Members mad axe man Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 the epi's use a alder/mahogany body? WTF?the 3500 has a mahogany/maple top the epi has rosewood and the 3500 has ebony andthe pups are not as good on the epi?why is it that these go for $600 and the agile 3500 prestige is less money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Prages Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by mad axe man why is it that these go for $600 and the agile 3500 prestige is less money? Because Rondo isn't as greedy as Gibson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members _pete_ Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 About a million more people recognize the name Epiphone over Agile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members misterhinkydink Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Because the Epis are Les Pauls and the Agiles aren't.Originally posted by mad axe man the epi's use a alder/mahogany body? WTF?the 3500 has a mahogany/maple top the epi has rosewood and the 3500 has ebony andthe pups are not as good on the epi?why is it that these go for $600 and the agile 3500 prestige is less money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 That's why I feel unknown/small brands often offer better value for your money than big ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sufidancer Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by pete n. About a million more people recognize the name Epiphone over Agile. +1:cool: As Shakespere once wrote: "Whats in a name...does a rose if called by any other name not smell as sweet?" Problem is in the marketing game a name is the name of the game.As soon as Agile becomes a stable watch those price tags go up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mad axe man Posted May 3, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by misterhinkydink Because the Epis are Les Pauls and the Agiles aren't. this does make sense as far as NAME goes they do have the "LES PAUL" signature on the head and les paul him self used epiphone years ago.I just wish that the EPI's had the right specs:( I would pay $600 for a EPI LP custom if it has a ebony board, mahogany/maple body, and decent pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gearnut Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Haven't some agile prices been going up? Also when you buy an Epi, you're paying for their overhead (marketing, sales, admin, people, etc). Rondo has very low overhead I imagine, so that helps keep prices down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mad axe man Posted May 3, 2005 Author Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by gearnut Haven't some agile prices been going up? Also when you buy an Epi, you're paying for their overhead (marketing, sales, admin, people, etc). Rondo has very low overhead I imagine, so that helps keep prices down. Yeah i bet you are right with this.I was just wondering about the EPI vs AGILE thingI like the look of the EPI a lot more but the price and the alder top,tuners,pups of the EPI turned me off so i got the AL 2500;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikeyzc Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 i'd much rather have a an Agile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members miked58 Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by gearnut when you buy an Epi, you're paying for their overhead (marketing, sales, admin, people, etc). Rondo has very low overhead I imagine, so that helps keep prices down. That's pretty much it, I'd think. I bet that one of the biggest contributers to the expense would be the middle man (MF, GC, etc.) getting his cut. I'm pretty sure that Rondo deals right with the manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mel Cooley Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Because people will pay the difference (and Les gets a royalty factored into the price too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k4df4l Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by gearnut Haven't some agile prices been going up? Also when you buy an Epi, you're paying for their overhead (marketing, sales, admin, people, etc). Rondo has very low overhead I imagine, so that helps keep prices down. I would suspect that is 100% correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emgeedee Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by Mel Cooley Because people will pay the difference Question answered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k4df4l Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by Mel Cooley Because people will pay the difference (and Les gets a royalty factored into the price too). Good point since retail pricing is usually a result of marketing and cost factors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shocker Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 As I have an Epi LP and an Agile AL, and love them both, I have to say I don't really care about the "correct" specs. I care about having an instrument that sounds good. I like that the Agile is a tremendous value. I like that the Epi is a Les Paul, and all the history that carries with it (mine, BTW, does have the correct specs). Both are great guitars. If you're willing to pay for the name (and hey, surprise, some people are), you're gonna go straight to the Epi/Gibson line of products. //S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Prages Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by k4df4l I would suspect that is 100% correct. I guarantee that has a lot to do with it. Advertising and fixed overhead are huge for Gibson/Epiphone. Compared to Gibson, Rondo's operating cost is next to nothing. Of course, when you factor in the sheer number of guitars made by both, I don't know that the per unit operating cost is that different between the two. I do think that the price difference is probably a mixture of overhead expense, middle-man mark-up, and brand recognition premium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kirs Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 The same reason jeans are $30 at Old Navy and $99 at Banana Republic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members johndempsey Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 It's very simple, Agile sells direct, Gibson sells to dealers and then they add around 30% and sell it for a profit. So Gibson AND the dealer have to make money on the sale, not just Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GretschGuy Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 The Epiphone and the Agile are both decent guitars. Here's the thing, let's say that they are equal in terms of construction and sound. If you are buying new, the Epiphone will hold it's value better. In a few years if you decide you want to step up to a better (or different) guitar the Epi will be much easier to sell and you will probably get more of your money back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members robt57 Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by Prages Because Rondo isn't as greedy as Gibson? Rondo can't get away with it like Gibson can? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bgmacaw Posted May 3, 2005 Members Share Posted May 3, 2005 Originally posted by GretschGuy If you are buying new, the Epiphone will hold it's value better. In a few years if you decide you want to step up to a better (or different) guitar the Epi will be much easier to sell and you will probably get more of your money back. It depends a lot on where you sell. If you sell on EBay where there are a lot of savvy buyers, you'll do fine with an Agile, perhaps even better than you would with an Epiphone. Of course, you have the costs and risks of placing it on EBay. If you sell to a dealer or pawnshop you'll take a substantial loss no matter what name is on it although some dealers won't take non-big-name-brand gear period or pay even less for it because they're afraid of not being able to turn it around quickly. If you sell an Agile yourself outside of the Internet where the name brand isn't well known then it's a matter of your salesmanship while an Epiphone has it's own built-in reputation for good and bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hardtdc Posted May 4, 2005 Members Share Posted May 4, 2005 Originally posted by mad axe man the epi's use a alder/mahogany body? WTF?the 3500 has a mahogany/maple top the epi has rosewood and the 3500 has ebony andthe pups are not as good on the epi?why is it that these go for $600 and the agile 3500 prestige is less money? Not all Epi's have alder/mahogany combos. My Custom (99') has all mahogany with a maple cap of just over 1/4". And Gibson Standards use rosewood boards. I actually like the rosewood board. Not as bright sounding. I'll agree that the PU's are just so so, but as for the price, I got my Epi Custom used for about $450 and it was flawless and obviously extremely well pampered. It was also set up and intonated perfectly with a great low action. I had to re-intonate once I put 10's on, but only a 5 minute adjustment. This thing plays like butter and sustains incredibly long. I think because there are so many of them out there, you probably have to play several to find a keeper. I got very lucky with mine. It's definitely a keeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members numbthumb Posted May 4, 2005 Members Share Posted May 4, 2005 "The emporer has no clothes! The emporer has no clothes!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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