Members Raskolnikovs axe Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 i owned 3 agiles in the $300 range and they KILLED any epiphone I've ever played - except for one Japanese Epiphone Elitist, which they were on par with. Now, the Elitist cost $900...and the Agile's $300.. From everything I've heard, spending more on an Agile gets you much more than just cosmetic upgrades. Base on my past experiences my next purchase is going to be a high-end Agile. And to put this in context, over the past ten years I've owned several American Stratocaters and Telecasters, some MIM Fenders, a Korean lite-ash Fender, a Gibson Les Paul, a PRS CE24, the previously mentioned Epi Elitist, a Schecter, a high end Carvin, and a low end Ibanez. I'm not rich - but I feel the only way to REALLY get to know how you get along with any guitar is to own it for a few months and play it with your band, record with it, etc etc etc... so I flip them a lot to try out different options. And my conclusion is that now, as I'm going back to school and just picking a guitar to stick with, a high-end Agile is what's gonna do it best for me. Here's what I'm hoping to get - can't decide between natural or sunburst though: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mymindsok Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 So what kinds neck do the Agile Teles have? Modern Squire/Japanese shaped or the tradirional "C: shape? I could be interested..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 It's better than ANY Epiphone at any price. Uh oh! Agile is gonna have a tough time beating the quality of these Terada (Japan) Elitists:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pekelnik Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 because they've got agiles on that site that go outside of the realm of "cheap bangers" -- when you're talking $400 to $700 or so, for that amount of money you can get a pretty serious instrument in the "real world". for example, michael kelly guitars are in that price range and they are IMMACULATE, head to toe.so how do these agiles hold up to close scrutiny? By brother in law has a AL 4000. The guitar is pretty much flawless and really breathtaking (definitely over the top for me). The only problem was that the set up got sort of screwed by shipping to US, then waiting there for some time, then being lugged to Europe in a flight case in the baggage and so on. But once he worked on it for few minutes it was OK. Second issue is that it is quite heavy due to the solid maple cap and no relief holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 It is a Agile PS924. Unfortunately Rondo no longer makes that line. The only downside (like someone else said) on Agiles is resale. But Agiles are well respected in this forum. You would probably do alright on resale if you did not like it, - w That's gorgeous. The devil is in the details...or in this case, the tonewoods. The PRS below has a chunk of solid figured maple about 3/4" thick in the middle and the back is a single chunk of high grade mahogany. The price? Well, it's not as bad as one might think. This brand new CE24 could be had for $1000 at the Guitar Center in Denver last Memorial Day. They routinely go for around that on the used market, and it's one hell of a great player. Ask Alex Lifeson if you don't believe me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 agile vs. prsThe Agile is higher quality in every way. Check out that maple cap! That's NOT a veneer. . Not quite. According to Rondo's website here are the specs of their highest-end guitar: Model: AL-3000MBody: Solid Mahogany 2 Piece Center Jointed 3/4" Maple + 1/16" Flame That means that the figured top is a veneer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A_Gitarman Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Funnier thing is, Rondo seems to have BROUGHT BACK a sort of PRS copy. Minor design variations, but you can still tell what it's supposed to be. http://www.rondomusic.com/hawkerfloydte.html Looks to also be two with Wilkinson bridges, tribal green and amber respectively. Oh crap! Now I've got Agile GAS! DAMN THIS FORUM! I missed out on the original PRS-clone... just might have to buy one of these: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mister Crow Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Anyone have any experience with the Agile 'Wide' neck LP's? Every Gibson I try my fingers feel very cramped. I've just about given up hope of getting a Gibson-style, when I stumbled upon these. The HC user reviews only has one review for the 'Wide' neck LP's. Hoping someone here might have one or tried one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McHale Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 That means that the figured top is a veneer. You gave the specs to a different guitar than I posted the pictures for. And NONE of my high end Agile's have a veneer. That one in the picture which I was referring to was 3/4 maple with the flame running all the way through. Here are the specs for the PRS clone: http://www.rondomusic.com/product1009.html And I already posted the specs to my LP clone. Both have 3/4" flame maple tops. *THOSE* are high end Agiles. He gets them in all the time. He doesn't have any in stock right now. -Mc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pekelnik Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Anyone have any experience with the Agile 'Wide' neck LP's? Every Gibson I try my fingers feel very cramped. I've just about given up hope of getting a Gibson-style, when I stumbled upon these.The HC user reviews only has one review for the 'Wide' neck LP's. Hoping someone here might have one or tried one. The AL4000 has wide neck. It's ... wider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McHale Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Uh oh! Agile is gonna have a tough time beating the quality of these Terada (Japan) Elitists:-)Why? They are great when compared to other Epiphones but not so great when compared to the high end Agiles in the same category:Check out THIS baby:http://www.rondomusic.com/coolcatprest.htmlAgain, I'll take any top of the line Agile against *ANY* Epiphone. And the top of the line Epiphones cost MUCH more than the Agile. Epiphones are NOT that well made and they do NOT use quality parts.-Mc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pekelnik Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 That means that the figured top is a veneer. Their highest end guitars were the 4000 series which had no veneer and quite stunning tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meowy Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 I used to visit Rondo in NJ before they closed and went strictly mail order. Their guitars are / were great bang for the buck. but now I am seeing $600 B stocks on their web site. IMO that is getting a little out of hand for a single sourced mass / machine production guitar with flaws Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McHale Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 How bout this: http://www.rondomusic.com/820.html -Mc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Seeds Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Sold my Epi Elitist (MIJ) for a nice profit and kept my 3000M. The Agile just played, sounded and was better constructed than the MIJ Elitist. It was win win for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ihavenofish Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 That means that the figured top is a veneer. failthe guitar in the photo had no veneer. its was a $699 ps4000 with duncans.my al-3000m plain top also has no veneer with gotoh hardware. the new versions have tone pros. mine was $450. this guitar is on par in most ways with an epi elitest but less than half the cost.the al-4000 now discontinued had a thick figured maple top and duncans.theres a new al-3xxx on the rondo side with a solid spalt maple cap, 1 piece no less. theres also several teles with a 3/8" thick spalt top on swamp ash, some come with fender usa noiseless pickups.then theres the actual HIGH end agiles... and of course the custom shop which can be amazing when spec'd well.i have an epiphone les paul custom - korean. one that is generally deemed "better" than most current epis. its roughly on part with my agile 2500 in terms of quality, finish, pickups, hardware. my 3000m makes it look poor indeed.i also have a few "low end" gibsons. other than the thick poly paint on the 3000m, i think the agile is better built with more attention to detail. it really is. in fact, i tool the agile pickups and hardware and stuck it on my gibson SG. there are many "features" on the gibsons i like, such as the faded finish, fat round necks, smaller fretboard radius, but thats what the agile custom shop is for!go surf around sevenstring.org to see what agile can really do.in short, if you havent actually played a recent "high end" agile.. shut your cake hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peavey_impact Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Yes I have an Agile 8-string guitar which was over $600. It's every bit as nice as the $1000 Schecters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 because the same pickups sound way different with different shapes of wood sitting below them, true. Any pup will sound different depending on what guitar you are placing it in.:facepalm:Right back at you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chrispscott Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Any pup will sound different depending on what guitar you are placing it in.:facepalm:Right back at you. Prove it. Everyone claims this but I've never seen any solid proof. I'm inclined to believe that electronics are far more important than wood when it comes to how an electric guitar sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meowy Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 Prove it. Everyone claims this but I've never seen any solid proof. I'm inclined to believe that electronics are far more important than wood when it comes to how an electric guitar sounds. pretty simple. Put a pair of humbuckers in an alder strat, then put the same pickups in a mahogany SG and a mahogany / maple cap LP You will have your answer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Woody_in_MN Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 You gave the specs to a different guitar than I posted the pictures for. And NONE of my high end Agile's have a veneer. That one in the picture which I was referring to was 3/4 maple with the flame running all the way through.-Mc I would tend to agree with McHale on this. I have a AL-2000 and it is not veneer. - W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ihavenofish Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 pretty simple. Put a pair of humbuckers in an alder strat, then put the same pickups in a mahogany SG and a mahogany / maple cap LPYou will have your answer move pickups from a maple capped LP to an SG.... i did. no meaningful difference. moved a pickup from an LP to a strat.. did sound different, but there some pretty massive changes in the guitar like scale and pickup location. duncans in a gibson or epi LP are going to sound more or less that same as they will in an agile LP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ihavenofish Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 I would tend to agree with McHale on this. I have a AL-2000 and it is not veneer. - W nearly all agiles with a figured top have a veneer. the 2000 for sure. even many of the solid colour ones have veneer underneath. but this thread wasnt about "all" agiles, and doc's comment was directed at a photo of one of the agiles that DONT have veneer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sweetbabyjezuz Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 I have an Agile 7 string 725 in blue w/ a maple fretboard, inspired me to sell my stock carvin 727. So that's a $500-ish guitar > than an $850-ish guitar (i actually got the agile for 325 as it was a b-stock) It inspired me to get a custom 7 string V agile w/ floyd, red flame maple top, maple fretboard. Cost me about a grand, i'd say it's probably worth about $1500. Although i've yet to try out any of their 6 strings but plan on it really soon. Hopefully i'll pick up an AL or AD somewhere down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mfergel Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 nearly all agiles with a figured top have a veneer. the 2000 for sure. even many of the solid colour ones have veneer underneath. but this thread wasnt about "all" agiles, and doc's comment was directed at a photo of one of the agiles that DONT have veneer. Yup, even my black AL-3000 had a veneered maple top. A lot of guitars do now in the mid to low price range.Nothing wrong with veneers as long as it's solid underneath (ie. no plywood)Collection of veneer guitars/projects Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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