Agile AD2500LH

This is an update of my previous review. I have since put
a Duncan Invader in the bridge and a Duncan designed
Buckshot in the neck. New 500K ohm brass shaft pots
for all four controls with new black speed knobs. New pick-up
switch as well (now operates correctly). Total cost for replacement parts around $290.00 (including the new nut that
a local "guitar expert " screwed me on).

This guitar is now a better guitar than a Gibson Les Paul
Double Cutaway. Southpaw Guitars were selling the Gibsons
(left-handed) for around $1,500.00. The Agile has a volume and
tone control for each pickup whereas the Gibson only has one
for both pick-ups. The sound of this guitar has improved
remarkably.

My last rating for this guitar was all 10's....
the reason? $249.00 for a LEFTY Les Paul
Double Cut copy with body, neck, and headstock binding,
mahogany body, flame Maple top, Maple neck with rosewood
fingerboard, Grover 18:1 tuners that keep this axe in tune.
For what you get for so little money... this guitar is a phenomenal
value. With the upgrades I've made, it is now BETTER than Gibsons.... for a third of the cost. Maybe there's a God after all...
I think they call him Budda where this was made.

This guitar pissed me off. Its a lefty Les Paul double-cutaway made in 2003 somewhere in Asia. Its got a flame maple top
on top of like three pieces of mahogony....maple neck with a
very nice rosewood fretboard (better than acouple of Fenders I have at twice the price) with pearloid fretmarkers. Two potted humbuckers with chrome caps, volume and tone control bell knobs, grover style tuners which work really well . The color is amber with a nice poly coat . Binding on the body , neck and
headstock. the neck has no taper to meet the body, which allows full access to upper frets. Just remarkable.

This guitar sounds just like a Les Paul. I'm able to get very woody tones with it. Very rich and full .... almost sounds like a jazz box at times. This guitar has inspired me to play more cleanly through whatever I plug into . No noise to speak of ....
only a very small problem... the pick-up switch is turned around
so when its up, the lower knobs work and vice-versa. I tried turning it around but it didn't feel as though it would accept that,
so I just deal with it... no big deal.

Set-ups are moot for me, as I have the strings reversed so it is
essentially a left-handed guitar strung right-handed... a bone nut has replaced the plastic one it came with. The guy that did the work just turned the bridge around so the bridge points are backwards, which has caused a couple of strings to break prematurely.... a new tune-o-matic should rectify this. As it came out of the box... it all looked perfect.

An extremely high quality guitar for the money. I was recently at a Guitar Center and picked up what was supposed to be a Gibson SG.... they wanted $800.00 for it.... the quality of the build and over all feel told me it should be around $200.00 Just rediculous
money for the crap they're putting out these days.... I digress.
What really pisses me off is that just prior to buying this guitar
I bought another guitar for a lot more money and this guitar
is the one I usually reach for now.... sheesh.

After ordering it through Kurt at Rondo they first sent me a righty...
I contacted Kurt and to make up for the mistake he sent me a gig bag and pack of strings with the lefty.... superb customer service.

Since Gibson would never make a lefty double cutaway Les Paul, and I didn't have the three grand to start a custom shop order, this is the guitar I've been waiting for for too long now.
I'll probably buy another one from Rondo, just in case something
happens to this one . Just a remarkable instrument. I know I'm not supposed to give glittering reviews... but hey.... I call 'em as I see 'em.