Is this an aftermarket Snakehead?

[pefjr]

For some reason I thought all Snakeheads had a truss rod. No? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1923-Gibson-Snakehead-Mandolin-/160937916105?pt=Guitar&hash=item2578a5b6c9

[Jim Garber]

I thought so too but maybe this is a transitional one?

[Marty Jacobson]

Hmm, interesting... It's probably one of those times they dipped into the bin of necks milled a couple years before. "Think Lloyd'll mind if we use these old necks? Nah, just cut the headstocks on the new jig..."

[Tom Sanderson]

Ajr's don't have truss rods

[Jim Garber]

This is not an Ajr, I think a plain A.

[PJ Doland]

Peghead finish looks kind of dodgy. Is it possible the rod cavity was veneered over at some point?

[mandroid]

I see where some cracks are, like thru the rosette ring,
Were there Professionally Done Repairs?,

only 1st hand inspection will tell..

[barney 59]

Which just goes to prove once again that anything is possible with Gibson. It's a plain "A" without a truss rod. ----and probably out there there's an Ajr with a truss rod and both built on the same day.

[ollaimh]

even the plain a s usually had the gibson stenciled on the peg head, so that has probably been refinished, so manye someone covered the truss rod cover as suggested, or maybe they replaced a broken peghead completely. in either case i wouldn't pay much. if its a cannon, and some snake head as are amazing, what the heck!! if it is a dud forget it.

i've got a snakehead a from 24 , a plain a, with top binding from an a 2 and sound hole binding from an a4, george gruhn told mme years ago when i sent him pictures.(he was very helpfull). its a proverbial cannon. gruhn said at the end of the year thay often used up what ever was in stock, and mine was finished in december. so maybe some odd stuff was used on that one at the end of the year. what ever, if its a cannon, be glad. there's nting like a great snakehead a for a special sound

[Nick Triesch]

Nope, the plain A from 1923 did not have "The Gibson" stenciled on the headstock. Nick

[sunburst]

It looks like original Gibson throughout to me, except for the slightly radiused fingerboard, newer frets, and perhaps the back binding. I see no evidence of finish work. If the top crack was professionally repaired, someone was having a bad day (or is in the wrong profession).