Why is agile so mysterious?

[guitaardvark]

There's no official site for them that really seems legitimate, and supposedly they're great guitars that go for stupidly cheap. This is really mysterious. Why?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Rondo Music Home Page

This is the official site.

Also, with cheap guitars, come cheap looking sites.

 

[Hollowway]

I'm not entirely sure how they seem mysterious. They're pretty conspicuous online. There are other brands that have far less of an online/physical presence. And you talk talk directly to the guy who is in charge of the company. To me that's pretty straightforward.

 

[Emperor Guillotine]

You mean "why is there no big hoodoo about Agile at NAMM and such?"...

Well, technically they are one of those Chinese (or Korean?) companies. Kurt orders the stuff straight from China (or Korea?) and the guys at Rondo merely assemble it to sell. Plain and simple.

With Agile, you get what you pay for. (Cheap guitar, cheap website, cheap blah...blah.)

 

[GoldDragon]

Agile guitars are probably manufactured in the same factories as chinese guitars made by Ibanez, Jackson, etc... They are just contracted by a different company. Unlike Ibanez, Jackson, etc, Agile never had USA/Japan made guitars and don't have the same history. They are like the Behringer of guitars.

The quality of Agile guitars is pretty good because Chinese guitars have all improved.

 

[Grand Moff Tim]

Well, technically they are one of those Chinese (or Korean?) companies. Kurt orders the stuff straight from China (or Korea?) and the guys at Rondo merely assemble it to sell. Plain and simple.

No. Rondo is an American company that contracts factories in Korea and China to manufacture their guitars and basses for them. Some of the stuff was even designed with help from folks right here at SSO, then the designs were sent to be made in Korea.

They also have a semicustom shop that runs once or twice a year, and you can choose from a list of specs that will then be built for you at the Korean factory.

All manufacturing and assembly is done at the Korean and Chinese plants. I don't think anyone in the US even gives it a set-up, which is part of why their return policy is so good for US customers: the customer is essentially the QC inspector of his own instrument.

 

[Grand Moff Tim]

The quality of Agile guitars is pretty good because Chinese guitars have all improved.

Only the suuuuuper cheap Agiles are Chinese. The "nicer" ones are Korean.

 

[axxessdenied]

Get a PRS SE instead.

 

[Zhysick]

The Korean made Agile guitars are made in the same plant and by the same people that make LTDs and Schecters...

Korean made Agiles are exceptional guitars, specially for the price. (Notice that I said exceptional guitars and, considering the price, even better guitars).

 

[Adam Of Angels]

^to be sure, I had a Septor Elite 7 once, and it was seriously awesome. Not sure of their consistency, but I can say they're capable of producing good stuff.

 

[Mordacain]

Rondo Music Home Page

This is the official site.

Also, with cheap guitars, come cheap looking sites.

Yup. Kurt is able to sell them this cheap because there is no middleman / distributorship chain. They are sold out of the Rondo Music store in NJ directly from the manufacturer.

It's vaguely similar to the Carvin distribution method, though even further reduced.

 

[Thorerges]

great guitars?

 

[Mordacain]

great guitars?

They certainly can be. I've got an Agile AL-2000 (which is their lowest end LP style) and it's great. Honestly, it doesn't even really need new pickups. The stock ceramics sound pretty fantastic and have a great range of overtones. I've been playing with them for 4 months now and everytime I start to look at new pickups I always put it on the backburner.

To be sure it needs a little work to play to my specs, namely a little fretboard edge rounding, fret edge treatment and a new nut. I do that to pretty much every instrument I've ever owned, from the cheapest to the most expensive.

 

[crg123]

Agile has some duds from time to time (the one I own is phenominal but ones my friends have owned in the past were pretty meh), although if you live in the states their return policy is amazing and if you get a guitar your not happy with you can easily return it.

 

[Mordacain]

Agile has some duds from time to time (the one I own is phenominal but ones my friends have owned in the past were pretty meh), although if you live in the states their return policy is amazing and if you get a guitar your not happy with you can easily return it.

Exactly. You'll see people get more duds because part of the low price is that you, the end consumer, is responsible for quality-checking the guitar. That's also why their return policy is as streamlined as it is because overall, it leads to Rondo being able to offer a quality instrument at a lower price point than if they paid for a setup & inspection team stateside.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

My Intrepid pro 830 is the shit, no big mystery there.

 

[Hollowway]

I'vd got three Agiles and, despite having to do a little work on them (shim the neck on one, lower the but on another) I'm VERY happy with them. I've got some really high end customs, so I'm not making that judgement lightly. And I love their 8 string passives. I even bought a set to go in a $3500 custom because I like them so much.

 

[TomAwesome]

And I love their 8 string passives. I even bought a set to go in a $3500 custom because I like them so much.

You should try a Lundgren M8 some time.

 

[vilk]

nvm

 

[RV350ALSCYTHE]

I've got 3 Agiles currently, no issues with Anything.
All made in South Korea, didn't know any Agiles came from China

8 string passive Cepheus are awesome budget pickups!

I find Rondo to be one of the most Transparent and Open (to the consumer) companies.
He is active in the guitar community and produces what musicians ask for.