MAKO Traditional '56

GRABBED ANOTHER 56 MAKO ON E BAY FOR 159.00 THIS ONE IS BETTER THAN MY CHERRY SUNBURST, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THESE GUITARS! I PUT IN A SET OF GIBSON 490R & 498T HUMBUCKERS TO IMPROVE THE SOUND AND THE REST OF THE GUITAR STOCK.

I LIKE THE ORIGINAL HUMS AND WILL KEEP THEM TO PUT IN A CHEAPER LES PAUL COPY, REMEMBER! ALWAYS SAVE THE ORIGINAL PARTS

THE FRETS ARE THIN AND WILL WEAR QUICKLY SO PLAY IT SPARINGLY. THIS GUITAR IS A BEAUTIFUL HONEYBURST COLOR WITH A FANTASTIC MATCHING FLAME, I LOVE IT

SHES BUILT LIKE A BRICK **** HOUSE AND WILL LAST FOREVER

FORGET CUSTOMER SUPPORT BTHE STOPPED PRODUCTION IN THE MID 80'S

IF YOU FIND ONE BUY ONE. THEY APPER ON E BAY FORM TIME TO TIME. THERES ONE ON E BAY NOW UNDER MAKO GUITAR 6/30/08, FORGET THE BOLT ON 56 TRADITIONAL, SHOP ONLY FOR THE SET NECK MODELS

Mahogany neck & body, maple (veneer) top, set neck. I changed out hardware and pickups. Typical 'les paul' structure. As long as the wood is good, I'm good. Don't know when mine was built (mine came with what I believe is original hardshell case - purple lining - mid 70's?) Paid $270 and someone had already replaced the bridge pickup with a duncan distortion ... cool. (I prefer alnio's, however this duncan smokes) I bought this guitar just because I needed a les paul in the arsenol. I am a Fender man and own tele's and strat's. been playing 29 years. This mako les paul had become my main axe. That's right... That's how cool this guitar is. I will never sell it. If I was offered $700, I wouldn't sell it. I couldn't replace this great 'workhorse' for $700. Taking into consideration the wood and the hardware, I would rate this guitar a 5. (figuring 50% wood and construction and 50% hardware and electronics) replace the hardware and electronics and you got a smokin' les paul.

Blues, rock and yes... country. this guitar is very versitile. (I've got things set up low and tight - it gets serious 'spank' and it's a les paul!!! Don't know the age... but the wood is dry, dry, dry and sings, sings, sings. Light touch. Natural harmonics. I don't have to use 'echo' effects with this guitar, she naturally soars (ala Frampton "somethings happening" to give an example).

Folks... you won't believe this... but, I use a feeler guage to check the action on this guitar. As mentioned before, Low and tight. You've heard of 'player pianos', I think of this as my 'player guitar'. Not sure if the finish is 'Nitro' or 'plastic', but it is thin and sounds great! It gets a 10 for action.

Don't creep in my house... I'm armed with a mako les paul. Mad Max, road warrior durability!

I've done so much home work trying to figure out who, when, where. I figure it's either one of Matsamoto Mokko's (uncle Matt) (check out the first two letters in his first name and last two in his last name.
-OR- Kaman/Ovation. This guitar is built so good, customer service is not a concern for me. Whoever built this, built it to last.

I constantly cruise the pawnshops looking to 'roll dealers under the bus' in search of the elusive mako. The cold hard fact is, "friend, I will knock you out of the way to buy another". This guitar is a real sleeper, and I really hope word doesn't get out too much, at least until I have a half a dozen of these.

I just picked up a Mako traditional 56 les paul copy on E-bay for 131.00 + 30.00 shipping. I looked great (cherry sunburst) and I 'm glad I grabbed it. Execpt for the head stock logo and the bridge its as good as My gibson les paul studio I couldnt belive it. the pickups have a bassy growl,bluesy tone. it also has a great trebel sound. Its a solid, heavy, well made guitar, I am impressed. I wouldn't sell it for $500.00. brab one if you come across one.If you have any info on this mako model or would like a photo of mine E- mail me, Mike at... springhilldias@msn.com.

mine is used but in great shape, some small nick, slight buckle rash on the back. no real damage on the front, frets are solid and hold up well

can be used as your main axe if you dont have a grand for a gibson

If you know about mako guitars you probably know more than me. japanese I belive but gibson should sue them !!!

been playing for 25 years, have 34 guitars in my collection I buy and sell on e - bay under mikes guitar and amp. Im keeping this Mako 56 Les Paul

This is a set-neck, Les Paul copy, with mahogony neck and body, maple ply veneer flame top (possibly foto-flame). The pickups and electronics are stock.

The pickups were horribly microphonic. I took them apart, secured coils, magnets, etc. (and added a coil tap wire) then wax potted them. I also added a Christian piezo bridge and changed the controls to master volume, tone for neck, tone for bridge, piezo volume, and added a coil tap switch.

The tuners are cheap stamped tuners with "Gibson-like" heads. I cleaned, tightened and lubed them all. They'll be fine.

After modding it, the guitar is excellent! It rivals my girlfriend's Les Paul Standard (and that guitar is tweaked to excellence), feels and looks great. The pickups are typical, covered, medium output ceramic humbuckers. Although cheap, we both have taken a liking to cheap pickups...particularly the ones Mako uses.

I plan on adding FET buffers which will brighten the pickups a bit. I spent so little for this guitar and wanted to get it up and running without putting any $$ into it.

It's extremely versatile, with the coil taps, and the piezo bridge. Sustain is excellent. It sounds good through all our amps, from my blackface Deluxe Reverb, to our homebuilt amps (one a Vox like two EL84, the other a tweed Deluxe head) to Tiffany's 150 watt Randall.

The guitar had miserable frets that someone had crudely filed. I leveled, rounded and polished them. No problems now.

The pickups are matched OK, but the neck is a little higher output.

The top is a beautiful almost butterscotch flame. If it's a photo-flame, I don't care. It's stunning.

The bridge could have been anchored about 1/8" closer to the neck, but all is OK.

It's tough and solid. I buffed out the top with a wheel and the finish is tough. There is little wear on the thing yet, and it's probably 80's vintage and was not cared for well. It's a true gigger.

NA

I've got lots of gear and build a lot of it. I've wanted a Les Paul since I sold my Custom in the 70's for $350. I've been looking for a cheap, servicable knockoff, and this one is heaven-sent. It even came with a good hardshell case.

I love that it was cheap, that I was able to tweak it into a great guitar without putting any more money into it, and it will be a favorite of mine for years.

My girlfriend's first guitar was a cheap Mako, and she loves it, even though she's got some excellent guitars. We've gotten into cheap pickups and have a ball getting great tones from them (once properly potted.)

typical les paul features. Set neck joint extends to neck pickup cavity. stock pickups leave much to be desired. It has a carved top mahogany body with a 1/8" maple veneer and photo-flame. Electronics are not too great. I will replace them as soon as I have the cash. Very solid construction though. Everthing I expect from a les paul kind of guitar. Plus, the headstock can be gibsonized without too much effort. Just sand down the black off the headstock until the lettering and gold stripe are gone and all that is left is some clearcoat over the mahogany. finish with some 600 grit (at least) sand paper, then paint with some high gloss black Krylon paint. just don't forget to turn the guitar up-side down while it dries to keep dust out of the finish. Then add whatever decals you like. If you really feel like it, cut the little bump out of the top of the headstock to make it even more "gibson-esque". Note- a gibson truss rod cover won't fit on this guitar because of the neck joint construction. Not bad, just a bit different.

has the fat gibson sound that works great in any punk/ melodic emo-core/ hardcore situation. definitely needs a new bridge pickup. The neck one sounds pretty good with my amp.

had some dings (it's definitely not new) but the finish was in my opinion, nothing to be upset about. cherry sunburst looks great and it will play better when I get a new nut cut and installed cause the old one wouldn't work with my strings. It came w/ 9s 0r 10s and I use .10-.52 the P.O.S. plastic nut broke while I was removing it to see if I could shim it up. Also, it has the same problem I saw on a real gibson at guitar center. The frets do not overhang the binding on the neck, so the E stings will occasionally get caught between the binding and the fret. I am going to re-fret it a.s.a.p.

This guitar is very solid. Like I said before, the neck joint extends into the neck pickup cavity. I'm not worried about breaking it, as long as I don't abuse it. I got some straplocks for it which helps and the finish is really thick. Already gigged with it. Very dependable.

I don't know if they are still in business.......

I have been playing for 3 years and I play shows at least 4 times a month (sometimes 2 or 3 in 24 hours). I have a marshall vs65r, a fender mexi-strat with modified electronics, the new addition to my family-a.k.a.- this les paul, and a boss super overdrive. I am a big guy, so the weight is no problem for me. If it were lost, stolen or destroyed, I would cry and get the best deal on another set-neck les paul as soon as I could.

I'm not sure of the year. It is a Les Paul copy with '56 on the truss rod cover, 22 frets, maple cap on a mahogany body. typical LP control layout and pickups. I sored big on this one because some previous owner put PAF s in it. Rosewood board. A beautifully faded cherry sunburst.

a littl brighter than other LP, but I like that.

Good finish job through out. Much better than the new epiphone LP

Very sturdy guitar very good hardware.

I have been playing for 38 years. I was happy with the guitar when I purchased it especially with the PAF pickups. I have a LP classic and I switch between the 2. I also have a PRS that gets in the mix.The look and feel is totally Gibson. Beautifully made and plays well.