Re: Flatiron A-5 Artist, 1,500 should I get it?
The seam sinkage, whatever that truly is, bothers me. If you could get a luthier you know and trust to evaluate that and come with a thumbs up, I'd recommend buying it. To give you an idea of prices, I bought an unused 1996 Flatiron A-5 Performer in 1998, for $1115, hard case for $85. A used Flatiron A-5 Artist, next tier up in the A-model line with nicer trim, was going for about $1500. My Flatiron was one of the last ones made in Montana; I drug it out to Sound to Earth in Logan, MT and Bruce Weber himself verified that. It is a great mandolin. Me being a less than great mandolin player, I have been quite happy with it. It has great tone and playability, and puts out plenty of sound for an A model. People with far better mandolin skills have been quite impressed with it after playing it. If you don't buy this one, keep your eye out for another one or a similar Weber, I think you would be quite happy with one.
Rob Ross
Apple Valley, Minne-SOH-tah
1996 Flatiron A5-Performer, 1915 Gibson F-2 (loaned to me by a friend), 2008 Kentucky Master KM-505 A-Model
1925 Bacon Peerless tenor banjo (Irish tuning), 1985 Lloyd Laplant F-5, 2021 Ibanez PFT2 Tenor Guitar (GDAE)
and of course, the 1970 Suzuki-Violin-Sha Bowl Back Taterbug
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