# Mann AJ-605C Les Paul



## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

Hello. I have an opportunity to buy an early eighties, Korean made Mann AJ-605C Les Paul copy. I know that these weren't made as well as the seventies Japanese ones, but I would like to know if anyone has any experience with them? The guitar needs a bit of work, but it seems solid.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

Looks ok from what I've read on this catalog listing. Doesn't say whether it's bolt on neck or not.


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

SaucyJack said:


> Looks ok from what I've read on this catalog listing. Doesn't say whether it's bolt on neck or not.


It's a bolt on. It's a little beat up, I just haven't heard of anyone that's actually used one yet. I'm in the fence about buying it.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

It's been many, many moons since I've had a bolt on LP. I'm betting it's like most others on the market. You can probably make a decent guitar out of it but is it worth the cost of upgrades?


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Bolt-on schmolt-on. That argument has been going on since the first bolt-on guitar was made. If you like it and the price is right, then buy it. However, it sounds like you are on the fence about it. What does that tell you?


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Les Paul guitars with bolt on necks just don't seem right.


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

Steadfastly said:


> Bolt-on schmolt-on. That argument has been going on since the first bolt-on guitar was made. If you like it and the price is right, then buy it. However, it sounds like you are on the fence about it. What does that tell you?


The reason I'm on the fence is because it has a crack where the neck and body meet. I'm not sure if it's something serious that will render the guitar useless, or if its something that can be fixed if it even needs to be. Mann electric guitar | guitars | Ottawa | Kijiji


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## Guest (May 9, 2017)

I used to have a 70's MIJ LP with Maxon pups.
I couldn't tell you what the MIK's have.
Having said that, if you really wanted it, I'd offer $150.
That's a stress crack in a pancake plywood body. It can be repaired. 
Inject glue with a syringe, release tension of the strings, clamp it.


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

laristotle said:


> I used to have a 70's MIJ LP with Maxon pups.
> I couldn't tell you what the MIK's have.
> Having said that, if you really wanted it, I'd offer $150.
> That's a stress crack in a pancake plywood body. It can be repaired.
> Inject glue with a syringe, release tension of the strings, clamp it.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Way back I bought a new early 70s Pan LP copy, bolt on etc. It was a POS.

I put Gibson mini HBs on it like the ones from an early 70s gold top. Gibson pickups were hard to find back then if they weren't already attached to a guitar. Anyway, that made it sound a bit better but it was never all that great.

Some of the tuners eventually went south and I had to use vice grips to turn the tuner when tuning. That was a lot of fun.

About ten years ago I tossed that guitar in the garbage. Took it to the garbage room and tried to do a Pete Townshend number smashing the guitar into the floor like an axe. It wouldn't break; I gave up not wanting to get a string stuck in my eye. Tough guitar.

I read somewhere that Townshend said he could break an SG over his knee. He would never have got famous breaking guitars if he'd been using Pan Les Pauls when he started out.


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

Ah, so it's plywood. I thought from the weight of it that it was a solid piece of wood. Not so sure if I want it now. I'm not stuck on this specific guitar, I'm just getting itchy to get one and start playing. Thank for the info.


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

Wardo said:


> Way back I bought a new early 70s Pan LP copy, bolt on etc. It was a POS.
> 
> I put Gibson mini HBs on it like the ones from an early 70s gold top. Gibson pickups were hard to find back then if they weren't already attached to a guitar. Anyway, that made it sound a bit better but it was never all that great.
> 
> ...


This thing feels like a tank. I don't think it's worth the hassle, better to spend it on one that I don't have any doubts about. I actually have a Pan acoustic.


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## Guest (May 9, 2017)

Just curious, is this actually your guitar that you're trying to value?
or do you usually use the pic of a guitar that you're thinking of buying as your avatar?


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

laristotle said:


> Just curious, is this actually your guitar that you're trying to value?
> or do you usually use the pic of a guitar that you're thinking of buying as your avatar?
> 
> View attachment 86001


I was thinking of buying it. The pic ended up as my avatar by mistake.


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## Guest (May 9, 2017)

Makes sense.
It takes a bit to navigate the settings.


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## Shooter177 (Aug 8, 2012)

I have a Korean 335 Mann (bolt neck) and it's a great playing and sounding guitar!


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

Shooter177 said:


> I have a Korean 335 Mann (bolt neck) and it's a great playing and sounding guitar!


Nice. Do you know if it's solid or plywood body? The one I'm looking at is apparently plywood, but as laristotle said...it can be fixed. I'm actually starting to lean towards buying it.


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## capnjim (Aug 19, 2011)

The one thing to watch out for, which is an easy fix, is creaky necks. I have had several MIJ bolt on's that had them. The problem is the screw holes in the body are not big enough and the screws actually thread through the body before hitting the neck.
You just need to drill out the holes so the screws fit through without biting into the wood on the body. This gets a much better contact for the neck.
Cheers


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

MarkC said:


> Nice. Do you know if it's solid or plywood body? The one I'm looking at is apparently plywood, but as laristotle said...it can be fixed. I'm actually starting to lean towards buying it.


You can be pretty sure it's plywood because even the $4000 Gibson Thinlines are made out of plywood (laminate, more accurately). It's kind of a standard construction for this style and has been since they were invented 60 years ago.

This is not the same as solid body guitars which are usually solid woods and not laminates. So it's an apples to oranges kind of comparison.


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## luker0 (Apr 18, 2017)

High/Deaf said:


> You can be pretty sure it's plywood because even the $4000 Gibson Thinlines are made out of plywood (laminate, more accurately). It's kind of a standard construction for this style and has been since they were invented 60 years ago.
> 
> This is not the same as solid body guitars which are usually solid woods and not laminates. So it's an apples to oranges kind of comparison.


My understanding of one of the reasons why the ES-175 is made of plywood is it offers far less feedback on stage when played hard in comparison to a carved solid arch top. It was a design choice for a high end guitar. So I'd say having a plywood top is not necessarily a good or bad thing really, just part of he design.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

luker0 said:


> My understanding of one of the reasons why the ES-175 is made of plywood is it offers far less feedback on stage when played hard in comparison to a carved solid arch top. It was a design choice for a high end guitar. So I'd say having a plywood top is not necessarily a good or bad thing really, just part of he design.


I hadn't heard that but it could be true. An ES-175 is much harder to tame at high volumes than an ES-335 with it's solid center section (top and back are less free to vibrate). 

The majority of Gretsch hollow-body guitars are laminate construction as well. There is one that uses a solid spruce top. I played one at an L&M before I bought my 6120 and while it was a bit better not plugged in, I could not discern a difference through a clean amp, let alone a distorted one. I don't doubt it may be a bit better but at what cost? And perhaps it will be harder to tame at high volumes because of that extra responsive top? 

I don't have a problem with laminates in they're proper situation, but I prefer my solid body guitars and acoustics to be solid wood. The first one may be just in my head but the second one definitely is not.


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## Shooter177 (Aug 8, 2012)

MarkC said:


> Nice. Do you know if it's solid or plywood body? The one I'm looking at is apparently plywood, but as laristotle said...it can be fixed. I'm actually starting to lean towards buying it.


I have no idea what it's made of! But for what it's worth I played a 2500$ Gibson 335 and I'm not convinced it's worth the 2350$ difference!


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## MarkC (May 8, 2017)

The neck seemed ok when I first looked at it. I'm going to have another look at it and apply a little pressure to see if the neck is good.


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## luker0 (Apr 18, 2017)

High/Deaf said:


> I hadn't heard that but it could be true. An ES-175 is much harder to tame at high volumes than an ES-335 with it's solid center section (top and back are less free to vibrate).
> 
> The majority of Gretsch hollow-body guitars are laminate construction as well. There is one that uses a solid spruce top. I played one at an L&M before I bought my 6120 and while it was a bit better not plugged in, I could not discern a difference through a clean amp, let alone a distorted one. I don't doubt it may be a bit better but at what cost? And perhaps it will be harder to tame at high volumes because of that extra responsive top?
> 
> I don't have a problem with laminates in they're proper situation, but I prefer my solid body guitars and acoustics to be solid wood. The first one may be just in my head but the second one definitely is not.


I was once told by a wise old luthier that cheap construction (compared to say an L-5) was the main reason for laminate tops but that the ability for those to be more controlled on stage compared to the high sustaining solid tops was a desirable element. And also why so many other archtops and semi-hollows use laminate to this day.


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## Elgibzo (Jan 8, 2021)

i have a guitar ,i cant find it on the internet my grand dad bought this from a guy 25 to 30 years ago or even more ,the model is AJ-605X


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