Agile 3100 vs Epiphone MIJ 97, Agile AL3100 vs gibson les Paul standard- part 2

[jws2]

If you can do minor luthier work like set up and fret work you can make the Agile play amazingly well. These guitars are built in Korea by Samick the worlds largest instument maker. They make everything from guitars to grand piano's and also make guitars under contract for EVERY major manufacturer, yes, Gibson and Fender to name a few. All BS aside these are GREAT guitars for the money and if you compare them to anything within there price range NOTHING will beat them or come close!

[martinaxman]

Yes, I feel your pain too. You really look distressed. It sucks to expect one thing and get another. As someone said you can modify it. Search on YT for "AGILE AL3100 MODS." A pretty informative clip. Thanks for your honest comments. Most folks will understand what you're saying. It's no Gibson, but it's a decent ax for the bucks, and like you said you won't worry too much about someone walking off with it. Plus it could make a decent starter for one of your students or one of their friends.

[MrArtist1971]

What would it sound like if you replaced the Agile's pickups with 'real' Les Paul pickups?

[joeysixtysix]

No Epiphone in the Agile's price range can even come close.

[MrDznutz19]

Awesome HONEST review, I think I may buy a china copy Axcess gibson and buy gibson parts and ad them to it.

[ovohm]

You are great. Where are You from? Very smart person, very clear and disenchanting explanation. I really liked Your review. I usually find insane reviews just done for the taste of faking Your impressions and Your behaviour towards the product. Really clear mind review, product focused, lucid and vivid consideration. Just one suggestion, I know that many stories about woods come from factories and unexperienced people and that You can buy a zakk wylde neck painted guitar as ebony fret

[thefrenchgambler]

Good job. But it's a bad idea to compare these guitars. Gibson obviously wins. The $3000 wins over the $400 one. (but is the difference as big as it cost?) You should compare Agile with lower-priced Gibson LP (faded...) and Epi Std plus or more.

[greg1775]

@thefrenchgambler

this gibson from the review is actually lower priced LP Faded Standard 2008- they don't make them anymore. Totally killer guitar !!! I made review using what was available. I might actually swap this Agile for some old Epi

[dangraphic]

I trust your review. You seem sincerely disappointed.

My primary concern is tone and of course resale value.

When one buys a no-brand or 'less' brand guitar, the resale value just isn't there.

Hence it's not an investment. It's like you said, if it's your first guitar then it's just OK. Personally I think many if the people saying Agile compares to an Epiphone and some even say to a Gibson, are fooling themselves, and trying hard to feel good about a purchase.

[greg1775]

@dangraphic This is exactly my point! Guys out there you were fooled about Agile just like me- this is just an OK guitar. It will never be as good as Gibson. Yes even if Gibson is overpriced and sometimes the quality is not as high as you would expect for this money. It still sound fucking amazing! Agile is a great beginner-intermediate guitar but not a pro instrument. Try to bend strings and use other phrasing techniques and you will see. I would love to sell mine but who will buy it? 

[porterhouse56]

@dangraphic i have an agile, and im not sure if this guy got a bad piece of wood or what but my agile is killer... i have several guitars, gibson SG, Fender strat U.S, custom guitars, washburns...and the agile is by far the best... in saying that... i did swap out the stock pickups ( the stock pickups were very gibson 490ish... not much clarity but great bottom end.. i put seymour duncan slash alnico pro II's in it and i am still wanting to find any guitar that competes with it.

[dangraphic]

@porterhouse56

In spite of some so-so reviews, I was able to find a B-stock Agile 2000 for $165.. so I figured, I can't loose, if it doesn't work out at least I paid for firewood... It turned out to be a GREAT guitar.. and you know what was wrong with it? Just the strap button, it was mashed but didn't dent the body, $2.00, swapped it out and now it's a complete 2000.

I'm thinking about swapping the pups too.Did you have any trouble with the wiring?

Did everything match up? Please let me know.

[porterhouse56]

@dangraphic i took it to a guy i know to have the action set more like more preference and had the pup's done by him, he said they went in perfect, True story, after he installed the pu's and played it he was speechless. He liked it so much he is putting the S.D alnico pro II's in his original les paul . For a ' BRAND NEW ' LP copy, Agile are the best choice.

[Maxpound]

I commented on Part one of your review and I must say I'm sorry that it wasn't what you expected it to be. Look at the bright side: the wood is gonna get better over time and its cheap enough to mod to get it to sound right now. I appreciate your brutal honesty on which you think.

[greg1775]

@Maxpound Thanks for your kind words - I am deeply heart broken with this Agile and now the tunning issues will make me invest in it even more;-((((

[Sparky6string]

Thank you for the video. Your logic is a little faulty though. You keep saying the Gibson is better but the only evidence you offer is that it sounds better to you acoustically, which is not how the instrument is usually used. If people out there record their electric guitars acoustically then by all means stay away from the Agile.

[Sparky6string]

I started out with a Gibson Les Paul, then realized I preferred the Japanese copies, now I am coming around to the Korean copies from Samick and Peerless factories. Your opinion here and experience are not universal truths, so people get out there and try these guitars.

[tubeamplification]

A very good,straight forward and un biased video. Kurt was very helpful with my return. But he stated in an email to me that he does not see any of the guitars that are shipped. I cant buy again or toss the dice with Rondo to see weather i will be recieving what is shown on the Rondo website. The advertised guitars look fantastic. Not the case in what i recieved. I think it's a real shame but these days for me not unexpected. Theres a lot to learn. Unfortunatley for me the hard way

[tubeamplification]

l bought the Agile 3000 CSBF 2 weeks ago. I was dissapointed as well that the frets were not jumbo frets. It arrived damaged so i returned it Monday of this week. I thought it would be great guitar but i feel that there are some QC issues. The high grade flame maple top was very poor and one side of the book match was basically very faint and next to none exhistant and almost blank. The feel of the neck felt thin even though it was the thicker of the two necks offered. I quess i need an old Epi

[TheLincoln40]

Just say no to FrAgile

[custom944]

try changing out the pickups; i changed them to seymour duncans in mine and it sounds incredible. not like a les paul though. the neck pick up is bassier and the treble pickup is a lot brighter (like the guitar part on walcott by vampire weekend). but it still sounds great

[greg1775]

@MrXAVIERDB You pay for endorsements, distribution, marketing +actual guitar+labour . Bad US economy is probably the reason of the high price. I think the price will be alright if the quality was there which is not.

The gibson I played on the video is awesome -I am looking for this particular model

[monkymonk6]

Have had Epis, and Agiles, Agiles are better overall in quality in my opinion. Perhaps the only exception would be an Japanese Epi from the 80's.

[LittleEmoBoy001]

Agiles do more than 'compete' with epiphones made today. They completely own them. I have had an epiphone recently, and I sold it for an agile. I cannot speak of older epiphones because I have never played one.

[ZenDriveSeven]

Very good review. Much appreciated. Been looking in to an Agile lately. Your tone is very "processed" sounding, so it's tough to tell the difference between all of them. I recently played an Agile AL 3000 and really loved it. Way more than a any Studio or Historic Gibson. Still not sure though. May just hold out and look for an early 90's Gibson LP Standard and spend the extra money. One thing for sure is I will NOT buy a new Gibson. Quality control has been very poor lately.

[TheLincoln40]

The stubby horn FRagile sounded like poop compared to the Epiphone and Gibson

[owlsrfun47]

Great review. I have played Gibsons, but I own an Agile and I agree with you on all points. I am a beginner, and for me the $389 (around $450 with the beautiful case) for the new Agile was perfect. I am curious to see how the Esp Ltd-ec1000 compares with Gibson or Epiphone Les Pauls.

[leductdh]

Wellllll..... If your name was Slash I would maybe listen to you ....But you are just a Dude in your living room comparing apples with Oranges .

Let's face it you paid 700-800 and you were expecting a Gibson or a law suit Japanese made treasure. Some Gibson are crap some Agiles are crap.

You got a bad one. Email kurtWatch Jon ways review instead people...

[greg1775]

@leductdh lol, thanks for your comment. So because my name is not Slash or Jon Way I don't deserve a good guitar? Actually Jon Ways review made me buy this Agile. Remember that I compared it to Epiphone that sounded thicker even though the pickups on it are crap compared to Agile. I wasn't paid to do this review -I used my free time to help people. Take it or leave it bro. Make sure to watch part one first;-)

[greg1775]

still have it I have sent you a message

[outofslumber]

Do you still own the guitar, and are you selling it?

[Brin701]

Good honest review Greg.