El Toro's Official Guitarded Thread...

[Space Bear]

I haven't even assembled my first Warmoth guitar, and I've already purchased two more bodies. Looks like I've found my new addiction.

[thehumanthumb]

You guys have somehow talked me into needing a Wampler Triple Wreck.
Now set me up.

[wattage13]

Anyone get anything cool for Christmas? I got nuthin' for guitar stuff.

Me either, damn. No music stuff period, got to be the first time since I am about 8 years old.

Did get a cool flyscreen for the Sporty though.

[ElToro]

Yea, you'd think Santa would have known, but I did get a cool titanium and gold bracelet.

[lerxstcat]

I got myself one of these for Christmas:

http://www.rondomusic.com/valk24hcfloyd.html

It's a B-stock because they didn't route the recess deep enough for pull-ups, but I actually wanted that because the trem doesn't float so it doesn't go out of tune when you do unison bends. The one I got the route is so shallow that it doesn't pull up at all, so it stays in tune better and acts like a stop tailpiece guitar in that regard.

Fit and finish are very nice. I would have had to spend $1000+ on an ESP LTD Viper 1000 with Floyd to get something similar. This was $199! It's really very nice for the money, as good as or better than a Korean Epiphone IMO. The pickups and electronics are not the best, but are actually pretty hot, and sound good for metal. Likewise with the licensed Floyd, but it does stay in tune, and a real Floyd is a drop-in replacement for when it wears out. Tuners are Grovers with 18: 1 tuning ratio. Real MOP inlays, not pearloid.

I also got my roommate's son an 80s Peavey Tracer that I got as a project for $75! Strung it up and plugged it in and it was nice enough that I had to force myself to go through with giving it up. Basically their version of the Charvel Model 1, but made in the USA! Single-hum baby blue with maple board and hockey stick headstock! He's digging it, he only had a Squier Affinity before and now he has a nice humbucking pickup to drive his amp.

I'd like to get the kid a new amp but I am pretty sure his folks would evict me if I gave him a real amp!

[Space Bear]

Agiles get a lot praise from a lot of people. I haven't played on yet... maybe I should just buy one and see for myself.

[ElToro]

Agiles get a lot of praise on MyLesPaul.com!

Those USA Tracers are great guitars. That kid had better call you Santa!

[BlackieVanHolmes]

Agiles are great. I used to own one of the double cut les paul types that they sell. Blackie Lawless played one for a couple years.

I upgraded the pickups and tuners and put in a fancy Jimmy Page wiring system. Only thing I didn't like was the thick paint finish. Ended up selling it for an Edwards LP junior which rules the world...

[lerxstcat]

Agiles get a lot of praise on MyLesPaul.com!

Those USA Tracers are great guitars. That kid had better call you Santa!

Oh he was thrilled, believe me! It really IS a nice axe, and vintage too!

I read a lot of great things about Agiles on the Jackson forums as well, seen lots of pics of them and the fit ande finish were really nice in all the pics I saw. I finally got an AL200 LP copy earlier this year, a 24-fret Black Beauty with gold hardware including licensed Floyd Rose. I was looking at the Gibson Les Paul Axcess which also has a Floyd, and they are $4500. The Agile had 24 frets which I prefer, and was $279!! That one has pearloid inlays but they look very similar to mother of pearl, better than the Epi inlays IMO. Overall fit and finish is equal to or better than an Epi LP at a fraction of that price.

So that made it easy to pull the trigger on the Valkyrie. It IS neck-heavy like all SG types tend to be. I'll probably move the front strap button to the top horn. The neck plays as well as my '67 Gibson SG Standard was, though it is a little fatter than that neck was. Still very comfy neck for me and very Gibsony overall. It's not a "real" Gibson but it's a sweet guitar for not much money and I'm sure it'll last a lifetime.

[lerxstcat]

Agiles get a lot praise from a lot of people. I haven't played on yet... maybe I should just buy one and see for myself.

Figure an Agile 2000, their cheapest LP copy, goes for $225 in just about any color you could possibly want. They are comparable to the $550 Epi Les Paul Standard at the very least. Add $20-$25 for shipping depending on where in the US you are and it's a savings of $300. I think mine are a little nicer than the Epis and the pickups are hotter, but they are definitely at least as nice. As I said the inlays look more like real MOP than on a lot of Epis I've seen, including the G400 I owned for several years. The one I just bought, the Valkyrie SG-style, is $100 cheaper than the Chinese-made G400 Worn finish guitars, and mine has 24 frets, Floyd Rose trem, glossy finish, and gold hardware including Grover tuners, and made in Korea instead of China.

I doubt you'd be disappointed for the amount of money you pay, and in fact you might lke it way more than the price point would make you think. It's too bad they aren't in local stores, but then if they were they'd probably be priced like Epis too!

[leftstrat]

I've got to say that I appreciate the hell out of this thread, and I hope that it is turned into a sticky. Because of circumstances beyond my control, I haven't been able to play for 18+ years. I'm trying to get back in the game, but at this point, it's baby steps. This is a great way to be updated on what works, what works well, and the hardware to bring it all together... That being said..

I'm a leftie, and I'm one that just didn't have the money to buy the LP that I've drooled over since I started playing. I'm glad to hear such good reviews of the Agiles. I've been looking at the left handed Epi's, and running away very unimpressed. I've got a no name, (I think the company was some korean company called Magnum..), left handed strat copy from 1987, (EMG pickups), Washburn GV-20 I bought in '91, and a Fender Jazz lefty I purchased recently, (got a great deal on it as left-handed players are still pretty sparse around here...). It seems that you can get pretty much any configuration/pickup arrangement on the Agiles you would like. One thing that truly surprised me, is that it's finally relativly easy to find lefty guitars. It used to be a pain in the ass back in the day.

I'm also getting some really good info here about effects, and newer amps. I'm currently running a Line6 SpiderIV 75 for guitar and a Line6 Lowdown LD300 for the bass. The 75 is pretty much all I need right now for the guitar, but it seems that without doing a hell of a lot of tinkering, no matter which channel or preset comes into play, the sound is kind of thin. I have an EQ pedal, TS800, and a Boss superchorus. The EQ helps greatly. I do like the lowdown, but I'm not really doing anything with it but just playing straight out bass, sometimes a little bit of delay or octaver thrown in. I'm slowly but surely getting back into it.

Funny how it almost feels like a body part has grown back.. Again, I am happy to have run across this thread.

[leftstrat]

I've got to add. My fiance got me some of the GHS nylon coated strings for my bass... Good god, it no longer feels like I'm playing a truck tire after a couple of hours... May end up getting some kind of active pickups for it though. Any suggestions?

[lerxstcat]

Man, congrats on getting back into playing! It really is a part of you and the best therapy on Earth to me! It'd be great if this was a sticky but then again it is constantly bumped so you can usually find it.

One thing about the Agile lefty guitars that I think is great compared to other brands is that there is no big upcharge for left-handed. Seems like it's maybe $10, sometimes not even that!

[leftstrat]

Was and am still drooling over the AL-2000 flame.. If it plays well, I may get the stage up in the future..

I remember that finding a company who would do my first leftie for me, (mid-80's...) was like pulling teeth out of a chicken. Up to then, I was kind of locked into double cutaway guitars only, like strats, etc, because all I could afford to do was buy the guitar, reverse the strings, and bridge, and play it upside down. I had an Aria Pro II urchin that I absolutely loved, but it never failed that I'd hit the pots with my hand, or the selector. Got rid of the crazy bitchy wife, and have someone, who not only lets me indulge myself on musical gear, she actually encourages it. She was raised in a household full of musicians. She understands that hunger. Life is good.

[ElToro]

My buddy in KISSTORY:101 plays a white Agile with a Floyd... just loves it so much he stopped playing the 3 matching custom made Warlocks he has.

[leftstrat]

Definately going to have to check one out then. Sounds like it'll be a pretty good instrument with a bit of professional setup.

[wattage13]

I've owned 2 Agiles and they were both very good. They give a crap about customer service too which is nice.

[thehumanthumb]

No, really, someone send me a Wampler Triple Wreck.
I'll write you a song using it.

[Sleek]

I'm beginning to enjoy the Pinnacle. The key was backing off the gain a little, and it gets punchy and defined...

The rec sounds interesting, but I never liked the Boogie I had, lol. I think if I was to do it again, I might go for the Plextortion with the two buttons...

The Lovepedal Purple Plexi I got in a trade here is pretty fucking sweet as well...that's what got me started on the amp-in-a-box pedals.

At some point I'm thinking I need to get one of the Wampler plexi drives for that old-school Marsha tone.

...and maybe a menatone Top Boost in a Can or a Wampler cranked AC...and...mmmrmrphlghterrrr.....

[Suite 16 Guitarist]

I'm beginning to enjoy the Pinnacle. The key was backing off the gain a little, and it gets punchy and defined...

The rec sounds interesting, but I never liked the Boogie I had, lol. I think if I was to do it again, I might go for the Plextortion with the two buttons...

The Lovepedal Purple Plexi I got in a trade here is pretty fucking sweet as well...that's what got me started on the amp-in-a-box pedals.

At some point I'm thinking I need to get one of the Wampler plexi drives for that old-school Marsha tone.

...and maybe a menatone Top Boost in a Can or a Wampler cranked AC...and...mmmrmrphlghterrrr.....

Got the MXR carbon copy for christmas...loving it...my next purchase, once im able to get the cash, is that Super Plexi pedal...I've got a shit amp(Marsh MG 100 HDFX half stack) got it when they first came out...I call it my marshall loudspeaker...its aweful...really burned by it because I spent too much money on it .

[ElToro]

[quote="Suite 16 Guitarist]Got the MXR carbon copy for christmas...loving it...my next purchase, once im able to get the cash, is that Super Plexi pedal...I've got a shit amp(Marsh MG 100 HDFX half stack) got it when they first came out...I call it my marshall loudspeaker...its aweful...really burned by it because I spent too much money on it .[/quote]


The cabinets on those styill pump a bit. Just sell the head and get a Krank Rev Jr. or an Egnator Tweaker. You'll be able to play gigs anywhere with those. The Egnator is only about $350 new, so it won't kill you.

I've even seen Jet City 20w heads for $250 at GC.

[Sleek]

Hah! I'm also looking to sell my Rebel 20!

My problem with the carbon copy is I like tap tempo...and it ain't got that.

Who cares how good the delay sounds...if it isn't in time with the song, it sounds sloppy.

[ElToro]

Hah! I'm also looking to sell my Rebel 20!

My problem with the carbon copy is I like tap tempo...and it ain't got that.

Who cares how good the delay sounds...if it isn't in time with the song, it sounds sloppy.

Good point on the tap!

I thought you loved your Rebel 20?! How much? I was thinking of buying a used Tweaker here.

[Sleek]

The rebel is great, I just never use it.

Yes, it will keep up with a band...but one of my several Marshalls keeps up better...and I have decided I like headroom

I prolly wouldn't sell it here because If I am patient and hit ebay hard with it, I can score $400...I would feel an obligation to give a sludger a better deal

...I would trade it. That's more fun anyway.

[Suite 16 Guitarist]

wish I had something to trade!

[ElToro]

for his Rebel?

[Suite 16 Guitarist]

for his Rebel?

Absolutely...I really appreciate the tip regarding my amp...I was impressed with the demo of both the tweaker and rebel 20...just wish I had something cool to trade...

[PAF Pro]

Haven't been on in a while, glad to see this thready is still going strong(damn it, STICKY this thread, mods!!!).

Just ordered a brass tremblock from GFS....after 20 years, finally gonna get rid of that nasty zinc block that came stock on my USA-made Predator. Between this and an as-of-now-undecided-brand of pups plus a Black Tusq nut, should really open this thing up(the neck&body are great.....Hartley just went cheap on the hardware to keep the price low enough to piss Fender off). Can anyone here verify the pros/cons of using brass screws for the spring claw....had a few reports of increasing sustain/tone.

The Warmoth LP is long gone.......was happy with it for a while, but started to have neck issues. Picked up another LP Standard copy......Corbin. Maple body, 1/4 curly maple top, neck almost spot-on to a '59 profile......gutted the control cavity, goodies from CTS and Sprague in there now(an .010 on the neck seems to smooth out the ceramic mags a bit). A bit brighter than a normal LP due top the all-maple construction, but the thing just SINGS.

[ElToro]

Neck issues?! What happened?

I had a Predator as my shop guitar. Wish I hadn't sold it. Those necks were great! It has Duncan Distortion Rails in the lead... screamed!

Brass wilol thicken the tone a bit while stainless steel brightens it. Both are great for sustain. Steel is harder, so it will probably be a bit better than brass screws.

[Tenacious_Dio]

Not a big Santana guy, but I really really want one of these: