Jeffvisca Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Good morning,looking for some help,Im wondering what the difference is between these two guitars? If anyone could help me I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StijnV Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hi Jeffvisca, These are the same models, they were a few times renamed in the past, and they sometimes did have slightly different specs, but the CJ-165 EC rosewood and the J-165 EC rosewood are the same model. Kind regards, stijn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffvisca Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hi Jeffvisca, These are the same models, they were a few times renamed in the past, and they sometimes did have slightly different specs, but the CJ-165 EC rosewood and the J-165 EC rosewood are the same model. Kind regards, stijn Thank you very much for your help,I do appreciate that,now I can order my J-165 EC rosewood with the ebony fingerboard!! :o) have a great day ! Jeff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Glad I stumbled onto this thread. I've got my money and am currently considering a CJ165. Regarding the C and CJ names, is it definite that there is no difference between the models? On Musician's Friend they do show the two Rosewood models with identical price, but the CJ maple and is over 200 less than the J maple. Checking the models, the CJ does not come with a pickguard. Can't find any other differences in the info listed for both. Maybe there's a difference in wood grades, although I think premeium and AAA maple are the same. I think........Same electronics also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Forget what I said about the pickguard. I've found several pics of both CJ and J models with and without a pickguard. The difference in price is shown at many different online stores. There's got to be something different between the two. Hopefully, someone with more knowledge than I will see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 The original CJ-165 did not have a cut-away. I think the new incarnation "J" with the EC is about the same but with cut-away. The original CJ-165 had as one of the differences in specs between the maple and rosewood models was that the maple version had rosewood bridge and fret board while the rosewood model was spec'd with ebony bridge and fret board. PS: I am looking at the product page on gibson.com and the page is for the Rosewood model, but the picture is of a maple version. Gibson goofed ---you can see the maple flame inside the soundhole!! The spec still says ebony fretboard on the specs page, but the picture shows the maple version with rosewood....LOL!! There are differences between the CJ and J. They have tried to cast the new J model as being much more of an Acoustic/Electric as opposed to the original CJ was an acoustic that had a pick up.... Hope that sorta makes some sense? Here is a pic of my Maple CJ-165 bought in 2007 I think it was....not too long after the model was first offered. Re: mine had the pick guard included in the case, but had not been installed. I am not sure how they do it now, but I have chosen to keep the pick guard off mine for now. I love the look with out it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 . Interesting. StijnV says the CJ and J are the same model. At Guitar Center looking at both EC models, the CJ is listed as Maple and the J is listed as Rosewood. Meanwhile, the CJ-165 (no cutaway) is listed as Maple. More confusion, but at least consistent - the CJ is Maple and the J is Rosewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 . Interesting. StijnV says the CJ and J are the same model. At Guitar Center looking at both EC models, the CJ is listed as Maple and the J is listed as Rosewood. Meanwhile, the CJ-165 (no cutaway) is listed as Maple. More confusion, but at least consistent - the CJ is Maple and the J is Rosewood. BK ....all due respect intended, but I don't think that is correct. I am sure Gibson makes or has made both the CJ and the J in both Maple and Rosewood. The CJ was the first incarnation and was made in both woods, they then added the EC for the cut-away version and changed the moniker from CJ to J. When they changed it to J and added the cutaway they really focused more on the model being an Acoustic / Electric and I don't know if they changed anything structurally ...i.e. such as building it in a way to reduce feedback since the intent became to plug it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 . Interesting. StijnV says the CJ and J are the same model. At Guitar Center looking at both EC models, the CJ is listed as Maple and the J is listed as Rosewood. Meanwhile, the CJ-165 (no cutaway) is listed as Maple. More confusion, but at least consistent - the CJ is Maple and the J is Rosewood. I looked into this awhile back, and though I don't claim a definitive answer, I concluded that "CJ" stood for "Country Jumbo" at one time but at some point, the "C" was dropped. Not long ago, I layed a non-cutaway CJ-100 (with p/u) that was most definitely rosewood. Think: SJ200 and J200. Southern Jumbo 200 v. Jumbo 200, right? And the difference between those are....? There are plenty of differences in the specs of any two guitars using the same designator (with/without the "S"), so I don't think the the S (or the C) are relevant at all to the specs. I think it's just another quirky Gibson naming convention that comes and goes and confuses all of us (happily) over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 . Node - I'm not disagreeing. I'm just going on what's listed at the retailers. A CJ-165 EC is listed. Going to the Guitar Center website I see that Guitar Center lists two J-165 models - both EC - one maple, one rosewood - http://www.guitarcenter.com/New-Gear.gc?internal=1&src=j-165&Search.x=0&Search.y=0&Search=Go And Guitar Center lists two CJ-165 models - one non-cutaway maple, and two EC models - one maple, one rosewood - http://www.guitarcenter.com/New-Gear.gc?internal=1&src=cj-165&Search.x=0&Search.y=0&Search=Go These are all currently available. I'm just saying, this is very confusing. Anne might be right too. Although both monikers are currently available. StijnV says they're the same model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 . Although both monikers are currently available. StijnV says they're the same model. It would be interesting to compare the years of production, to see if that explains why both are still available. Maybe Gibson dropped the "C" recently but lots of NOS CJs are still floating around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Surely the C stands for cutaway and the J for Jumbo. Gibson only make the 165 in cutaway now which is why the J model has a high second hand value,either way wonderful guitar in maple or rosewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Surely the C stands for cutaway and the J for Jumbo. Gibson only make the 165 in cutaway now which is why the J model has a high second hand value,either way wonderful guitar in maple or rosewood. Hmmmmm...... Maybe. BUT, go here and see the non-cutaway CJ-165 currently for sale - http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-CJ-165-Maple-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-104142070-i1150319.gc As Anne wrote, it might old stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I'm with Nod on this one. The original incarnation of the CJ165 was in rosewood (ebony bridge & board) or maple (rosewood bridge & board). The "CJ" designation stood for "Compact Jumbo" - it was touted as a small body guitar with the tonal characteristics of a jumbo.......a shrunken jumbo, in effect. The EJ165 was and still is the cutaway version and has replaced the non-cutaway now.......no more non-cutaways being produced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 . Hi Buc. Compact Jumbo - now I can see that moniker. So then the non-cutaway CJ-165 being sold at GC is old stock; or are they a special run? - http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-CJ-165-Maple-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-104142070-i1150319.gc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 That one must be old stock as the non-cutaway model has been out of production for a few years now. Mine did have a pickup in it, but a bottom of the line Fishman. The EC has better electronics and did when both were produced. I never have understood the reasoning behind cutaway acoustics. How many players have you ever seen play in those high registers on an acoustic guitar? They pretty much have little more than plinky tone that far up the board.........what's the point? Get an electric, F-holed hollow body and rock on, I say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 You guys are reading too much into the "CJ" and "J" designators. When the 165 was first produced, it was supposed to be a J-165. There was a marketing error in the labeling and when it was introduced it came out as a CJ-165 in all of the advertisements. It would have been too expensive to redo all of the marketing that had already been completed, so they left it as a "CJ-165". They have been in the process of correcting the error so the newer models are now designated as J-165. The cutaway version is the only version in current production, unless you make a special order. Any CJ-165's will most likely be old stock and they come in maple or rosewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Great information. And certainly appreciated............ Typical of the confusion that Gibson causes...lol...but I love the hell out of their guitars. Anyone have an idea for the difference in price between the J maple and the CJ maple? The sunburst look a bit different, but that can't be it. However, the electronics appear to be different names, yet described very much alike in the specs...lol..I'm confused.....Fishman Ellipse Aura system for the CJ....and Fishman Aura Pro Acoustic Pickup System for the J. http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/Guitars/Acoustic-Electric-Guitars/6-String-Acoustic-Electric-Guitars/CJ-165EC-Maple-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar.site1prod514552.product http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/Guitars/Acoustic-Electric-Guitars/6-String-Acoustic-Electric-Guitars/J-165-EC-Maple-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar.site1prod580340.product Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 . Welp, from what Buc and G-strummer wrote, I'd guess the CJ is older stock, so the price is lower, as MSRP has been ratcheting up lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I think the cutaway version is more of a stage guitar, with electronics like this in a hole in the side: I prefer the non-cutaway version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 The electronics for the cutaway are mounted in the soundhole, just like in the non-cutaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry K Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I am not sure about the mounting of the controls for current CJ-165's, but here is the blurb on the Gibson.com site, which seems to indicate side mounting: Fishman Aura Pro Acoustic Pickup System Gibson’s J-165 EC Rosewood Modern Classic comes equipped with a built-in Fishman Aura Pro, featuring Fishman’s popular Aura Acoustic Imaging Technology. This ground-breaking pickup system reproduces the natural sound of the J-165 EC Rosewood as miked in a professional studio, and onstage, thus eliminating the complicated setups of expensive microphones. Auro Pro uses digital algorithms to create images of various microphones’ captured sounds. Players can then blend these images with an acoustic guitar’s pickup to produce an immediate and dramatic improvement in amplified sound. The Fishman Aura Pro’s preamp includes a tuner, and is mounted on the bass side rim of the upper bout. As far as I can tell, the Aura Pro pickup goes in a hole in the side and the Aura Ellipse is soundhole mounted. There are contradictory details about the CJ-165 EC on various sites. If you buy one I would make sure the pickup system is the kind you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks for all the information. It does get confusing, doesn't it?...lol...........Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I'm always a little confused about these guitars.....165, 185, J-200 jr., L-200 (Emilou Harris).....are these more or less the same guitar size????? Can someone rank them in smallest to lowest????? I'm assuming they are all smaller than the J-200 BUT are they smaller than J-45's and SJ's and Doves???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Yes Compact Jumbo sounds good but whatever it is still a very nice and versatile guitar. Get a non cutaway, better sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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