A CJ might be in my future sooooo:

What sitka topped CJ's impressed you most?
(RW, Mah or Maple)

What effect does a short scale have, if any on CJ's?

What is the SS length?

I wonder what top was standard on the 50's J-50?

I'm not looking for an alien. Maybe it's cousin in the lower 48.

I have to admit that I am partial to RW/Sitka.

Your turn.

I am very intrigued with the CJ also. I certanly do love the look of a sunburst, but with tortoise binding and a regular pickguard, not with that odd shaped striped one.
I played a CJ Adi/Maple that had a sign on it bragging about how awesome it is. I thought it was very neutral sounding no definition in the trebles or bass.
I'd like to try a Hog or Rosewood CJ with the Adi top and a short scale. I think the old Gibsons came with a short scale? I don't know what kind of tops they had back then, but I am in love with Adirondack.

I think Sitka probably was standard on '50s J-50s. My '59 is Sitka ... super-warm sounding, absolutely wide-open. Barely touch it and it thumps you in the chest.

I strongly prefer mahogany with the Collings CJs, but that goes for all of their models. I owned a rosewood & Sitka CJ for a while but ultimately it didn't do it for me. The Collings rosewood guitars (particularly the larger-bodied ones) just feel too tight. I think there is a sitka/mahogany CJ at Mass Street ... might be worth looking into. If I remember correctly, it's priced attractively as well.

You might consider German with mahogany for Collings. The best large-bodied Collings I've ever played was a mahogany/German CJ that I had for about a year while searching for the 'right' J-50. It now lives with another Forumite who might be willing to part with it, as I think he's more of a rosewood guy.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

Happy hunting,

Hey Mike. Congratulations on your recent sales. sure wish we could have done something, but believe it or not I am still waiting for the mailman.
Can you please explain what you mean by too tight. Do you mean like hard to step on the chords? Hard to get string movement? etc, etc.
Is that what you feel from all Rosewood Collings? even like a seven year old one?

I'm the opposite of Mr. Wilkins....I have two CJs, one EIR/Sitka, regular scale, and one CJAVarnish Rosewood, Short Scale. I have a CJA MahoganySSVarnish on order (all of them are and/or will be sunburst). I love CJs--that much is obvious, but my preference has always been Rosewood. After spending a lot of time talking to Kim at Cotten, and playing some mahogany guitars there, I decided to order one. I think I'll have my full contingent of CJs after that.

The "off the rack" CJSB is an incredible instrument. It is incredible under vocals, and very nice in a jam. The CJA VarnishShortScale is just a touch easier to reach (although after 5-10 minutes of playing I don't seem to notice it with either guitar), and is a bit better cutting through the mix in a jam or with other instruments. But I wouldn't trade either of them.

I haven't played a CJ maple, but in general, with the exception of one maple guitar--a David Webber Roundbody, maple hasn't called my name.

Overall,to me, the CJs in either rosewood or hog, and with either sitka or adi are the most versatile guitars I've owned. If I could only own one, and budget were an issue, the CJSB would be an incredible guitar. Right now between the two, if I had to liquidate one, I'd keep the Varnish--it was made for me to my specs, and is truly incredible. I don't know how I'd decide if asked to go to one when the CJAMH gets here. Hopefully, I'll never face that choice.

But what I'd say--you can't go wrong with a CJ, either Rosewood or mahogany, with either sitka or adi top.

Acoustic Music Works usually has a good variety of CJ's.

2 are calling my name. Trying to be patient.

Oh, and the short scale is 24.9. regular scales is 25.5

quote:

Originally posted by Papi:
Can you please explain what you mean by too tight. Do you mean like hard to step on the chords? Hard to get string movement? etc, etc.
Is that what you feel from all Rosewood Collings? even like a seven year old one?

I wouldn't say I think it's "hard" to get 'em to do anything. They just don't feel as responsive (to me) as the mahogany ones do. Probably doesn't make much sense, but that's the way they feel to me. To each his own.

The rosewood dreads and CJs I've played that are <5 years old have all seemed that way [the dreads more than the CJs). That being said, I'd love to play an older CJ like redavide's. I suspect it is lights-out.

And of course now that I'm typing this, I'm thinking maybe I should try another one, just to make sure ...

Just when I thought I was kinda calmed down over the CJ thing, this thread comes along to get me all stirred up.

There are a couple of short-scale CJs at AMW that I put in my spank bank a while ago. And then there are Bourgeois Slope-D's in various wood combos at several dealers that also really intrigue me.

I should go lay down next to my D1A and try to calm down...

Not knowing your playing style, it is hard to prescribe a CJ that will be perfect for you. But here goes: I think that a short-scale, mahogany & sitka CJ would be user-friendly, and sound like a million $$.(and very close to the original Gibson design) If you are the type who plays hard and agressively, go with the adi top. They do take years to break in, so patience becomes a part of the equation. Good luck amigo!

master Wilkins, far be it from me to guide one with the tonnage that's been through your music room, but there is a CJ that will "do it", for, to, and with you. Took me three tries. Just watched a video my wife made of our gig yesterday late afternoon on Treasure Island, and, man, the CJA made me sound really, really good. And I'm not all that, trust me. Half of you, at least, could bury me, figuratively. the other half are young enough you'll bury me literally. Lastly, if I didn't think, and did not have corroboration from the Collings shop, I would never have made my first, and almost certainly last, custom order a short scale mahogany CJ if I weren't pretty close to certain it'll ring my chimes, big time. someday. tom

Tom, I completely agree with you (that there is a CJ that will ring my chimes). The mahogany / German one I owned for a year was right there. I don't think there are many that are better. But ultimately it wasn't as good for what I was wanting it for as a 50 year-old J-50.

C'est la vie.

So yeah ... I do like the CJs in general. But I like the mahogany ones a whole lot more than the rosewood ones. That is all I was really getting at.