Agile AL-2800 in Blue Quilt - Is it a Guild cousin?

[Boneman]

OK, supposing if Agile's and Guild's Newark Street models were made in the same factory, would that make them related? Heh, I ask because I love the playability of both my recent NS models, and I recently went back and pulled out my old Agile, and felt, hell this feels very similar in construction, sound, playability with just a slightly different neck. Either way they are crafting nice instruments in Korea. They even have the binding run all the way around the headstock, man its pretty!

Coincidentally I just came across my original receipt for it while rummaging around. Bought it online brand new from Rondo through their website back in December 2003, all the specs sounded awesome and it was only 299.99! (+50 for the HSC) A Xmas present for myself I guess, lol. In hindsight its a good thing I bit when I did in so far as Agile's go, because I got one of the last ones with the lips headstock. Kinda the only reason I pulled the trigger, as their modified headstock shape after the Gibby lawsuits were ugly imo anyway. For the price I took a shot, why not. Mine did not come with the model number printed on the TR cover though, but after all these years now I know for sure which it was, hah! Have a look:

 

[mad dog]

I've been curious about those guitars. How heavy is it?

 

[Boneman]

That’s a good question, I don’t even know. I’m a big guy so I’ve never thought about the weight of a guitar, they all feel the same until I pick up a really light one, then I notice. Suffice to say I’ve never weighed it. It’s hefty, heavier than my strat but about the same as the NS S100.

Now you got me thinking of doing a weigh in with all my guitars. My D46 might be the heaviest of them all, including the electrics!

 

[bobouz]

In 2003, there were four Korean guitar makers building Epiphones for Gibson: Samick, Unsung, Saien, & Peerless. Your Agile may have come from one of those companies.

 

[Boneman]

Just came across this nugget:

“Its the World Musical Instruments company ltd in Incheon, South Korea. A subsidiary of Samick I believe.
Check out the Chapman Guitars factory tour day one, you can see a couple Agile headstocks and in one shot you can see the Agile logo on a reverse 8 string headstock quite clearly.

This factory also produces the:
Schecter KM7 + diamond series, syn gates etc
PRS SE line
Deans
LTD including the james hetfield iron cross
DBZ
BC Rich
Chapman Guitars
James tyler variax guitars for line 6

In case you had any doubts about the quality of Agile”

So between this note and the where were NS models made thread sticky here at LTG, since WMI does produce most Guild solid bodies like the S100, it’s likely they are indeed from the same factory! Though not same era per se but the build quality seems to match. Fun fact for me anyway. Lol

 

[James Hart]

Great value for the money! I have a 'pre lawsuit' Short scale SX P bass from Rondo that I bought for my daughter to noodle with when she was a toddler (but she still went right for my Upright bass!). I need to replace the jack and spend some time cleaning up the fret ends (I moved into a house with forced air heat and AC so I'm battling dry air)... but killer bass for super cheap.