Agile AL-2000 Gold Top w/P90

When made? --Likely 2008, purchased new 2009.

Frets? --22

Solid Top --Single cutaway solid Mahogany arch top body

Controls? --2 Vol, 2 Tone, one for each PUP.

Make, model of PUPS? --P90's, likely their own brand Agile, all Passive electronics.

Body wood? --Mahogany. Solid Mahogany. This one is a one! piece body... well the very upper body bout at it's widest point has approximately, or maybe less than 1inch laminated to it. (Far better then the 3 piece Studio Gibby w/faded finish I have, in that regard.)

Neck wood? --Maple. The tilted Peg Head is laminated on as with all of this type of neck (stained mahogany). Actually nicer than mahogany for me since P90's... will brighten it up even more, however slightly. (*)Another thing I've notice with Agile (and the SX units, spec'd by rondomusic.com) the would is, or vey near Quarter Sawn. Not always. And, if flat sawn, a nice cut w/o knots. But the Quarter Sawn Maple necks I've received are an amazingly nice perk, if even just lucky? However, this proves to me, that they don't sort them "out", they get used as well as the Flat-Sawn stuff. (FYI: Quarter-Sawn neck wood, is preferred for a number of reasons.)

Finish? --GOLD TOP! :). Plain binding, and mahogany stain on the rest, all glossy. This gold color is not very yellow or brass, or gold, likely has a bit of copper in it by my (BA in Studio Art Degreed) eye. Not a negative, but one could at an angle see a greenish patina tint in darker light... oh well :) I prefer a TV Yellow, Gold Top type color, but, I ain't complaining --this is very, very nice :)

Hardware Style? --Your very standard LP-Style Gibby hardware. And, very well installed, even compared to it's Gibby cousins I have on hand. The stop-bar tail piece (FYI) is fully bottomed out in the threaded holes! (A picky persons preference for sustain transfer.) And, the strings DO NOT hit the bridge on the bar side... very nice QA on that!!!

Tuners? --Grovers... very nice indeed.

Neck/Scale? --24 3/4 scale. The neck profile is: and I pulled out my DIGITAL CALIPERS FOR THIS..., within .0x, or .00x of my Les Paul Gibson Studio, Faded Cherry Mahogany with all Mahogany Body and Top like this one, however w/Alico IV Humbuckers. So, that makes it a Fat 50's neck profile. However the NUT is 1 5/8in, no 1 11/16in like the Gibson. Using my digital caliper, knowing all of this stuff is gonna vary from unit to unit and all nominal quotes, is approximately 1/16in narrower at the NUT width. All, else is the same as stated above.

Accessories? --None. Hex wrench as appropriate.

The sound is excellent, it's a typical P90. More bottom, however not less the highs than the SX P90's Rondomusic sells. And, compared to the retro installed Duncan (sized to fit a Humbucker route) actually, to my ear, better--meaning a wider spectrum of frequency.

(Now, I do know that futzing with the Capacitor could change that on the Gibson, but, I'm not always "into" that and would really like to get a unit, I just like, just fine outta the box, yah know? :) This one, is fine, right outta the box. I tend to favor the Neck PUP though overall. It has a lot of "presence" and punch. It's not a "hot" P90 by any means. (The SX pups, "I" think are... and are not as hot... however equal or better than the aftermarket P90 stuff I've heard directly in-hand.)

These pups ARE NOT noisy, at all. I live in a typical elec. environment. No florescents around, or large PC/TV CRT's... however, are very quiet. Even with a compressor, that on other units seems to boost a nominal ezezezezezez not heard/experienced with this unit.

I used this on a range of Amps, from Hi-fi PA, to Tube, Hi-Gain head to a 4-12 bottom, etc... good all around.

Nice pinch harmonics. However, "Tapping" (now, who taps any more anyway ? :), will sound better on a Alico IV Hi-gain Humbucker to be sure. But, that's the only limitation I experienced. Otherwise, nicely controlable, esp. w/compressor and w/flanger (slight, slight) for a nice acoustic, chord-ing to accompany singing. However, by all means, drive hi-gain distortion well as most single coils will do for better "definition".

How well set up? Well, this one came with less than 5/64th's action at Fret 12--NICE! The frets are all fine. The forward bow, is as it should be and the Frets are decently level (compared to some of the SX stuff, that could use a slight leveling with very low action...)--not a problem with this unit at all! However, the NUT was not cut to be at it's lowest, which is understandable. I may hit that for the best Nut Action I can get, however, as low as it is, I don't "feel" the higher nut action like I might on another unit. (The nut is spec'd as a graphite one--looks like it--better than the typical plastic, molded stuff that exists today.)

The PUPS? Well, they're P90's... and don't adjust up/down really. One could futz with that, w/hard padding, etc. Since definitely not to high, but could be higher... for me, I did adjust up the PUP screws to within 1/16 in when fretting Fret 22, and in neck radius. A difference in the sound? Maybe, a bit. However, could've lived with it as it came. These are not hot P90's, so, yes maybe a bit "louder, clearer"... however slight.

The boday, as I said, is one piece, with Mahogany Arched Top as a LP is made. (Yes, apx 1in is laminated on the upper bout, as stated above. I would not be surprised, if I had gotten one, fully one piece.--However, (I kinda don't care), since I've gotten, very very inexpensive imports, that were laminated w/4-5 pieces, BUT, resonated with great sustain and nice "voice"... (better than a "one-piece"), I kinda just go with how it "sounds" when unplugged. Especially if not a Clear Coat Finish... this one sounds great! Yes, if well voiced and one piece--well that's great. But, no ones there in Korea "Tap-Tuning" these..., or are they? :-) )

As far as flaws? Well, to be picky and I am, and can be I am very sensative to Neck Alignment, and String Alignment being not only centered, however centered "correctly". String spacing is not supposed to be equal, however, the String have to be centered, and "if" favored any side, at most 1mm, would have to be the Treble side, below the 12 fret, since the Bass side needs that realestate on the neck above Fret 12, to be sure. --NO ISSUES in that regard on this unit.

I'm also very very senstative to NUT installation. Sloppy, get's it sent back--let alone plainly not right! This one is 99%. 100% would be a NUT that had no feel of transition from neck binding/edge, certainly not "visually" noticable. AND, that if in a SLOT is the same depth from treble to bass side, --NOT cut into the neck at this sensative point instead of just filed on it's bottom side to lower it prior to cutting slots. --NO ISSUES here either on this unit.

(*)However, it lost 1%, maybe 2% (more would've gotten it sent back) since I noticed, could see, near the NUT a less than glassy finished transition up to the NUT. It made me look very close to see if it got "slotted" on the Treble side and not the Bass side for some "stupid" reason. It was not. But, I had to look very closely. --Likely a buffing issue w/the paint, since the Head is painted Black (should just stain it IHMO). And, I did see a slight divit as the Head starts to flair out, likely a sanding mark. However, if not painted gloss black, may not have seen it. I've seen FAR WORSE on Gibsons that were sanded to correct twisted necks, like "C" stock at $1K cost new!... so am I being picky--YES. And there it is. Would I have liked to send it back for this--NO. I'm not a idiot :-) But, there you go.

Reliability/Durability... unless you throw it out a hotel window after the gig... or your Wife catches you with your girl friend and hits you with it--should last a life time +. I'd buy this, way before I'd buy a Studio Gibson. Being picky, would like to see the spec at 1 11/16 Nut width... but (as my digital caliper reported :), the 1/16-1mm or so I don't really feel. More than that and then "I" WOULD. I see a new unit rondomusic has which is spec'd at 1 11/16 NUT width, and Jr style unit with 2 P90's... maybe look for that reveiw if I get one! :-)

So far, my experience with rondomusic, Kurt has been *consistently good*. You'll read in another reveiw where I did return a unit, using their automated system for returns (worked well enough, no RMA, just a note required back to them), and just reordered, and paid for the replacement upfront, that day I got the unit that was flawed. I did get a check promptly back, for the return shipping for the returned unit. No problems there.

By not waiting however for them to just reship a new unit, I did then pay shipping for the replacement unit... hmmmm, if I waited they would have just shipped out that replacement hmmmm, what would Kurt do if I brought it up? Well, then I thought about it,and waited/watched, and they DID refund the entire amount for the initial unit (!), which would be that original shipping as well... SO, GOOD FOR RONDO/KURT! These guys do seem to stand by what they say they'll do. --However, remember that unit was "flawed" and I re-ordered same day, and returned the next business day... so, if you're legit--you'll have no worries is my guess. Bravo Rondo!

Overall rating... a 9. No one gets a 10 :-) This is the best alternative to a squier, epiphone, other... actually, it's a great Korean alternative to a Gibson Studio at a min of $799 currently as of this review to as much as $1319... unless you have to have that LOGO on your head stock? I kinda fell into that at one period for a time. And then got fet up with returning $1000 guitars which were frustratingly "crap" for the money. Hey, Gibson and Fender were new companies once too, competing with Gretsch, etc... Who knows if these Agiles will always but in the $200 range... just cause if they could get the extra money, why wouldn't they? Well, then, we'd all just go back to the Fender, Gibson Gretsch, custom builder options. So, hopefully their business model will remain! Good, stuff, for realistic cost, for "regular folks" to enjoy. Again, Bravo Rondo!


--OK, there you go, another extensive review by: ustaknow, form Piscataway, NJ! Let me wipe off my Digital Calipers for the next one...