Well, I thought long and hard and despite having an unmanagable number of guitars, I want a guitar. You know, the formula for the ideal number and all of that. What to get? I decided on bang for the buck as well as something I will play the crap out of. I have had my Agile AL2500 welded to my hand since I returned another couple truck loads of beer and soda cans and purchased it. Everything I read says the Agile AL3000's are exellent with many improvements.
http://www.rondomusic.com/al3000prest.html
Whats better about it?
AA flame maple top (the 2500 in an A)
2 pice center joined body (the 2500 is not center joined .... you can see the seam)
Alnico V pickups (had to replace the 2500's ceramic PU's)
Nickle hardware (2500 is chrome)
Brass shafted higher voltage pots .. USA 18 guage single conductor braided wire .. higher quality togle switch
ebony board with abalone inlays
Hand dressed frets
Graph Tech nut
I could have gotten a $400 guitar with a brand name on it but I think this will give my Gibson LP's a run for their money cause they are lower end "Plain Jane" Gibsons. (LP Special HB and a Studio with gold hardware)
Watch the demo on the Rondo site link. I was impressed and I own 2 Agiles already.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Agiles seem to get even better reviews than the SX stuff on their site, and with the materials, can you really beat it?
In Space, no one can hear me sing!
So, you weren't tempted with the "peace on earth and an end to wars" thing then
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Another sharp looking addition. An early congrats!
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Nice toy. Is she going to surprise you with it?
I don't know how you find time to play them all, though. I'm jealous of your collection, but for me, it's not to be.
At least not until we get a little more settled into one spot. MOVING your collection would be a terrible task...
And merry Christmas,
Ande
Well, I've seen it, it's under the tree. :wink: I had to perform my "alternate" role of guitar tech and inspect and set the thing up right? I am waiting on the strap locks. I made sure there was no buzzing and that everything worked but did not play it through an amp yet. Saving that for Christmas morning. I plugged it in and plucked the strings to make sure the switch and pots were OK but no jamming. It is a beauty and I got a nice case with it too. The deluxe one from Rondo with the contoured top, gold hardware, padded handle and shroud inside. The hand finished frets make a difference. I can feel the difference in the pots too. Despite having handled it ... I can't wait for Christmas morning!
Oh, and Ande ... I don't play them all sad to say. I go in streaks of which ones I play. Some go unplayed for a long time. I suppose I eventually do cycle through them all but the LP style ones get the most play. When the band was starting up someone asked me if I had a different guitar for every day of the week. The drummers girlfriend spoke up and said "No ...... one for every day of the month!" Yeah, it's way too many but it's hard to think of parting with any of them.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
No criticism here! I have a lot of books I haven't read in years.
And some booze I'll only even open on VERY special occasions.
If you've got the room, got the resources, and it makes ya happy- go for it. (I'm actually quite jealous of the guitars- we're on a short, two year only, stint in a country, so I cannot accumulate- but playing in a band for the first time in years, and I WANT another guitar.
Best,
Ande
TR - You keep a lot of your collection in their cases, right? Do you still have to do string changes every X amount of months due to age rather than use, or does it last longer?
I keep all mine out with the exception of my accoustic, which is out late Spring -> early Autumn. I keep it in the case in the winter due to dry gas heat. The Accoustic normally gets a once a year change and the others that sit out get at needed. (Probably averages just under twice a year) But I do play all the others at least once a week.
The maintenance is the big hassle of a collection. I have to keep a spreadsheet going.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
I have a lot of cases and gig bags. I don't know that it makes the strings last longer. Most of my strings are likely less than optimal. What I do is string a couple up, play the heck out of them. When the strings are due, I string another couple up and play them for a while. I do a quickie setup each time I restring.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
