The J3 Guitars brand was owned and designed by Codel Enterprises LLC of Bethel, Connecticut. J3 Guitars were first introduced at the Summer NAMM show in 2005 and were made until Codel Enterprises shut down in 2008. The J3 line included guitars, basses and amplifiers. John Coates (one of the three Johns after which J3 Guitars was named) said "Our goal in designing the new J3 line is to produce guitars and basses that players will want as their main instruments. Our instruments will embody equal measures of playability, innovation and dependability. We're passionate about our products, and we feel confident that the passion will be evident in the instrument's design and sound. The quality of the build will attract the pro, and the competitive pricing will offer the beginning guitarist unparalleled value as well."

The company divided J3 Guitars into four separate lines, each at different price points: the Player Series, the Performance Series, the Acoustic Series and the Pro Series. 

• The Player Series contained three models: the Phoenix, the Atlantis, and the Phoenix Bass. The purpose of this series was to give the beginning musician the best instrument they can get for their money. All of the models had the choice of maple or rosewood fingerboards (Phoenix and Atlantis), expanded pickup options (Phoenix), coil-tap switches (Atlantis), and string-thru or top-loading bridges (Phoenix Bass).
• The Performance Series was designed for the working musician and was made up of the Cleo, the Slim Jazz, the Malibu, and the Solaris Bass. The Cleo and Slim Jazz featured semi-hollow body construction. The Malibu was a single-cutaway guitar.
• The Acoustic Series was designed to offer traditional construction, with modern electronics, at an unbeatable price. The AG-D, AG-DC, AG-CEQ dreadnaughts, AG-J Jumbo, and AG-CEQ12 all featured solid spruce tops. The AG-CEQ and AG CEQ12 both featured specially designed Artec preamps. Finally, there was the AG-NS, a nylon string guitar designed for classical players and beginners.
• The Pro Series had high-quality components, construction, and finishes. All Pro Series instruments featured mahogany bodies, set-in maple necks, carved maple tops with a figured maple veneers, 24 fret rosewood fingerboards, and gold hardware. The guitars came with a variety of pickup and bridge options, while the basses came in four and five string versions in fretted and fretless, and featured a specially designed 2-band preamp.

Source: J3 Guitars website (Archived 2008)