I have this not too old Flatiron Mandola from about the early 90's. It's in good shape with Birdseye maple back and sides and a solid spruce to. Anyone out there know if these are considered good instruments. It's made in Montana.....
mandoe, those are quite nice! I don't know that it is especially rare or worth a lot of money (it's easy enough to price comps online), but I would hold on to it if I had one. There was just another thread from someone who has one of these, but really wants a mandolin; I think the conclusion of that discussion was that of would be best to keep mandola strings on it, and use a capo. The mandolin versions of these instruments are nice too.
I was one of the earliest employees at Flatiron back in 1979 or 1980. Didn't stay with them into the 1990s, but by then, the owner had inked a deal with Gibson (because the quality was equal to or better than anything Gibson was cranking out back then). The infusion of capital allowed him to build a bigger shop, beef up production, and try different things, such as mandolas.
David Grisman thought enough of the Flatiron mandolins to endorse them, depsite getting no compensation.
The old Flatirons I've since run across have all aged well and sound great.
Does she play a Flatiron mandola??? What does she think about putting light mandolin strings on it, tuning it down to FCGD and putting a capo on the 2nd fret?
Why would you want to do that? You'd be better off either playing it as a mandola or selling it and buying a mandolin. I don't think light strings and a capo are going to give you much of a sound.
Those old Flatiron instruments tend to be very good and there's always demand for them.
Why are you asking, mandoe ? You weren't thinking of selling a god instrument, where you ? Obviously you've been cured of the Instrument Acquisition Syndrome, and you want to infect the rest of us. Well, it won't work, I tell you.........
Flatiron Mandola model 2m
Flatiron Mandola model 2m
I have this not too old Flatiron Mandola from about the early 90's. It's in good shape with Birdseye maple back and sides and a solid spruce to. Anyone out there know if these are considered good instruments. It's made in Montana.....
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by mandoe
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
mandoe, those are quite nice! I don't know that it is especially rare or worth a lot of money (it's easy enough to price comps online), but I would hold on to it if I had one. There was just another thread from someone who has one of these, but really wants a mandolin; I think the conclusion of that discussion was that of would be best to keep mandola strings on it, and use a capo. The mandolin versions of these instruments are nice too.
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Keith Dubinsky
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
I was one of the earliest employees at Flatiron back in 1979 or 1980. Didn't stay with them into the 1990s, but by then, the owner had inked a deal with Gibson (because the quality was equal to or better than anything Gibson was cranking out back then). The infusion of capital allowed him to build a bigger shop, beef up production, and try different things, such as mandolas.
David Grisman thought enough of the Flatiron mandolins to endorse them, depsite getting no compensation.
The old Flatirons I've since run across have all aged well and sound great.
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Will Harmon
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
Will, were you building mandolins?
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Keith Dubinsky
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
Yep.
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Will Harmon
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
I know someone down here that has
a Flatiron mandolin. They are notable,
good axes. She also plays mandola.
# Posted on July 15th 2008 by dogmageek
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
Does she play a Flatiron mandola??? What does she think about putting light mandolin strings on it, tuning it down to FCGD and putting a capo on the 2nd fret?
# Posted on July 15th 2008 by mandoe
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
Why would you want to do that? You'd be better off either playing it as a mandola or selling it and buying a mandolin. I don't think light strings and a capo are going to give you much of a sound.
Those old Flatiron instruments tend to be very good and there's always demand for them.
# Posted on July 15th 2008 by Steve L
Re: Flatiron Mandola model 2m
Why are you asking, mandoe ? You weren't thinking of selling a god instrument, where you ? Obviously you've been cured of the Instrument Acquisition Syndrome, and you want to infect the rest of us. Well, it won't work, I tell you.........
# Posted on July 16th 2008 by Guernsey Pete