Gibson CJ-165 Maple

The features and specifics are on the Gibson website.

I'm giving it an 8. It would be a 10 if it didn't come with cheap plastic bridge pins (this is not a cheap guitar), and if the onboard electronics provided more control than just the volume knob in the soundhole.

Also it doesn't come with two strap buttons.

I became gradually unhappy with this guitar when I got it home and played with it for a week. I also have a Martin DR and the Gibson didn't really compare for tone and playability.

Then I got it professionally set up and had the action adjusted lower. After that the playability was there but the tone still wasn't.

Then I tried a few brands/sizes of strings (Martin, D'Addario, and Thomastiks in a mix of 11s and 12s) and wasn't all that impressed. However, with Cleartone mediums (13s) it really sounds incredible. It is bright and full, better bass, better separation between the highs and lows, whereas before it seemed to have a narrow dynamic range and didn't project well or have much character.

I don't know if it had to do with the brand of strings, the string guages, or both, but if you're seriously considering buying one of these make the shop change the strings to some higher quality 13s before you make your decision. It may become a different and much better sounding guitar.

To my ear it now sounds as good or better than other similar sized acoustic guitars I've played in this price range from Martin, Taylor, or Guild.

It doesn't bother me that I had to get the action adjusted and the guitar set up after I bought it. If I were a bluegrass finger-picking wizard I might have liked the factory setup just fine. The intonation has been correct with all of the strings I've tried, both before and after I had the action and neck adjusted.

Mine has the natural finish. The manufacture and finish is first rate. I can only find one minor flaw, the piece of neck binding that spans the width of the neck by the soundhole is discolored and didn't seem to get finished evenly.

Whatever material the headstock is made of or covered with scratches easily.

There is only one "strap button", and that's an oversized endpin jack for a cable that doesn't fit with standard straps. I think if I ever need a strap for this I'm going to have to figure something else out. It seems as durable as any other acoustic guitar.

Also, if you pop in a soundhole mute, you might break the volume knob that's tucked away in there.

I'd buy one again. The neck is really nice and playable, the size and shape suit me, and now the sound is really amazing. It looks great too.