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Thread: Compulsive purchase- Flatiron 1N

  1. #76

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    I have been reading a lot of the posts about the Flatiron 1N. They are awesome. I bought mine in 1993. And it was definitely the sound that sold me. Later I bought a hardshell case for it from Elderly. For a strap I bought a set of shoe laces, actually for lace up boots, and tied an end to the headstock and the other end to the strap button. Mostly I've used D'Addario J74 strings.

    My 1N is not for sale, however, I just acquired a 1994 1CH that is for sale. It is in excellent shape and it has a hard shell case. I will have pictures available very soon.

  2. #77

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    Pictures are now available of the Flatiron 1CH:

    1994 Flatiron 1CH

    Thanks!

  3. #78
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Please post here if you are able to get $650.00 for your 1ch. It sounds ambitious, but for the patient seller, it may be the right price. I would like to know if you are successful. When I bought my 1N (pre-gibson), I paid almost $400.00 for it. In actual fact, I think I overpaid for it, in that there is substantial pick wear on the top, which some looser added stain to to blend the colors. Bad idea and bad job all rolled into a few brush strokes. Also, the finish on the neck was removed and there is some fret wear. So I knew that I was buying some blemish along with wear. I also factored in the fact that it was a 1984 flatiron, which offset some of the earlier sins.

    So, is a mint 1ch (gibson) right for $650.00? I'd like to know.

    Good luck.

    fatt-dad.
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  4. #79
    Registered User pickinNgrinnin's Avatar
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    FD-

    I was pretty lucky to pick up my 96 1N for $300.00. It is in very good condition - just a few dings and a few finish checks. I'd be interested to see if this 1CH sells for the asking price. More from a curiosity factor though. I doubt I would sell my 1N - unless a very fine 2N or 3N fell my way

  5. #80

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    Thanks for the interest! I will keep you informed of how the sell goes. If you are interested, I have it listed on ebay at the moment:

    Flatiron 1CH on EBAY

  6. #81

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    Well, my ebay listing for the Flatiron 1CH just ended without reaching my Reserve price, which was lower than what I have been asking for it other places, including my ad on Mandolin Cafe. So, the 1CH is still for sale. I'd still like to have $650.00 for it, but I will consider other offers. Thanks!

  7. #82
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Dear 1N Newsgroup,

    Does anybody have a reference to the most recent "list" (i.e., not street) prices for the various Flatiron "pancakes"? I guess that would be somewhere in the 1998 or 1999 range, you know what did the 1N, 1CH, 2N, etc. list for?

    Using the list price, we could then figure that the actual wholesale price would have been about half. That to me would be the maximum price one could expect for a pancake today (excluding other factors - i.e., bad finish touchups, rough shape, missig the case, etc.)

    (can you tell that I am an engineer in my other life?)

    fatt-dad
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  8. #83
    Registered User pickinNgrinnin's Avatar
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    FD-

    Paula Jean Lewis at Sound to Earth/Weber would (likely) be able to dig up some list prices on the flat-tops Flatirons.

    It seems to me - based upon ebay prices and the cafe classifieds, that these little Mandolins have held their value over the years. I too would be curious to find out what they listed for.

  9. #84

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    They have held their value. They are great sounding mandolins. I do know a year or two ago, a local guitar store, which deals in new and vintage, Martin, Gibson, and other such stuff, had a very nice condition 1N with a price on it of $650. I forget what year it was built, but it was a Bozeman era and in excellent shape. I checked back later on it and they had sold it for what they were asking.

    I acquired a 1N last year from an individual for a couple of hundred. The label inside said something like built for some person, by the Gibson Nashville folks. It was pretty plain, did not have the glossy finish and no name on the peghead, but it did say Gibson inside. I think it may have had Gibson on the truss rod cover. Anyway, it sounded and played just great like it should. I ended up selling it on EBAY and doubled my money.

  10. #85
    Registered User pickinNgrinnin's Avatar
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    The flat-top Mandolins made in Nashville should not be confused/compared to the ones that were made in Montana. The Nashville made ones were more toy like or novelty items. The ones made in Montana were the real deal - pre Gibson and post Gibson, did not matter on this series. Lots of folks talk about pre and post Gibson with the Flatiron line but IMO, the pre/post did not matter in regard to these flat-tops. Essentially the same people were making them during the Montana years.

  11. #86
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    FYI,

    Here is an ebay auction with a $500.00 "buy it now" for a 1983, pre-Gibson 1N.

    f-d
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  12. #87
    Registered User JiminRussia's Avatar
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    I got a pre-Gibson 1N about two months ago and paid what I thought at that time was a little too much. Maybe I was just being cheap, I don't know. Today I do not regret it at all. I was fortunate in that I was dealing with an honorable man that had depicted the mandolin very acurately. It had a few issues, but nothing that a re-humidifyng, a seam repair and a bridge lowering didn't cure. Including the repair I have about $560.00 invested and I now don't have any wories about taking my mandolin to jams, festials, traveling, etc. I can leave my Newson F-5 at home when I have any doubts and can still fight of the attacks by the banjo players of the world.
    The sound from it using, D'Addario FT74 flat tops is great. It is balanced and very clear. The playability is wonderful and the volume is, well it still amazes me that this little guy can shout so loud. I remember having read that when Gibson took over the factory in 1988 or '89 or thereabouts that they began their serial number run with a "9", Previous to that all of the real Flatirons had numbers begining with "8". BY the way, it came with that five clasp case that you guys were talking about and the fit is as described, perfect, tighter than a knot in green lumber.
    There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those that understand binary and those that don't.

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  13. #88

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    I still have a 1994 Flatiron 1CH mandolin for sale. Check out the Classifieds on Mandolin Cafe, ad #10211. Thanks!

  14. #89
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    I need to track down my 1N. I didn't realize they were so in-demand. I could sell any of my other mandos, but the 1N and my Red Diamond are gonna be hard to part with.
    "No point in thinking outside the box until you know what's IN the box. . ." #Frank Ford

  15. #90
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Here is a pre-Gibson 2N on ebay right now under $200.00 with no reserve. It will be interesting to see where this ends up.

    f-d
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  16. #91
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    Looks like ole8string is back doing some cad bidding. Have not seen him/her on the Mando trail for awhile. A fast starter but does not have a finishing kick.

  17. #92
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Ebay still has a Flatiron 2M(ending up around $478.00)f-dhere's the link) and there is a 2mc or something close in the cafe classifieds for the great price of $375 - fyi.
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  18. #93
    Registered User Dan Adams's Avatar
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    See the 2MC in the classifieds? Its worth 1/2 again plus what is being asked. That one is a steal!! I certainly hope a Cafe Member grabs that one before its gone! Good Luck! Dan
    Play em like you know em!

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    I was going to bid on that 2m at the last minute, but somebody else had the same idea (and a bigger wallet it seems). I'm also looking to buy the 2mc in the classifieds, but I'm not the first in line .

    In order to make this something more then a "whine about not winning an ebay bid" post, I was wondering if any of you mandolin experts could pontificate about the differences between mid-Missouri mandolins and these flatirons being discussed. I'm wanting to buy my first mandolin and these are the two kinds I've narrowed it down to.
    Sig

  20. #95
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Sig,

    Not being an expert, having never played a Mid-Mo and only having the benefit of owning my 1N, all I can say is it is fun to play, gets alot of attention for its tone and volume and seems to be a good "investment". Just be careful not to get a Gibson Flatiron, which is made for tourist sales in Nashville. As long as the label on the inside says Flatiron (whether under the ownership of Gibson or not is immaterial).

    Hope I am not confusing you. Let's try again. Flatiron made these pancake mandolins from the early 1980s through the late 1990s. Somewhere in the middle of this time, Gibson bought out the Flatiron Mandolin company. So, there are pre- and post-Gibson FLATIRON mandolins. Somewhere near the turn of the millenium, Gibson moved their mandolin making to Nashville (where they make great mandolins). However, they quit making the pancake as a real instrument. Instead, they make it as a commercial toy with plywood and heavier bracing. The overall quality is not where it used to be. So, enjoy the hunt. If it weren't for the fact that you have narrowned down the hunt to a Flatiron or a Mid-Mo, I would offer you several choices of mandolins in the under $250.00 range.

    fatt-dad
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  21. #96
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    New on Ebay - here - if you are interested just track it and see where it sells. So far it is in the $300.00 range.

    Also, I noticed that there is a Mid Mo on ebay at the opening bid of $295.00.

    (nothing in either of these for fatt-dad - fyi only.)

    f-d
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  22. #97

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    Concerning the Flatiron 2MC in the Classifieds....I bought it, if anyone is interested. It's a great mandolin in great shape.

  23. #98
    Registered User pickinNgrinnin's Avatar
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    Looks like ole8string is on the ebay prowl again

    F5dude - do you have the 2MC already??

    QUOTE: "It's a great mandolin in great shape".

    Not to mention at a great price too!

  24. #99
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    I wonder how folks compare these to the new Weber flattops. I got a bargain-basement deal on an Aspen #2, and while its no banjo killer, I think it is one of my best mandos tone-wise...better tone than any carved top Weber I've ever played.

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