Agile AS920 Coolcat

2004 model (I think), L5 clone, spruce top, flame maple sides and back, natural finish, set maple neck, 22 frets, rosewood fretboard and rosewood intonatable tuneomatic bridge, trapeze tailpiece. Two passive humbuckers, two tone and volume controls, and 3 way pickup selector. Glossy poly finish, pretty thick. Grover tuners, medium jumbo frets. Bought this used on ebay - original owner had replaced the original pups with GFS Hot Filtertron Nashvilles, added a strap button at the heel, had the frets levelled and polished, replaced the original nut with a bone nut, and had it strobe intonated. The original pups were included along with a hardshell case.

These days I only play in my home hobby studio, through a GT-8 processor into a Presonus Firepod, monitoring through a pair of active Event Project Studio 8 monitors and a Behringer 2092A sub. With this rig I can emulate darn near any amp on the planet and add any effects I need.

I prefer to play this clean, using a JC-120 amp sim. I can't say how it sounded with the original pups, but with the GFS Nashville's it sounds very much like a Gretsch. Wonderful twangy tone - it has the mojo. Select the bridge pup and you are in rockabilly land. Switch to the neck, roll off the tone a bit, and it's jazz heaven. Really amazing variety of tones to be had using the pup selector and tone controls. No noise whatsoever from these pups. Very clean and even sound throughout.

For fun I switched to a high gain Marshall patch - it rocks. Distorts very nicely. But that isn't what this axe is about.

I was surprised at how well this particular guitar projects acoustically - sounds wonderful unplugged. I noted that other reviewers weren't impressed with theirs on that level, but mine sounds great on it's own. The spruce top certainly helps in this area.

Can't say as to the original setup, as owner had tweaked it a fair bit before I got it. The action was a bit high for my tastes when I got it. Lowered is some, noted some buzzing on the low E around the first couple of frets, so took it back up a bit. Shimming the nut will cure that.

I went over this instrument in great detail under strong lighting several times. No flaws anywhere, I mean none. The flame maple grain is absolutely breathtaking, bookmatched on the back. I have seen guitars costing 10 times as much look less impressive. Really beautiful to look at.

The electronics work fine, no noise from the pots or switch. The hardware is chrome, which is less likely to tarnish or wear away that the gold plated stuff.

I don't gig anymore, but would have absolutely no reservations taking it out. The finish is a little thicker than maybe it should be, but I expect it will last a very long time with some care. Strap buttons are solid. I've only had it a few weeks, but cannot see any dependability issues here at all.

Have not dealt with Kurt at Rondo Music, but from what I have read he is great to deal with and stands behind his products. No warranty on this as I bought it used.

Been playing 30 odd years. This instrument completes my collection for the time being, as guitar #12. I have a variety of other guitars - Strat, Tele thinline, Jackson Dinky, Peavey T-60, Cort 7 string, hot rod LP clone, a Dano U3 reissue, Fender 12 string acoustic, Washburn 6 string electric/acoustic, Yamaha G231 II classical. Each one has it's own character and sound. I wanted a jazz box to complete the variety I was looking for.

I spent a lot of time researching my purchase, and watched and waited almost a year before this one came up. I was well aware of the rep Agiles have gotten. Now that I finally have one, I see why people are talking about these. It is a very well made, beautifully appointed guitar for the money. Fantastic value.

Yes, I know - it's not a Gibby or a Gretsch, or a Stromberg. It also doesn't cost anywhere near as much, and I have never really cared whose name is on the headstock. What I am concerned with is playability and tone, and this baby has it in spades. I would proudly wear this instrument on a stage with no qualms at all. Very, very pleased overall.

All the usuals for a LEFT HANDED Gibson-ish knock off. A full hollow-big body jazz box with Mutha of Pearl block inlays, 2 pups, 2 vols, 2 tones, 1 switch, & Grover Tuners-but I'm not sure if these were from the manufacturer or done after market.

I bought this LEFT HANDED one used from ebay. The previous owner had already done what I wanted to do to one of these guitars.

The original pups were pulled (so I never heard them) and were replaced with a set of DeArmond 2K Single Coils! Sweet Pups!

Therefore I can't say what kind of sound quality the original pups would have given to this guitar.

I must admitt this big girl plays much better than I thought she would. The only 2 minor problems that I had were to add on a front strap button and fix a loose input jack.

So I deducted 2 LEFT-HANDED points.

I do not know if the previous owner did any other mods/or work to it. Otherwise the action is great and she plays Outstandingly! It Definitely covers all of the bases I wanted it to!

I have already played several gigs without a back up, and I Love this Guitar. Everything seems LEFT-HANDED and solid, but only time will really tell.

N/A
At this point, I don't anticipate the need to contact the company for any Lefty issues in the future.

I've been playing for 14 yrs, and I'm not going to rattle off everything else that I own.

Lets just say I have a propensity for playing old Fender Amps (72 & earlier) and Hollow & Semi-Hollow LEFT-HANDED guitars with a few pedals thrown in for reverb, fuzz, & boost.

If I loose it, its my own dumb fault. If its stolen, I would hunt the SOB and break it over his head. Then I'd take the DeArmond 2K Singles out and put them into another lefty hollow body, cause these pickups Sound Incredible!!!

I will say this for anyone looking for a 1st jazz box, or a Super Cheap AND Decent Playing jazz box, or jazz box that you can
sup-up/hill-billyize/honda-ize/or customize with any good jazz pups, you should highly consider this instrument.
Yes, instrument. I've checked out low line Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Squire, and others that have FAR Worse Frets, Necks, and Action and they still cost More. Oh, did I mention you can get a lefty.

Peace & Keep Playing, Steve.

Sensational L5-style guitar. Features as described previously, including 2 humbuckers with independent tone and volume. Couple of caveats concerning pickups - although I like the sound for my style of music (mostly rockabilly), there is a peculiar issue when both pickups are used simultaneously. The volume for the neck pickup acts as a "master volume" which kills BOTH pickups when turned down. Theoretically, you should be able to cut the neck p/u volume while keeping the bridge p/u constant? I have read somewhere that this is a common wiring mistake, easily correctable. The other thing I would like to point out is, as best as I can tell, there is only one (1) wire running from each pickup. I am no expert, and just beginning to research these electronic issues, but this does not appear to be a Duncan-style humbucker, with numerous wires allowing various possibilities; this pickup will not (as far as I can see) allow for custom coil-taps and such. I would advise researching this point before you buy, if it is important to you, or simply go in expecting to upgrade the pickups. These pickups work fine for me right now.

I tried several models in the store (Rondo in Union, NJ), and the one I selected has excellent projection and warmth, even unplugged. It is certainly louder than some acoustic guitars I have owned. There were, however, some "nasal" sounding models on the shelf; could it be those aforementioned, atrocious, factory strings? - like anything, you have to take it on a case-by-case basis. I removed the pickguard, not wanting anything to obstruct the f-holes, and I am thrilled to pieces with the sound. Controlled feedback (via Acoustic 150 amp) is to die for! The thing bucks like a bronco, giving energy, energy, energy! I have no doubt this thing will improve with use.

I have a problem that is common to arch-tops - the higher frets "overhang"; that is to say, there is a portion of the fingerboard that protrudes beyond where the neck joins the body. The fretboard juts out, and is not secured to the top of the guitar. That area is suceptible to some "choking off" when you bend a note up a whole-step. I'm going to have to do a bit of work on those frets (looks like there may be just one culprit) to have this baby 100%. You absolutely cannot complain about the appearance, and I seldom concern myself about a factory setup. It is a pleasure to experiment with string gauges, action, and pickup height until it suits the individual.

Everything is 100% gig-worthy. Added strap button to heel area; installed Bigsby B6 vibrato, and it's my main guitar.

Responsive, intelligent, timely responses to questions via e-mail. Cooperative internal staff. Don't know about warranty; don't care. It was such a great deal that almost no complaint could be justified.

Best-kept secret in the industry. I use their Brice basses exclusively, and they, too, are an extraordinary value. If I never bought another guitar, I would still feel set for life.

Brand new tobacco sunburst or vintage sunburst, Korean made. Laminated top and body, as ALL Gibsons, Gretsches and other archtops have been made since day one, there's no such thing as a solid wood electric archtop. Nice medium chunky maple neck, 2 piece with Spanish luthier join. Standard hardware setup, the frets are of very high quality and done perfectly. The electronics are the usual, not top notch, but I doubt there would be any failure or problems. Nice Grover tuners. Floating tune-a-matic bridge, trapeze tailpiece with pad underneath to keep from hitting the top during string changes, a very nice and thoughtful touch.

It took some experimenting with raising and lowering the pickups to achieve my favored tone, as with all guitars, but it got there. Certainly they're not the most expensive high end alnico magnets, but I can make ANY guitar sound good. I can get that T-Bone Walker, Joe Pass, Duke Robillard or Johnny Smith tone, no problem.

The finish has a few spots where paint and stain got on the binding, but no big deal, the $5K jobs from Gibson can have the same. Overall the finish is top notch and beautifully done. The quilt maple top looks real enough to me, regardless of what it may be, veneer or photo flame, there's no way to tell otherwise. I had to move the bridge around a little to get the intonation correct and strings centered on the neck, but you do that with every string change. I was even able to lower it a great deal without string buzz and get the action low and it feels like a "fretless wonder". It's put together really well and the inlay and frets are better and more precise than the big names. The nut is cheap, but does its job and is cut correctly. Tuners are aligned and set properly.

This guitar could take any gig for years to come, a very solid instrument. It took me a minute to realize the output jack is the strap button kind! No strap button on the neck or body, so you have to tie it like an acoustic or install it yourself on the neck heel.

It's my 3rd Agile and I've no reason to ever have to deal with them http://www.rondomusic.com, but I'm confident they're a 100% loyal to their customer base.

I've played every guitar on the planet, from cheesy to high end vintage and this is a very well made guitar. Korean guitars are of the quality Japanese guitars were in the late 70's and early 80's and will be just as sought after in the future when they're all outsourced to China, which has already begun. I'd buy another any day of the week if something were to happen to this baby.

This is a Korean-made archtop, full-size, single venetian cutaway. You might call it a poor man's L5-CES. It's a BIG guitar. The body woods are laminate, and the finish is sunburst. It has chrome hardware, a rosewood fingerboard with block inlays, and the top has a quilted finish.

It sounds good for what it is, which is an entry-level archtop. The pickups are cheap, but while they are a bit muddy, they are not awful, and do provide tonal variety as you switch positions.

The guitar needed a bit of a neck adjustment (wrench included), but once that was done, the neck is straight and the action is very good. The guitar is well-finished, and the craftsmanship is excellent for a guitar in this price range. Now - about those strings! What in the wide world of sports were they thinking ? The strings that came with the guitar are totally worthless! They are unlike any guitar strings I've ever played, and hardly even deserve to be called guitar strings. If you decide to buy one of these, make sure you have a spare set of strings on hand - you will replace these monsters immediately, believe me. Other than that glaring weakness, the guitar's fit and finish is good.

Too new to rate accurately

Rondo Music provides exceptional customer service. They communicate well, and stand behing everything they sell. I have bought other guitars from them previously.

I've been playing for 40 years, and own lots of other guitars, including other archtops. This is a good entry-level archtop, and can't be beat for the money. I probably won't keep it very long, since this was just purchased on a whim, to satisfy my curiosity. I would probably not buy another if it was lost or stolen, but I still recommend it as a solid entry-level ax for someone on a budget.

This is a Korean-made full-size archtop. Laminate top, which has a nice quilted finish, back and sides are laminate also. Sunburst finish, two humbuckers, chrome hardware, tune-o-matic style bridge, rosewood fingerboard with plastic block inlays completes the description

The pickups are cheesy, when compared to high-end archtops, but they can be replaced. They are adequate, and based on the price of the guitar, are better than you would expect. Acoustically, the guitar is pretty dead. It's a decent entry-level jazzbox.

The finish work on the guitar is great, and after a little tweaking of the neck adjustment (wrench provided), it plays very easily and the neck is straight and true. I would give a 10 rating in this section, except..... THOSE STRINGS! What in the wide world of sports were they thinking. The strings that came with the guitar were an absolute joke! They are absolutely unplayable, so plan on replacing them immediately. Whoever sets 'em up with these wretched strings isn't a guitar player. Overall, it's well made and my example had no other flaws.

The guitar is new, so I can't attest to its durability. Looks solid, but only time will tell.

Rondo Music has outstanding customer service, and they communicate very well. They're great to deal with, and I would recommend them without reservation. I've bought other instruments from them.

I've been playing for 40 years, and have owned just about all of 'em. This guitar is a nice entry-level archtop, and the primary attraction is that it is so inexpensive. I bought it more or less as an experiment, and I probably won't keep it very long. It is a big archtop, about the size of a Gibson L5CES. For the price, you can't buy anything better brand-new (YET!). If lost or stolen, I would probably not buy another, but I can still recommend it as a decent entry-level instrument. If you decide to buy one, don't forget to have a set of real guitar strings on hand!

Sunburst finish (which was OK). Two humbuckers. Your typical L5 jazz guitar.

The sound unplugged isn't great. But do you buy an electric guitar to NOT plug it in? It's meant to be played with an amp. So how it sounds unplugged is of no concern for me.
But plugged in it sounds good. But then again, all you have to do is change the pickups. The pickups on it are cheap. They're not horrible. But they're OK.

The action was high when I got it. The strings! What on earth were they thinking with those strings! Even though I changed the strings, the neck around the 12th fret and beyond was bad. It had a very bad buzz. Adjusting the neck didn't help. There was a slight dip in the neck around the 15th fret.
It was decently playable up to the 12th fret, but that's not good enough. Even though the guitar is $300, I still want a better neck and action. I raised the action really high, but it didn't help the buzz.
Aside from that, the feel of the neck was excellent. It's very slim and playable.
I'm sure if someone got one without a bad neck it would be a good guitar. But because of the horrible buzz, I can't give this guitar good ratings here.
I also returned it.

I really don't know how well it was made. It doesn't seem to be road-worthy. But again, it's only a $300 jazz guitar.

I've been playing for 40 years and have owned a couple of Gibson ES-175's, a couple of Ibanez 175's and L5's (in the '70's), as well as an Ibanez Johnny Smith in the '70's (and also a Guild X-175).
As far as the feel of the neck, I like the Agile better than those. As far as everything else, it's not as good as.
If it were lost or stolen....wait a second...I already sent it back. So I guess it was no big deal then.

I guessing That this guitar was made in 02 or 03, I'm sure it was made in Korea, it says so. 22 frets. I'm pretty sure it's laminated, if it's solid, I got a deal! It's your basic, two hum bucker with volume/tone for each, pick up configuation. Body and neck are all maple, according to the dealer specs. The body and neck are maple with a quilted top. The finish is a little to shinny and thick for me, but it is pretty. The body style is a full body, 3"+ thick jazz box style, 17" at it's widest point. The bridge is what appeares to be rose wood with a decent bridge system. The tuners are Grover, which is never a bad thing. I don't really know what the neck/scale is. It came with only a box and an allen wrench. It's got all the features that I was looking for in a full body jazz box at a really good price.

My music style for this guitar is softer more of a jazz feel, though I am not a jazz player by any means. I like the sound of this guitar very much, guitars tend to tell me what to play so my music style is dictated by the guitar I play.
I'm running it through a Traynor YCV-40 at gigs, if I take it out to play, haven't decided yet. At home I run it through a Pignose G-4V, I know, but I like the amp. The guitar has a good full sound, but this is my first jazz box so I have nothing to compare it to as far as a history of owning a jazz box goes. variety of sound is good, again every thing I was looking for.

The guitar was not set up at the factory at all that I can tell, if it was, somebody better have a talk with quality controll, them strings! what were they thinking? The pick adjustment was fine. The woods were macthed great, the general construction and lay out was very good, I do have a problem with the rose wood bridge, it's a little rounded at the bottom of the base running long wise, thus it tends to rock a little causing the tuning to drift. Other than that, as far as flaws go, yea, there were a few minor things, but hay! 300 bucks?

It seems very durabile, similar to a previous reviewer, I judge a guitar by it's weight first off. The hardware is very good. I think the finish will last, it's fairly thick. The strap button is very solid, but you only get one so make it last. I'm sure, as soon as I get the "rocking bridge" proble fix it will be a very reliable guitar. I would gig with it, and probably will.

Never deal with them before, Rondo Music. Every thing went fine, UPS screwed up and made me wait an extra day, but that's thier problem. You know? I have no ideal what the warranty is, I don't buy guitars based on warranty, I go by if I like the guitar or not. I figure, for 300 bucks, give me two or three good years and I'm happy.

I've been playing about 20 years. I own four guitars, A fender 52/bigsby reissue telecaster, an Epiphone Dot/special model, a Peavy CJ-35PE acoustic and now the Agile AS-920 Cool Cat.
I asked the nessesary questions before buying this guitar and did some internet research. If it were lost or stolen I would get another right away.
I'm not sure I love the guitar, but I really like it a lot. Every thing, accept the bridge, is good.
I compared it to a few other guitars before I bought it,

The Epiphone Broadway which cost twice as much, Agile every bit as good, maybe better, have to play one again.
The Ibanez Artcore AF75 same price, Agile much better.
The Jay Terser which cost a little more, Agile better.

The only wish is the bridge, I don't mean to keep harping on the bride, but that's really my only complaint.
This guitar to me is one of those little finds where you don't want to tell people where you got it, because it's unique, a really nice guitar for the money, I recommend it to anybody, I just won't tell them where to get one.
I've not had the guitar very long, less than a week. I'm the type that knows right off the bat if I'm going to like a guitar or not and I like this one.

Come on! 300 buck! great deal.

See the Rondo website. Choice of tops, and it looks like I got maple. I don't remember for sure what I ordered, but this is definitely OK.

Sound is very tricky for me. I mainly play accoustically, and have very high standards for the F hole arch tops that I prefer. (For a long time I had a Gibson Custom L-5 Jumbo that provided a benchmark for both accoustic and electric sound). So measure my comments in this context. Accoustically I am disappointed, even after replacing the crap strings with D'Adario mediums. The projection just is not there. The sound is muffled. I am not giving up hope, however. After doing a setup with a luthier I trust, this may be much better. Plugged in? Aaaaahh, now that's a different story. This has got to be the most responsive, expressive plugged in F-hole I've ever played, meeting and maybe even beating the L-5 in most areas. The tone controls and switch allow wonderful variation that gives subtle and beautiful voice modulations with zero fuss. So I am in a quandary for rating. Electrically this is a 10...a 20 given the price. Accoustically it's a 5 at best. Hoping that the setup will improve matters, I'll opt for an 8.

The action is very fast, low to the board, and, after a minimal tweak, no buzz. I would not say this was set up at the factory. Pickups also may need a bit of adjusting, as when I move from single note to chords I can get buzz in the speakers. On the other hand, this may be just me needing to get to know the axe better (I've had it for 6 weeks now). All woods are beautifully matched. I must say I don't care for the finish much. It's so smooth and shiny and THICK it looks more like fiberglass than shellac, and I suspect that this may be partly responsible for the tone deadening mentioned above. Overall, though, materials and craftsmanship are top drawer - far, FAR beyond what you'd get anywhere else for the money, and, again, at least near the quality of much more expensive guitars.

Yeah, well, the finish looks like it will last. I haven't really had it long enough to say beyond guessing. It's also comparatively heavy - a sign usually for me that it can withstand punishment. It should be noted that live playing is no different from private playing for me - always gentle, and when the public starts throwing pints and pennies, I pack up.

Haven't tried yet.

I've been playing for 40 years now, and have seen and owned many guitars of all sorts. Right now, I have a 1935 Supertone F hole accoustic, a Gibson/Epiphone Emperor, a Fender Broadcaster (or a really really close copy), a Regal steel body guitar, a Danelectro baritone, a Rogue doubleneck 12/6, and a custom jazz round hole cut-away made by Wesley Brandt, easily the greatest living luthier before he turned to making violas instead. I'd like to get a Gibson again, a nice old one, but the collectors have jacked the prices to insane levels. I got this after browsing reviews and checking the Rondo site - and it was basically taking a chance that I would find a Gibson at a cheapo price. I know. Dream on. However, this is, especially electrically, very very close. If it was lost or stolen, I'd get another. It's perfect for live gigging, as I NEVER would take my Wes Brandt special where ripoffs happen so easily. In this sense, I plan to use the Cool Cat, and if I lose it, I will instantly get another. I've taken trouble to show my main disappointments, because I feel if a prospective buyer starts with lower expectations, he or she will be pleasently surprised.

Go to Rondos website for the features

Guitar seems fairly quiet with the monster cables I use. Has a very nice midrange sound, not quite enough bite but for hollow body guitar more than acceptable. Not near as much out of control feedback as I had expected. A little tinney in the upper register, overall a steal for the money !

Very pretty finish, natural. Very good looking, Brian S. Straycats look. Plays as good as guitars that cost upwards of $1400.00 Guitar was tweaked by a local expert with 30 plus years experience and has worked with Agile instruments before. Does NOT come set up from company, neck had to be tweaked, with the wrench which comes with it. CRUMBY Strings, but I wasnt buying strings.

Bass tone knob a little loose. Have had the guitar about 8 weeks now. Seems to stay in tune fairly well. No upper strap button comes on guitar. Finish seems good and not sensitive or easily scratched.

Rondo did everything thing they said they would do. Shipped in a timely manner I would buy again. Guitar packed pretty well.

With Peavy classic 30, Dunlop 535Q the sound is alive and quite strong. May change the treble pickup, I may just like a lot of bite.
I am still not sure of the 18 to 1 Grovers yet, a little touchy. I have been more of a Roady than musician, but have had many instruments in my hands ! Bridge seems more than adequate. I have played guitars that cost three times as much that were NO better.