace the pickup bridge which came with it.
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