Agile guitars, anyone?

R

Roadrunner

Power User
Hi guys.
I'm looking for a nice and cheep 7 string, I've watched Rondo Music web site for some time now, the Agile 7 looks very nice, love the neck through (scroll down to the 600$ ones).
Anyone had any experience with these guitars (Agile)?
Thanks.
 
Only brief personal experience on a friend's 8-string, felt pretty good once he told me what he paid for it (he was 2nd owner IIRC). It sounded like a wall of angry bees covered in mud, but that had more to do with my friend's rig and what he goes for I think.
Scouting report says be ready to drop some cash on hardware upgrades and time on setups, but they can be excellent playable guitars without breaking the bank. I have heard a couple horror stories of the scale and bridge angle being off... I would think that, since they're offering a couple multiscale production models, they must have gotten their act together on that by now?
 
I bought a used AL3500 a few years ago that I saw at GC. Love it. Granted it had upgraded hardware from the factory; bone nut, gotoh aluminum tailpiece and bridge, SD pickups, etc. Good guitar. Conversely I saw one of their lower end models and it was not nearly as well put together.
 
They looks nice that’s for sure, the specs looks fine as well but I'm afraid to get a half-baked one, like problems with the neck as you mentioned etc…
I play 6 string guitars and the 7 is only for fun, dropping some heavy riffs from time to time, we don’t play lower tuning in our band so this guitars is really just for fun, that’s way I don’t want to spend too much $$$....
 
I had a *gorgeous* Agile PRS CU24-ish guitar. I loved how it looked, it played nice, but I never got tones from it that I liked even after 2 PuP changes.
Don't get me wrong - it was a nice instrument.
 
I have an Agile 9-string (see sig) and I love it. I had an Ibanez Prestige RG2027XVV, a Schecter 8-string, and several other Ibanezes - all with custom DiMarzio pickups. I made the decision to sell them all within a week of getting the Agile. Honestly, for the price I paid, I was expecting something horrific. When I opened the case, my jaw hit the ground. It's better looking than my old USRG30TP. More, it plays really nicely. And, the pickups (Cepheus) sound great - and this is coming from someone who had aftermarket pickups on all of the his guitars.

There were minor issues with it - the fingerboard had finish (?) or something on it that kept coming off on my fingers and ultimately required a vigorous polishing (no the fingerboard didn't lose it's color or anything); and the strings that came on the guitar are the worst guitar strings I've ever used. Beyond that, the guitar is solid.

You can see videos of my playing it here:



 
Heh, thanks! Really, I put them up there so you could hear what an Agile sounds like through the Fractal. Kurt at Rondo is a super nice guy and I'm pretty sure were you to receive a defective guitar, he'd take care of you. That said, I did quite a bit of research before buying my Agile and nearly all the reviews I found were glowingly positive. The only critiques I found were the same I listed above. Many people who bought the Les Paul Agiles said they sold off their $3-$4K Gibson Les Pauls because the Agiles looked, played, and sounded better. Presumably the Agile will hold little to no value in the resale market, but it doesn't seem you're buying it as investment.
 
Go for it man. I think Agile really is a great bang for the buck guitar. I picked up a 3125 (Les Paul style) a few months ago and even the stock pickups weren't too bad if you are looking for more vintage style. I'm more of a modern rocker, so I got some Bare Knuckles Nailbombs and I'm 100% satisfied with what I've got. To me it's just as nice as a much more expensive Les Paul and I've had a couple of friends say the same thing.

I have considered one of their 7-strings, but I simply have too many guitars at this point. LOL. (1st world problem for sure.)
 
Sold my Les Paul off. Granted it was only a $1800 one, but it was really good guitar. Biggest differences were that the LP was an all mahogany classic (not the unfinished ones) and most of the differences in tone between the two were probably pickups and maple cap vs. all mahogany. But there simply wasn't enough of a difference between them to justify keeping both and I just kept the one that I played more which ironically was the Agile.

And don't get me wrong I love Gibson.

On the other hand I think that you have to be willing to gamble a bit on possibly getting a dud from Agile.....then again the same can be said for Gibson.
 
My son bought a 3010 LP style guitar with a hard case a few months back. I played it as soon as it came out of the case and it wasn't to bad considering how much it costs. great bang for the buck if your looking for a guitar that plays pretty good and you don't want to spend more then $500 on a new guitar.
 
Had an Agile 828, but didn't like it... Very uncomfortable neck... Finish was quite good though, and the pickups weren't the originals so i can't talk about this.
 
Had an Interceptor 828 with EMGs, played nice and sounded mean. Absolutely nothing wrong with instrument but the 28 5/8 scale length and weight ended up just too much for me. Experience was positive however, great value for money, and I'd have no issues buying another Agile in future.
 
Ah, yeah, I forgot to mention the weight. My guitar is like 10 lbs. Not sure how much the 7s are, but you never realize how heavy 10 lbs. until you pick up a 10 lbs. guitar. It was shocking at first.

I also agree about the 28 5/8" scale length being a shocker to the left hand. For my guitar it's necessary. For a 7, I'd go with the 27" scale length.
 
I've owned 3 Agiles, and I currently own an Ibanez, Schecter, and a custom. The Agiles were all in line with the build quality I've seen on guitars for twice the price. I didn't sell them for any reasons related to quality and plan to buy another Intrepid at some point down the line.

The pickups are better than what you'll get stock from Ibanez. The fixed bridges are great, as are the tuners.
 
Thanks for the comments.
For a 7 string, what scale would you recomand, concidering im into modern fast thin necks.


Ooo didnt see you have answered.
Thanks.
 
Brock said:
I have an Agile 9-string (see sig) and I love it. I had an Ibanez Prestige RG2027XVV, a Schecter 8-string, and several other Ibanezes - all with custom DiMarzio pickups. I made the decision to sell them all within a week of getting the Agile. Honestly, for the price I paid, I was expecting something horrific. When I opened the case, my jaw hit the ground. It's better looking than my old USRG30TP. More, it plays really nicely. And, the pickups (Cepheus) sound great - and this is coming from someone who had aftermarket pickups on all of the his guitars.
Click to expand...

I just "discovered" Animals as Leaders this weekend (heard of them, never heard them) and I've got a sudden spike in interest for a 7+ string guitar. This is actually comical because I can barely play 6 strings. Anyway - cool guitar and really nice playing.
 
Roadrunner said:
Thanks for the comments.
For a 7 string, what scale would you recomand, concidering im into modern fast thin necks.


Ooo didnt see you have answered.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
I got the 28" scale model of the Interceptor. Pretty sweet, you can downtune as much as you want and no flubbyness, I tried the 7th string all the way to E and still sounds tight. I use .10 on my strings too, although if you are not going to go that low I don't think beyond 25,5 is necessary, cause the guitar is BIG.
 
BCnSTL said:
I just "discovered" Animals as Leaders this weekend (heard of them, never heard them) and I've got a sudden spike in interest for a 7+ string guitar. This is actually comical because I can barely play 6 strings. Anyway - cool guitar and really nice playing.
Click to expand...
Went through a couple 7 string phases. I'm like you; love hearing others play them, but I fall on my face when it comes to navigating the damn fretboard of it. I still can't believe how much having one extra string threw me off. I'd get vertigo looking at all the strings on the neck.

To the OP; have you considered looking for a used Jeff Lumis Schecter? About the same price range and if I was looking for another 7 string it'd be on a very short list.
 
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