L-200 and CJ-165 Maple, are they the same?

[frenchie1281734003]

I`ve suddenly grown some interest in obtaining a CJ-165 Rosewood, but quite like the J-200 features that the Maple backed L-200 has. Having checked the specs of both the CJ-165 and L-200, it seems to me that they are basically the same guitar. Both have the same 24-3/4 scale, and the only difference (Non cutaway model) is that one is based on the J-185, the other on the J-200. Is there anything else, like bracing for instance?

 

And what do owners of the CJ-165 rosewood think of it?

 

Steve.

[bobouz]

I recently picked up a maple bodied 2012 J-185 in natural finish, but I'd been looking at the J-165 and L-200 for awhile as well. It appears that all three body shapes are slightly different, but I have not compared them side by side. The 185 looks to be slightly larger than the 165, with the 165 strongly resembling the 185 in many key details. The L-200 appears to be leaning closer to the LG body shape.

[Jerry K]

The J-200 is 17" lower bout. 185 -16", 165 -15". The Emmy Lou model was originally made in a slightly different shape (as were early 165's if I remember right). The WM-00 had a somewhat similar shape, though I guess it had a slightly smaller lower bout. Later both the Emmy and 165 got a shape that looked more like the traditional Gibson jumbo. The current Emmy/165 shape is interesting in that by adjusting the space between sound hole and neck as well as the placement of the bridge, Ren created a 14 fret guitar that has the bridge nearly in the center of a circular lower bout. It's a nice configuration. The 165 maple and J-200 have the same arrangement of maple back and sides and multi-piece maple neck. The 185 has a mahogany neck, which has a mellowing effect. The 165 rosewood model has a mahogany neck like the 185,

 

Since the 165/Emmy are two sizes down from the J-200, comparisons between the two are silly. It's a middle sized guitar with a lower bout similar to a Martin 000 or OM.

 

The two 165 models are different as night and day, despite having the same body shape. Rosewood, mahogany neck and ebony board & bridge vs. Maple, maple and rosewood. I have and like both of them. The rosewood is perhaps better as an all round guitar; strumming, flat picking or fingerpicking. Works for a lot of different kinds of music. The maple in my view is not as good as a strummer but it has extremely clear highs. It's great for leads, fingerpicking and jazz playing. Cowboy chords - go for the rosewood. I have light strings on the rosewood and mediums on the maple. The maple 165 with its relatively fast decay is like a flat top version of a 15-inch maple archtop. I play quite a bit of 4 to the bar type stuff on both 165s.

[J-1854Me]

I'm pretty sure that the *new* L-200 and the maple J-165 are essentially the same guitar, only with different fingerboard inlay and other cosmetic details.

 

J-165:

 

L-200:

 

The earlier version of the L-200:

....was a little different in shape.

 

But the current version of the L-200 and the J-165 seem to share the same body geometry and construction.

 

Fred

[frenchie1281734003]

Thanks for the help with this guys. Much appreciated.

 

Steve.

[bobouz]

I wasn't aware of the change to the Emmy Lou model.

 

Looks like the J-200M is the same beast - but fancier.

Wildwood currently has one (quilted), and it's a beauty.

[fretplay]

I`ve suddenly grown some interest in obtaining a CJ-165 Rosewood, but quite like the J-200 features that the Maple backed L-200 has. Having checked the specs of both the CJ-165 and L-200, it seems to me that they are basically the same guitar. Both have the same 24-3/4 scale, and the only difference (Non cutaway model) is that one is based on the J-185, the other on the J-200. Is there anything else, like bracing for instance?

 

And what do owners of the CJ-165 rosewood think of it?

 

Steve.

 

 

Hi Steve,

 

I have a CJ165 rosewood which I like very much. I think it is Gibson's answer to Martins 00028 they feel and sound the same. I have a Gibson Cascade which is a similar guitar but being maple it picks best. You will get the best all round playing from the CJ165 Rosewood, but not easy to get hold of in UK though!

 

Geoff

[frenchie1281734003]

Thanks for that Geoff.

 

Steve.

[fsharp]

I played both the Maple and Rosewood versions of the J-165 last August before taking home the Rosewood version. I agree with Jerry K. They sound entirely different. The maple was much brighter and the highs really stood out whereas the Rosewood sounds darker and more even from bass to treble. I personally like that sound better, but to each his own. Of course you can affect the sound quite a bit by the strings you choose and even the room you play in. I'm still trying to figure out which strings I like the best on this one. In fact, I just got mine back from the guitar tech at Sam Ash where I bought it. I really didn't think it needed much adjustment before I took it back, but its a whole lot easier to play after he got done with it. Its a great instrument but its just hard to believe that they can't do a better job of getting the action correct right from the factory.

 

I looked at pictures of the L-200 (never saw one in person) and had the same thought as you did - they look awfully similar.