NGD - Agile 3100

[ChrisN]

I'm not worthy of doing a NGD thread, but I got a request, so here goes.

I mentioned elsewhere I was looking at Gibsons to try for the 1 3/4 neck they offer (with 1 11/16 spacing?), but it didn't work out. I looked for other electrics with 1 3/4 necks and there aren't many. I didn't want to spend a lot because I wasn't sure I'd like a wider neck in an electric. I have a '93 LP Studio w/1 11/16 and it's a little cramped down low (1st position), but better than my G&L Asat Special with the 1 11/16 width (but 1 5/8 spacing?). I'm on a journey to find what I like (acoustic and electric), and discard the rest. The acoustic side is done (yes, yes, for now).

I'd heard of Agile and their name popped up in my research on the wider necks - they offer a true 1 3/4 with proper 1 3/4 string spacing in their "AL" platform which is an LP knockoff. I was interested in their AL 3100 MCC which has the wider neck and splittable coils (be nice not to have a separate single coil, maybe). I'd read mostly good about their fit/finish and sound, which reviews improved over time as Agile upped their game over the past 20 years. They're a South Korean company that distributes in the U.S. through Rondo Music online. Here's a link to the guitar on rondo - http://www.rondomusic.com/al3100mcccsbf.html but it's been sold out for a while. I wrote rondo and they quickly responded they wouldn't get more of the 3100s (though it wasn't discontinued by Agile), but that the similarly featured 3200 would be available this summer (for $100 more than the 3100) - http://www.rondomusic.com/al3200mcccsbf.html Note that the $100 gets you even more features, including a neck-through build, but that the linked version doesn't include the wider neck - rondo "hoped" that would be available in the 3200. As it's been a popular option for them, I assume that will occur, but who knows. "Sold out" is a popular refrain for Agile/rondo - they move them out pretty quickly.

I didn't want to spend a bunch of money when I wasn't sure I wanted a wide-neck electric. If purchasing foreign, I wanted "used" so at least my money stayed in the U.S. to ease my conscience, but there were no Agile wide necks available so I set up a feed for Agile on reverb to see if something popped up. The next day, I was rewarded with this: https://reverb.com/item/5326646-2014...escription-tab Seller's pics are way better than mine, so please check the link and pics. We reached agreement and it was on its way, arriving today. Great seller, by the way.

This particular example looks like it should cost $1500+. I know asia's doing great things with guitars these days, but the gloss finish is flawless, the triple binding on the body, board (board has single binding) and headstock are flawless. The set neck joint is not obtrusive (3200 is recontoured/improved) and perfectly finished. There's a lot of human work in this thing. 3/4" maple cap in Cherry Sunburst over 1 1/2" mahogany body, comes in at 8.4 pounds on my digital scale (vs my Studio's 9.2 pounds), so likely chambered even more than my Studio w/early version minor lightening. Feels solid, but manageable. 1 13/16 thick at the shoulder, same as the Studio. The Cherry Sunburst I wasn't sure I'd like, but it's perfectly executed and looks amazing - I wouldn't change it.

The fittings look great. This guitar's knocking on 3 years old, but the chrome pickup covers still have their plastic protector sheets, the tail piece looks quality, and the bridge is by Graph Tech. Hand-filed jumbo frets look/feel great, low action, no buzz, perfect setup (even intonation), ebony fretboard w/MOP inlays (MOP inlay for design in headstock, too), Grover 18:1 tuners. Vol/Tone knobs look great and have zero slop - Tone knobs pull up for coil-splitting. Nice pick guard with good hardware - nothing looks low rent, to my eye. Even a dual action truss rod.

I'm not a guitar tone expert - I'm new to guitars generally, having purchased my first only last August (the LP Studio - I'm up to 11 now), but I wanted the single coil sound, too, so I got the Asat Special (USA), so those, and youtube videos, are my reference points. I was prepared to dislike what I'm sure are cheap pickups (Alnico V magnets seem designed more for metal stuff than milder stuff I like), but they sound fine to me. Split, they definitely sound different from each other and the "single" coil sound is very acceptable to allow backing/forthing w/the humbuckers, unlike some I've heard that just sound weirdly thin. Too early to say if they'll be good enough for me to sell my single coil Asat Special. I was thinking the bridge p/u might need to be softened via an alnico 2 magnet, but I'll leave it for now until we're better acquainted. I'm pretty sure those with more experience would be able to articulate that, and why, these pickups suck, and which others would be best, but I'm not there yet. They sound good to my inexperienced ear.

That's all I can think of that would be of interest. If you have questions, let me know. It arrived only a few hours ago, but I like it very much, and I'm happy to have the opportunity to try a 1 3/4 nut on a decent quality electric guitar at a ridiculously low price (included a hard case offered by rondo).

Guitars like this are what make NGDs so much fun.

[Song]

Congratulations on your New Guitar Day!

[rbriggs82]

Congrats! I bought a 3100 a few months ago and love it so far. It's a great guitar and for the price it's impossible to beat.

[Dru Edwards]

Chris, nice post and thanks for sharing. I've read great things about Agile over the years. If I still lived in the US I'd try to buy one just so I could compare to my Gibsons.

Sounds like you're enjoying the 1 3/4" nut width? Unlike acoustics, they're rare on electrics (as you've found out). Good luck and have fun.

Your Guitar:

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Chris, nice post and thanks for sharing. I've read great things about Agile over the years. If I still lived in the US I'd try to buy one just so I could compare to my Gibsons.

Sounds like you're enjoying the 1 3/4" nut width? Unlike acoustics, they're rare on electrics (as you've found out). Good luck and have fun.

Your Guitar:

Thanks Dru for the kind words and for posting the pic. As for the nut size, I'm in my experimental/learning phase, using mostly first position for the usual newbie stuff. I know the strings are crowded there, and that the rest of the fretboard will open for me with more training, putting less focus on the tightest area. I started with an old 1 11/16 acoustic and wondered why my fingers bumped one another while strings were muted. I heard (1) "you're new, give it time, it happens to everyone," and (2) "try a wider nut, I just did, I wish I'd done so 20 years ago and I'm sorry I wasted all that time." As an older newb, time is decidedly not on my side, so I'm trying to get my mistakes out of the way on the front end.

I also had the Studio for electric and didn't have as much of a problem, probably due to the thinner strings (10s), but the frequent muting required precise fingering to avoid. Following (2), I tried Taylor's 1 3/4 nut - instant improvement and I could focus more what I was trying to play, rather than being distracted by repositioning fingering to avoid muting. I also have an Ami with their 1.72 nut which works out to 1 11/16. Switching back/forth between the Ami (also has smaller fret area due to shorter scale and 12 fret) confirmed I did a much better job with the larger nut. It was more comfortable and enjoyable. Am I developing sloppy fingering habits as a result? Quite possible. A point of perhaps ironic interest is that Taylor's own T3 electric comes with a 1 11/16 nut, so I may be on the wrong trail with a wide nut electric.

Back to electric - Before I had the larger nut revelation, I purchased the Asat Special with the Modern C neck. I saw the 1 11/16 spec that was larger than the 1 5/8 they offered. What I didn't appreciate at the time was that G&L widened the old style neck, but left the old 1 5/8 string spacing, as the purpose of the widening was simply to reduce the Es sliding off the board. I've been working a bit with the G&L, then back to the Taylor, then the Ami and the LP. I couldn't avoid the conclusion - while the thinner necks were easier and faster to play (less of a reach across), I made more muting mistakes on the thinner necks than on the Taylor. The thinner necks feel more comfortable, though, as I've only normal hands/fingers.

So, as I'm in my experimental phase, I decided to round things out with a 1 3/4 electric for comparison, especially since I'd like to learn to play acoustic-type music on the electric (some fingerstyle), which might be better with the wider nut (bridge spacing's probably not widened, though). It's been less than a day, but it feels great, like the Taylor with thinner strings. That said, I am a total newb player who's nearer the beginning of the book - my skill set will improve and I may look around at my 1 3/4 necks and shake my head at my error. Or, I may pat myself on my aging back for not wasting any of my precious days.

It may come down to what kind of music will be played - I know rock/metal players prefer narrow necks for their speed, while I've seen boutique makers catering to jazz-types offering the wider necks; one does so exclusively. I haven't settled on genre(s), want options over restrictions, hence the quest. I won't be a speed metal shredding guy, though, and not, at the other end, jazz guitar. Probably some middle ground "great songs" and classic rock riffs with some pick, some fingerstyle, assuming I make it that far.

Why the windy background? If you have any input on the nut issue vis a vie my situation (or in general), I'd appreciate hearing it. Feel free to be succinct! Thanks Dru.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by rbriggs82

Congrats! I bought a 3100 a few months ago and love it so far. It's a great guitar and for the price it's impossible to beat.

That's a beauty! You say "for the price" and I've heard that a lot (and I clearly agree). As a newb, I'd be interested to hear what you'd change to avoid adding "for the price."

For example, I'm aware lower-end makers typically cut corners on electronics, including pickups, potentiometers, and the related capacitors and such. I mentioned my guitar's pickups sound OK to me at this stage - what say you? I was experimenting with the tone knobs, and it doesn't seem quite right to me, relative to my G&L and LP. Reducing tone also reduces volume, which seems odd. I've heard of replacing capacitors with different values, adding "treble bleeds" and the like, but know nothing about those issues, so any light and info re: improvement (new Agiles are using better gear than older ones) is appreciated.

Other than, perhaps, the electronics as stated, I'm having a hard time finding something to improve. A bone nut might be better (or not). Fit/finish is at a high level and is at least as good as my good old LP. Your thoughts?

[ghostnote]

They're nice guitars. I've had an AL-3100M for a few years and it plays, looks, and sounds great. The "M" means that it has a 3/4" maple cap on the top, which is supposed to make the guitar sound a bit brighter. I don't know if that's true since I have nothing to compare it to, but it certainly sounds good through all of my amps. The most surprising thing about it at first was the quality of the construction - it's very well made and there isn't a thing out of place anywhere. Nice low, buzz-free action and beautiful ebony fretboard. I didn't expect that. I've got a low-end, USA-made Gibson (Les Paul Junior Special) that's assembled much sloppier that the Agile. (It does, however, have great pickups and sounds fabulous)
Congrats on yours.

[harpspitfire]

nice looking guitar- hope it performs like you want it too

[rbriggs82]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

That's a beauty! You say "for the price" and I've heard that a lot (and I clearly agree). As a newb, I'd be interested to hear what you'd change to avoid adding "for the price."

For example, I'm aware lower-end makers typically cut corners on electronics, including pickups, potentiometers, and the related capacitors and such. I mentioned my guitar's pickups sound OK to me at this stage - what say you? I was experimenting with the tone knobs, and it doesn't seem quite right to me, relative to my G&L and LP. Reducing tone also reduces volume, which seems odd. I've heard of replacing capacitors with different values, adding "treble bleeds" and the like, but know nothing about those issues, so any light and info re: improvement (new Agiles are using better gear than older ones) is appreciated.

Other than, perhaps, the electronics as stated, I'm having a hard time finding something to improve. A bone nut might be better (or not). Fit/finish is at a high level and is at least as good as my good old LP. Your thoughts?

What I mean by "for the price" is that to get something at this level of finish some Gibson you're looking at dropping 2k verses $500. Mine sounds great yet I'm positive a Gibson would sound even better. $1500 better? Not for what I'm doing with it. So dollar for dollar I think it's the best deal you could find on a LP style guitar.

BTW my volume goes down when adjusting the tone knob too which is kinda weird but I normally play with the tone turned up because my amp is a little on the dark side.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by rbriggs82

What I mean by "for the price" is that to get something at this level of finish some Gibson you're looking at dropping 2k verses $500. Mine sounds great yet I'm positive a Gibson would sound even better. $1500 better? Not for what I'm doing with it. So dollar for dollar I think it's the best deal you could find on a LP style guitar.

BTW my volume goes down when adjusting the tone knob too which is kinda weird but I normally play with the tone turned up because my amp is a little on the dark side.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

I agree a few more $$ spent would make the tone knobs behave more normally. I did some research today and learned most like the stock pickups on these (returning to them even after name brand upgrade), but, while they don't say exactly why they do it, they change out the other electronics that control the tone adjustment. The volume doesn't drop on tone adjustment with my stock LP tone control, and even IT is supposed to be not that great. I'll let it sit for now, and let knowledge seep in before doing anything, but I suspect a tone pot change is down the road. Otherwise, still loving it.

[jseth]

Congratulations on your new electric, Chris... now you just need some sort of modeling gizmo to work out with it!!!

(Something tells me that you'll have another new toy to play with very soon...)

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by jseth

Congratulations on your new electric, Chris... now you just need some sort of modeling gizmo to work out with it!!!

(Something tells me that you'll have another new toy to play with very soon...)

Yeah, I hear you. If only there was a guy with a solid old Pod or something squirreled away in his buddy's garage that I could get as an intro to the modeling sound thing, that'd be great.

Oh, wait - there is and he's you. I'm looking forward to the Pod, John. Thanks again.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by ghostnote

They're nice guitars. I've had an AL-3100M for a few years and it plays, looks, and sounds great. The "M" means that it has a 3/4" maple cap on the top, which is supposed to make the guitar sound a bit brighter. I don't know if that's true since I have nothing to compare it to, but it certainly sounds good through all of my amps. The most surprising thing about it at first was the quality of the construction - it's very well made and there isn't a thing out of place anywhere. Nice low, buzz-free action and beautiful ebony fretboard. I didn't expect that. I've got a low-end, USA-made Gibson (Les Paul Junior Special) that's assembled much sloppier that the Agile. (It does, however, have great pickups and sounds fabulous)
Congrats on yours.

Thanks - I've a/b'd these pickups against the original 490/498? set in my Studio, and the Agile's are a little less warm (but the magnets in the LP are also 24 years old, which may affect things). Still like them, though. Re: Construction - I still can't find a flaw. I've seen a lot of pics of crappy overseas guitar assembly, so I was apprehensive when getting this Agile, but I'd be hard pressed to spend another $1k-1.5k to get $200 worth of better electronics I can do myself. This Agile is functionally and aesthetically all I could want.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Thanks - I've a/b'd these pickups against the original 490/498? set in my Studio, and the Agile's are a little less warm (but the magnets in the LP are also 24 years old, which may affect things). Still like them, though. Re: Construction - I still can't find a flaw. I've seen a lot of pics of crappy overseas guitar assembly, so I was apprehensive when getting this Agile, but I'd be hard pressed to spend another $1k-1.5k to get $200 worth of better electronics I can do myself. This Agile is functionally and aesthetically all I could want.

Do you think you'll replace the pickups?

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Do you think you'll replace the pickups?

It's early yet, but at this point, no (but keep in mind my limited needs and relative inexperience - I don't really know what I want or need). The pickups are "G&B," apparently. I have not put them through any paces except modest volumes, no effects, through a small s/s amp. Right now, I'm comfortable with the pickups. I'm even getting used to the tone controls. But, early days.