Agile electric guitars: My favorite Budget brand under $400

[articles]

* Agile guitars are really still under the radar but these are FABULOUS guitars for the money. I believe these guitars can appeal to players looking for their first guitar or to build a collection of instruments with specific tones on a budget.

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[Spunky Munkey]

Based on this article I bought the Agile AL-2800 Uniform Profile Silverburst LeftyAgile AL-2800 . It's the guitar on the left and my Les Paul is on the right.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...itarreview.jpg

I have now played the Agile for a couple of weeks and I'm impressed. Seems very good quality, very playable. Comparing to my Les Paul I would give it a high 9/10. I give it a 9/10 because I'm still finding the comfortable playing position, my Les Paul has a different guitar strap as compared to the Agile. I extended the new guitar strap I bought for the Agile by cutting off a piece of another guitar strap. I don't really hang a guitar that low but a regular guitar strap's length does not work for me. To see how I like to sling a guitar visit this band's site that I play with, I'm the only lefty,

http://www.myspace.com/therockaholicspartyband

Tone wise, I find the agile, slightly more loud bassy than I'm used to on the low E and A but if you notice one of my pickups in the les paul is not stock. Years ago I had a different pickup installed as well as an out of phase switch which to this day I don't use. I haven't touched the pickups on the Agile and I don't think I will, the bass level is not too bad.

The Agile came with grover tuning pegs and funnily enough, years ago I took grover tuning pegs off a hondo guitar I still have and put them on my Les Paul (ouch).

I like the Agile also because it is easier to get up high on the neck as compared to the Les Paul. Things I notice different about the Agile are the placement of the intonation screws (backwards to me) and the pickups, no individual string set screws on the pickups. All in all, I'm very happy with the recommendation and the quality of this guitar, I think it's a good add as they say on myspace. Years ago I bought a Hondo guitar on the same premise of having a cheaper second guitar around but I never got into playing it, it was a strat copy. Reading up on the Hondo guitars some people think they aren't too bad either.

[brandondrury]

Your post is right on. What I think is AMAZING about the Agile guitars is you don't notice objective flaws. I mean, I can pick up a Gibson and say okay "this is a $1500 guitar...cool!". When I pick up an Agile guitar, I say, "this is a $1500 guitar....cool......No, it's 1/5 that price!!!".

There are little differences here and there, but in the end, you are comparing a high quality instrument with a high quality instrument. In my experience, the Agile guitars stay in much better tune than a standard Gibson Les Paul does. (I've had TERRIBLE luck with tuning and Gibson).

Thanks a ton for contributing that article, dude!! Check your email!

Brandon

[Spunky Munkey]

As far as Gibson tuning, there is no doubt the original gibson tuning pegs were poor, that's why my Les Paul is on it's second set of Grover's.

As far as comparing the the Agile and Les Paul, as soon as I picked up the Agile, took a good look at it, felt the weight etc, I started to see a guitar that was a good knock off. I think Gibson should be concerned if the word gets around.

I came to the conclusion it's something like North American versus Japanese auto's. I own a Hyundai Sante Fe where as I always had GM.

[brandondrury]

As far as Gibson tuning, there is no doubt the original gibson tuning pegs were poor,

This blows my mind because it doesn't seam like like it's a good idea to make $1500 guitars that won't even stay in tune. I know they have to hit a price point, but you'd think they could just charge $1530 and put some real tuners on the damn things!!

I think Gibson should be concerned if the word gets around.

Not just Gibson, but everybody! All guitar manufacturers should worry.

Everything costs money. If you spend all your money on your guitar, you wont' have enough for an amp, a PA system, a great recording, or marketing a great recording. If you look really hard, you may find things about the Agiles that make it a 9/10, but I can't think of a good reason to own an American guitar anymore. I'd rather put that cash towards the items mentioned above.

I came to the conclusion it's something like North American versus Japanese auto's. I own a Hyundai Sante Fe where as I always had GM.

I can kind of see what you are saying. From my point of view, the trusty old GM has never been that trusty. I'd hate to compare a Les Paul to a Chevy because, in my experience, a Chevy is undependable and doesn't hold it's value overall.

Actually, my brother is a Hyundai salesman and he's always going on and on about how great the new Hyundai line really is. I can see how you can compare a Sante Fe to an Agile. They cost way less than their competitors but seam to be just as good (maybe better sometimes).

Brandon

[TimRP]

I am thinking of selling some stuff to buy my wife one of the $200~ Agile LP looking ones. I might be able to stretch to $260, maybe even $300 next week.

Maybe this one http://www.rondomusic.net/al2000hsbf.html .

Any comments on the low end Agile? What does the $400 one really get us that a $200 one doesn't, yah I saw the comparison chart they have on the website, but will there be that much difference in the tone...and you can shoot me now, but all that we have right now is a POD XT Live, so I know tone is a relative matter when it comes to recording through a POD. The VOX ADVT30 is on the shopping list as well. When she gets that we will use that for recording with, and the POD should be regulated to her playing at church with the POD filling in on recording when needed/wanted. Anyways my question is $200 Agile to $300 or $400 Agile, what would be missing on the lower end of the $$$ scale?

[brandondrury]

I'd say you will be just as satisfied with the cheap Agile as you would the more expensive ones. The expensive Agiles have pretty binding and a better flame top. (They actually look really good!)

I have the $200 Agiles. They are all over my recordings. They are great guitars. There is no room for a $2,000 guitar in my world anymore. I care about tone way too much.

The VOX ADVT30 is on the shopping list as well.

Well that amp looks pretty much useless, too. But that's subjective. My idea of great guitar amps is not going necessarily be in agreement with everyone else's view on guitar amps.

I'd look for a Mesa Boogie Subway amp or something along those lines. I'd try to find a small amp that actually held its value and wouldn't be a yard sale special in 2 years.

Sometimes you get lucky. I bought my Rivera Knucklehead head for $600 in '98. It's worth about $1,500 now. The reason it's worth $1,500 now is because these things are seriously mega pro amps. I use mine constantly. It's worth money because it sounds good. There are always sleepers out there to be found. I just can't imagine buying an amp that sounds crappy. In my world, if it says "modeling" it means it's crappy.

Brandon

[TimRP]

http://www.rondomusic.net/al2500tribalgreen.html

Bought her one of those as a belated birthday present, she picked out the color she wasn't sure about the LP style but I convinced her that it would be different then her Yamaha Strat style. Gave up my ART DPS II Pre, and one SM57, to do so, but she will get more use out of the guitar then I was out of the pre and a 57. Bought the matching case, hope that holds up well enough for a $60 case. But the guitar will be hanging on the wall and the case will only be used when she takes the guitar in to church, if she even likes this guitar for playing in church.

About the amp I heard good things about it, being a real tube amp section, even though the input section isn't. And $240 seems reasonable, but when it comes time to buy her a amp, I will be back here asking what I can get for $XXX amount. Maybe get pointed to used ones on ebay at that time. Till then she has a lot of learning to do. Although we are going to record amazing grace for her CD this year through her POD XT Live.

[TimRP]

Forgot to give you guys some eye candy of what I bought her.

[brandondrury]

This post must have slipped past me. I didn't see it.

About the amp I heard good things about it, being a real tube amp section, even though the input section isn't. And $240 seems reasonable, but when it comes time to buy her a amp, I will be back here asking what I can get for $XXX amount.

Make sure you totally understand what you are getting. First and foremost, "tube" is a word and little more. Make sure the amp sounds great before you buy it. Reviews are tough because you don't know what jerk is giving it a 10 or a zero. Is this a 15 year old who is proud of his Christmas present or has this guy played sessions for Lenny Kravitz?

If someone says an amp has a "tube" sound, they probably don't know what they are talking about unless they start dicussing even order vs odd order harmonics. Then they probably know what they are talking about.

I've got a feeling that this amp doesn't have a real tube power amp in it at the price you mentioned. The transformers don't cost much less than that. I guess I'll look it up.

Well, they don't really specify much about it the tech end. Either way, just make sure you play it and like it. I just see so many of these cheaper amps that end up being worth about $40 in a year or two and it's a little saddening.

Brandon