Agile, SX alternative. AKA cheap, decent guitars.

[I Huff Paint]

I've noticed many people asking about SX, Agile, Turser, Michael Kelly etc. There are tons of options these days for well constructed lower priced guitars. Agile is probably the most well known brand, but for something different, look up Xaviere guitars. Same kinda deal as Rondo/Agile. Guitar Fetish is the name of the company, and it appears as if Xaviere is their exclusive label. They make some very nice Zemaitis type LP copies for very reasonable prices. They also market GFS pickups, which are definitely worth trying. I have the GFS Crunchy PAF neck pickup in 2 guitars, and they are fantastic. One is my RR1 which has a SH13 Dimebucker in the bridge, and the Crunchy PAF makes a perfect mate for it. Anyway, back to the guitars. I went for one of the XV500s in the lemon drop burst, and it is a great guitar. I did however change the pickups, knobs and tuners. The pickups that came with it would be fine for most people, but they didn't cut it for me, and I don't like covered pickups, so I put in a zebra Duncan Custom in the bridge, and a zebra GFS Crunchy PAF in the neck. I changed the knobs because I hated the tacky looking gold/MOP knobs it came with. I think it looks way classier with the real Gibson speed knobs. The stock tuners were those vintage style ones with the plastic buttons. I put a set of Grovers on instead. They are a vast improvement. Anyway, the bottom line is, this thing plays and sounds incredible. The tone is THERE in a big way, even playing unplugged. Here's a pic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/zeegler/XV50001.jpg

[SCREEM]

nice, how much $$$ was it?

[JSD's Guitar Shack]

Looks like the only way to make some real money in the guitar biz is to cut the middle man and import you own line in. You figure for the cost they sell them at these guitars must cost next to nothing to have made. Kinda makes you wonder what they are really making them out of as Asia is full of cheep woods that look close enough to mahogany and other woods used in the production of guitars.

If the guitar plays good and feels good I guess thats all that really matters, the low price is a bonus.

[I Huff Paint]

nice, how much $$$ was it?

$349 US if I remember correctly. solid mahogany body & neck, maple veneer top, rosewood board, set neck. Finished very nicely.

[DaleH]

You still have the costs of getting them into Canada and paying the brokerage fees. Don't see them as much of an alternative really.
I would like to find a guitar in Canada that I can put the $100.00 postage and brokerage into the guitar.
At $349.00 US you would be looking at $500.00 CAD to your door.

[I Huff Paint]

Brokerage fees suck, if you can't find a way around them. I normally try to find sellers who will ship USPS rather than UPS or FEDEX. I have never been charged brokerage fees that way, just GST. Ihave bought over a dozen guitars from US sellers on Ebay, and let me clarify that even with shipping, duty and exchange, I have still made out ahead, versus buying the guitar in Canada. Canadian guitar stores must be seriously on crack if they think I am going to pay their prices. A friend of mine (stupidly) paid $599 for a Cort of some kind at Ostaneks a few months ago. It's about the cheapest piece of shit I have ever seen. My SX GG2 that I paid $159 US for is a MUCH better guitar. Figure that one out, and then tell me they're not an alternative. A solid mahogany, set neck guitar (looks like an Explorer) for $159 US. Add in $50 shipping, and you've got $209. That's $240 Canadian. Add in your 7% GST, and you've got around $257 Canadian. You can not find anything even remotely comparable to this guitar in a Canadian guitar store for anything less than $500

[bischbd]

Has anyone heard of/tried "Dot on Shaft" guitars sold on EBay out of London, Ontario?

http://stores.ebay.ca/CANADIAN-GUITAR-ONLINE

[GuitarsCanada]

He is just getting started out, I believe he is having his guitars made in Korea, I know he is trying his best to meet and exceed customer satisfaction, so I think you can assume Korean quality similar to many makes coming out of there. In terms of service I think he is doing his best to make people happy. I have spoken with him personally. Have not played or seen any of these guitars up close though. Any eBay feedback might be a good indicator of service.

[theelectic]

One the ways Far East makers get the cost down is to use nato (wood) instead of mahogany. It's very similar to mahogany, and lots of folks call it mahogany (typically Philippine mahogany) but it's a completely different species (and family) from the mahogany used on high priced guitars. So the wood you get with a cheap guitar, it's not even a question if it's better or worse - it's not even the same wood!

[Jaggery]

What do you guys think of the Agile Tele?
The basic model is USD109 :) .
3-Piece Solid Alder, 2 great colors.
I really want a tele. I am thinking its either this or a used MIM.

http://www.rondomusic.net/stl50.html
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/stl503ts1.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/stl50bsb5aright.jpg

I will most probably change pickups.

[traynor_garnet]

What do you guys think of the Agile Tele?
The basic model is USD109 :) .
3-Piece Solid Alder, 2 great colors.
I really want a tele. I am thinking its either this or a used MIM.
I will most probably change pickups.

Those look nice, but just for the record those are not Agile guitars. They are SX guitars. Both lines are sold by Rondo, but SX is the bargain line.

[CocoTone]

If the price sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Cheap guitars are like cheap women. They look good all shiny and painted up, but wail on `em a bit, and the true mettle shows thru.
Spend a bit more, and get a quality Canadian built guitar ,,,Godin.

CT.

[CocoTone]

What do you guys think of the Agile Tele?
The basic model is USD109 :) .
3-Piece Solid Alder, 2 great colors.
I really want a tele. I am thinking its either this or a used MIM.

http://www.rondomusic.net/stl50.html
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/stl503ts1.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/stl50bsb5aright.jpg

I will most probably change pickups.


If its three peice, then it aint solid is it?

CT.:thanks5qx:

[SnowBlind]

Ive heard agiles are truly amazing guitars. Ive read a person doing direct comparison between an agile al 3000 and a gibson les paul studio. the agile WON. He compared workmanship, tone, versatility all that stuff. agile was the clear winner. Im going to definately get one in cherry red with a vox ad15vt amp.

[traynor_garnet]

Hi Teleman,

I'm in Edmonton and may have an Agile Double cut for sale. It has two p90s I guess you don't care if you are going to gut it!! :)

Not sure if you "need" a tele, or just want a project guitar.



Does anyone here own one of those SX's? I was looking for a project guitar to completely gut (basically just keeping the neck and body). I was originally looking at a Squire Affinity telecaster. Those SX's look nice, though. The Squire Affinity and the SX are both alder, but I like the look of the SX better than the Squire (the SX is also strung through the body, which is nice). All-in, they would both be about the same price (around $200 Cdn including shipping and brokerage on the SX).

I assume the electronics are crap (or very near crap) on any $109 US guitar, but can anyone comment on the body and neck?

[scuffelwood]

I picked up this ibanez for 399.00 at Buds Musicshop here in Peterborough. Its a excellent playing git, sounds amazing through my Peavey Classic 50 Head. i`d recommend it.http://www.filelodge.com/files/hdd9/218762/ARC100_BS_12_01.jpg

[david henman]

I picked up this ibanez for 399.00 at Buds Musicshop here in Peterborough. Its a excellent playing git, sounds amazing through my Peavey Classic 50 Head. i`d recommend it.http://www.filelodge.com/files/hdd9/218762/ARC100_BS_12_01.jpg

...nice!!!!

[traynor_garnet]

Cannot comment on the SX guitars but the Agiles are amazing! I only played US made Fender and Gibson for years until I got my hands on these Agiles.

Yes, you need to replace the electronics and pus, but wow!

Godin are also great, so no dispute there.



If the price sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Cheap guitars are like cheap women. They look good all shiny and painted up, but wail on `em a bit, and the true mettle shows thru.
Spend a bit more, and get a quality Canadian built guitar ,,,Godin.

CT.

[scuffelwood]

i had a godin Freeway, not bad but was kinda dead, did`nt feel right, not a whole lot of tone variation between all of the pickups it had. Sold it to a friend who wanted to start playing electric, i also picked out his amp, its a line six Spider series i think, it`s not bad.

[bischbd]

Jaggery,

If you've got your heart set on an Agile you might want to check this auction out. It looks like a nice guitar and has Fender American pups to boot.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Agile-Thinline-Fender-Telecaster-Tele-USA-Pickups-TONE_W0QQitemZ7400861795QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem

[megadan]

What do you guys think of the Agile Tele?
The basic model is USD109 :) .
3-Piece Solid Alder, 2 great colors.
I really want a tele. I am thinking its either this or a used MIM.

http://www.rondomusic.net/stl50.html
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/stl503ts1.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/stl50bsb5aright.jpg

I will most probably change pickups.


The maple fretboard is much nicer! I have rosewood boards on both my SX basses, I wish I had maple instead.