# General Mandolin Topics > Mandolin Cafe News Discussions >  Steve Carlson Tooling Up at ZETA

## NewsFetcher

The Mandolin Cafe has posted the following news release:
Steve Carlson Tooling Up at ZETA

Steve Carlson, the founder of Flatiron Mandolins is once again building instruments after the purchase of ZETA Violins but there are plans for mandolins in the very near future. We catch up with an exclusive interview with one of the true legends of music manufacturing to find out what he's up to.



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Elb2000

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## MikeEdgerton

I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of Mr. Carlson's latest endeavor. Best of luck!

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## Russ Jordan

Great interview and interesting history.  Look forward to seeing what comes out of Bozemen in the coming months.

Who knows---maybe Steve Carlson can buy back the Flatiron name!!!!!!

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## mrmando

Zeta did do a mandolin once upon a time ...

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## darrylicshon

I always wanted one of Zeta's synth violins, will he be making a synth mando i would like to try one.

Mrmando was the one they made before a synth?

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## UsuallyPickin

Excellent! I have two Gibson instruments Mr.C signed . One from 88' and a second from 90'. I have worn the frets off both of them a couple of times. I look forward to playing his newly produced mandolins. In the past decade and a half I have managed to learn to fiddle so I will enjoy checking out his violin instruments as well. R/

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## bradlaird

Interesting parallel track: 
Even Lloyd Loar turned to his attention to the electric violin after his Gibson days...  http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/ElectricInst...ricViolin.html

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## MikeEdgerton

> Zeta did do a mandolin once upon a time ...


I wonder if those were actually built by Zeta?

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## Steve Carlson

Thanks Scott for the interview and your time spent. Here is a couple more interesting pics of the ZETA CNC we made . . . and a photo of the 1st 12 Montana ZETA Violins.

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Tommcgtx

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## PJ Doland

So if Gibson was willing to sell him the Zeta brand, why would they be unwilling to sell him the Flatiron brand back?

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## Steve Carlson

I believe that was a branded import. I have found a use for these.

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bradlaird

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## Russ Jordan

Maybe I misread, but I didn't get the impression that Steve bought Zeta from Gibson.

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## Steve Carlson

ZETA hasn't been involved with Gibson in a long time, maybe 1999 was the last of the Gibson association.

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## tree

> I believe that was a branded import. I have found a use for these.


Now that's funny!!

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## MikeEdgerton

> I believe that was a branded import. I have found a use for these.


That's pretty funny.

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## MikeEdgerton

> Thanks Scott for the interview and your time spent. Here is a couple more interesting pics of the ZETA CNC we made . . . and a photo of the 1st 12 Montana ZETA Violins.


Are those actually fretted violins or are they just markers on the fingerboard?

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## Steve Carlson

They are bowed mandolins.  :Cool:

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## Steve Carlson

. . . with frets . . . lots of fun!  :Disbelief:

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## shelley.heard

Great interview. So glad Steve is back in the instrument manufacturing business. 

I own a Carlson-signed Flatiron A5-1, which is X-braced. The serial number dates it as 1983- I bought it new in 1985. I am wondering when the first arch-top mandolins were built at Flatiron and what influence, if any, Steve Gilchrist had on Flatiron's designs. I had heard that a Gilchrist Model 3 and a Model 5 had been used as templates for those early offerings.

If Steve ever writes a book about the history and tradition of mandolins in Montana, I'd wait in line for a signed copy. It is good to know that history continues today.

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## PJ Doland

My bad. For some reason I was under the impression that Zeta was owned by Gibson when they stopped production.

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## mrmando

Yeah, the Zeta mandolin looked like a branded import to me. That photo is the only one I ever saw; there can't be large numbers of them out there. 

There was a Zeta bass that looked pretty cool ... I think you were supposed to be able to strap it on and play it guitar-style as well as putting an endpin in it and playing it upright. At one point J.D. Crowe's bass player was using one.

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## Mike Romkey

Thanks for the great interview and interesting details about life at Gibson. Glad to see Zeta getting another at-bat. Best of luck.

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## Mandolin Cafe

Noting today is the 3 yr. anniversary of the publication of this interview.

One of the most precious quotes from the interview:

_"After a year or so things got really crazy at Gibson. We used to get these faxes from corporate — we called them the faxes from hell — and at one point we actually placed the fax machine so it hung over a shredder. When that single continuous sheet of faxes came in they'd drop directly into the shredder (laughs). It was going to take a lot of my personal energy to focus and build a great fiddle and the whole thing at Gibson was constantly sucking that out of you. So I just tucked the idea away, thinking maybe things would change with Gibson or, maybe I'd get back to it someday, and here we are."_

and this:

_"Here I am standing in a music store in Bozeman staring at an import mandolin with the name Flatiron on the peghead and the scroll stops before it even gets started. It's just this piece of wood or something made to resemble a mandolin, and this is in the town where 10,000 mandolins were meticulously crafted. It was a very disturbing experience."_

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addamr, 

fatt-dad, 

MikeEdgerton, 

Russ Jordan

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## Russ Jordan

Thanks for reminding us of that interview.  I missed when the cafe announced their mandolin model, including video:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/c...-JM25-Mandolin

Anybody know who might be playing a Zeta mandolin?  I would love to see/hear one in action.

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## Mandolin Cafe

Noting the anniversary of this interview with the man! Part of this interview is -- priceless. 

_"... we used to get these faxes from corporate — we called them the faxes from hell — and at one point we actually placed the fax machine so it hung over a shredder..."_

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## Mandolin Cafe

Published six years ago today.

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## jimmy powells

I always thought it would have been well received if Steve had named the latest ones Carlson Mandolins.

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## Steve Carlson

> Published six years ago today.


Hard to believe this interview was six years ago now . . . wow. Most of those 6 years were busy and productive. In fact, I'd say five of the six were excellent. I'm sure 2020 has taken it's toll on all of us in some way or another. As one might expect, ZETA's international sales are way down, forcing cut backs in our day to day production. Interestingly, in NC Solutions we've seen an increase, as parts sales to the guitar and banjo industry have increased . . . lots of higher end retail demand evidently . . . even record sales for some . . . which is good.

For ZETA we've kept busy with some nice custom stuff.
 New 'American Beauty Series' (Trans-Colors with matching Bridge/Tailpiece)


 Custom 'FlameEdged - Buckskin' (Double Lam body with matching Flame Imbus Peghead)

 Custom 'Spalted Flame Top w/Irish Steampunk Inlay' (Roasted Flame Neck)

All in all serves to make life a little more interesting during these trying times.

And just in time for the Covid nightmare . . . I finished up and started shipping the first of our ZETA acoustic/electric mandolins . . . yea . . . the 'Stage' A models.


 Featuring our 'Strados' mandolin pickup bridge

Just what was needed right? . . . a performance mandolin with no performance venues. Great timing.
Anyhow . . . I think we're all looking forward to the re-opening of music venues, both at home here and around the world!

Hoping your all safe and practicing hard, keeping your chops up. I've learned a good number of new tunes. My wife is very patient. Most nights I play (noodle) 2-3 hours in front of the TV and she doesn't complain. However . . . when I pick it back up and start in again I hear . . . R e a l l y?

I keep working on expanding my version of 'Jesse James', stealing from Tom Murphy's improvised version found here: https://www.facebook.com/zetamandoli...69893746375665

Merry Christmas to all . . . and let's hope together for a 'Better New Year'

All the Best,
Steve

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## Jim Garber

Nice to hear that things are going well with you Steve—as well as possible these days. I was one of the very first buyers of Flatiron's carved-top mandolins—the original owner of an A5-2 from 1983. I also called you (in those pre-email days) to inquire a year or so later about whether you would make a carved top mandola.

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## Steve Carlson

> Nice to hear that things are going well with you Steve—as well as possible these days. I was one of the very first buyers of Flatiron's carved-top mandolins—the original owner of an A5-2 from 1983. I also called you (in those pre-email days) to inquire a year or so later about whether you would make a carved top mandola.


wow . . . 1983 . . . that's about as early as it gets on the carve tops. What's the serial #.
Steve

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## Jim Garber

> wow . . . 1983 . . . that's about as early as it gets on the carve tops. What's the serial #.
> Steve


83090103  full set of pictures *here* and a couple below.

I believe I bought one of the first two A5s at Mandolin Brothers. There was an A5-1 and an A5-2. The woods on mine were so spectacular I spent a little extra. I recall that the tones on both were pretty close.

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## Mandolin Cafe

Noting the anniversary of this feature.

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Jim Garber

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## urobouros

I had an acoustic Zeta mandolin for a bit in 2020 that I really enjoyed.  I'd prolly still have it if I didn't need funds for my Big Mon.  Zeta makes a damn fine mando!

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