No more hipshot bridges on Agile

[anthonylbest]

I emailed Kurt last week asking some questions about what might be coming out in the near future, in specific if they would be making a 7 with passives and a hipshot bridge.

He wrote back saying "We are no longer using those as cost more and have limited mass and less range (limited tuning options)"

Just in case you were also looking for an Agile with a hipshot bridge thought you might want the information as well.

 

[Spaceman_Spiff]

I'm pretty sure Agile's haven't had hipshots for a while. They have a similar looking generic bridge.

 

[ivancic1al]

Hmmm, well that's fine I guess, so long as the proprietary bridges Agile use are just as sturdy--which I'm willing to bet they won't be. I guess having more travel on the saddles is a nice plus however. I wonder if the lack of 'name-brand' will help keep the prices down a bit. That would be a nice result.

 

[anthonylbest]

I asked specifically about hipshot (style) bridges, so I believe this would indicate it will either be a standard hardtail style or a TOM.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I'm pretty sure Agile's haven't had hipshots for a while. They have a similar looking generic bridge.

The only ones on the website that appear to have actual Hipshots are from quite some time ago.

Hmmm, well that's fine I guess, so long as the proprietary bridges Agile use are just as sturdy--which I'm willing to bet they won't be. I guess having more travel on the saddles is a nice plus however. I wonder if the lack of 'name-brand' will help keep the prices down a bit. That would be a nice result.

I've heard mixed things about the Agile Cepheus bridge, not overly negative though. It is going to be cheaper than the Hipshot in construction.

Also, it seems that the prices of Hipshot style bridged guitars on Rondo such as Septors and Intrepids hasn't gone down, in fact they've gone up a little bit over the last year or two.

You used to be able to get an EMG and Hipshot equipped Intrepid for ~$600, now you spend ~$700 for one with generic pickups and bridge.

Not hating though, they're still a great bargain.

 

[Spaceman_Spiff]

The only thing I would consider when buying one is how comfortable it is on my picking hand. I hate the new Ibanez Gibraltar III, but love the older, more bare-bones bridge. The Hipshot is damn comfortable IMO and this Cepheus one looks like it would be pretty much exactly the same.

 

[ivancic1al]

Also, it seems that the prices of Hipshot style bridged guitars on Rondo such as Septors and Intrepids hasn't gone down, in fact they've gone up a little bit over the last year or two.

You used to be able to get an EMG and Hipshot equipped Intrepid for ~$600, now you spend ~$700 for one with generic pickups and bridge.

Not hating though, they're still a great bargain.

Yeah I noticed that too. Simple supply and Demand I guess. They realized they can get away with charging more for less. Can't say I blame them. Seems they're taking the specs or the original and simple whittling away at the premium parts that were on it, replacing them with their own generic clones.

 

[Zugster]

When they have some cool hard tail 7s with passives I'll be interested.

 

[shanejohnson02]

When they have some cool hard tail 7s with passives I'll be interested.

Your wish is their command:
Agile Intrepid Pro Dual 727 EB CEPH White at RondoMusic.com


Also, the custom shop is open right now for a May 2012 order of intrepids, if white just isn't your color.

 

[77zark77]

Agile is becoming Bgile !

 

[QuambaFu]

A friend of mine has two Intrepids. The first one that he ordered has a hipshot and the second one has a cepheus. The cepheus's saddle screws have corroded whereas the hipshot is still good.

The cepheus's bridgeplate is drilled differently than the hipshot. The cepheus is angled, probably what Kurt is referring to when he wrote 'more tuning options.' The Cepheus is a decent bridge just expect to replace the saddles and screws if you sweat a lot. My friend is replacing his saddles with graphtechs soon.

The bridge plate seems just as good the hipshot though I don't know what type of metal it's made out of. The hipshot seems like a brushed finish and the cepheus has a gloss finish. Almost like the difference between a powdercoat and a sprayed paint finish. Obviously if the hipshot is powdercoated it would last longer.

Edit: FYI - My friend put the new Dimarzio D-Activator 8's into these and he had to have the cavities routed.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Agile is becoming Bgile !

I wouldn't go that far. They're still maintaining quality, at least as much quality as they're known for.

 

[guitarister7321]

You could still replace the Cepheus for a Hipshot, right? They have very similar design.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

You could still replace the Cepheus for a Hipshot, right? They have very similar design.

It can be done, but you'll probably have to fill the old holes and drill some new ones.

 

[Zugster]

A friend of mine has two Intrepids. The first one that he ordered has a hipshot and the second one has a cepheus. The cepheus's saddle screws have corroded whereas the hipshot is still good.

The cepheus's bridgeplate is drilled differently than the hipshot. The cepheus is angled, probably what Kurt is referring to when he wrote 'more tuning options.' The Cepheus is a decent bridge just expect to replace the saddles and screws if you sweat a lot. My friend is replacing his saddles with graphtechs soon.

The bridge plate seems just as good the hipshot though I don't know what type of metal it's made out of. The hipshot seems like a brushed finish and the cepheus has a gloss finish. Almost like the difference between a powdercoat and a sprayed paint finish. Obviously if the hipshot is powdercoated it would last longer.

Edit: FYI - My friend put the new Dimarzio D-Activator 8's into these and he had to have the cavities routed.

That last point has me concerned. If I were to get an Agile 7 string with passives I wouild expect that Agile pups (cepheus or whatever) would be standard humbucker size so they could be swapped out with BKPs.

 

[QuambaFu]

That last point has me concerned. If I were to get an Agile 7 string with passives I wouild expect that Agile pups (cepheus or whatever) would be standard humbucker size so they could be swapped out with BKPs.

I can only speak to the 8 string cavities. Are there 7 string cepheus pickups now?? I haven't looked at rondo in a while.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I can only speak to the 8 string cavities. Are there 7 string cepheus pickups now?? I haven't looked at rondo in a while.

Yep, the 7-string passives Agile uses now are Cepheus models.

 

[Zugster]

Yep, the 7-string passives Agile uses now are Cepheus models.

Standard size or some routing required for a BKP swap?

 

[Estilo]

Yeah I noticed that too. Simple supply and Demand I guess. They realized they can get away with charging more for less. Can't say I blame them. Seems they're taking the specs or the original and simple whittling away at the premium parts that were on it, replacing them with their own generic clones.

Supply and demand? I thought demand for Agiles has been on the steady decrease since early this year. Look at the number of Agile NGD threads these days compared to many months ago..

 

[jl-austin]

Your wish is their command:
Agile Intrepid Pro Dual 727 EB CEPH White at RondoMusic.com


Also, the custom shop is open right now for a May 2012 order of intrepids, if white just isn't your color.

I am not a big fan of Agiles, but that looks like a pretty sweet guitar!