Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

[Franknfilms]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Denny's has really gone insane with the creative drunk food. There is gravy and cheese sauce and hashbrowns on every item on the menu now! That being said, it is hard to stomach when you are sober and guitar shopping.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

I emailed Kurt. We went back and for a bit. He does reply pretty quickly though a bit vague in answers to a few of my questions which is why there was probably more back and forth than need be. It does look however that we shouldnt be expecting any more 3000Ms to come up at that $465 with case price again. They would probably fly off the shelf at that price if they did.

Strange, since the auction ended with no bidders. Yeah, I asked him how the AL-3200 compares to the 3000M, and I never got a reply. He's got a purple one that I'm gassing for, but unless the quality is that of the 3000M, I won't buy it, not that I have the money anyway, lol. I have the 2000 and had the 3100, and the 3000M I have now is in a completely different league.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Buy a MIK Schecter Solo 6, or Dean Soltero (NOS) and call it a day if you are looking for a great value sub $700 import Singlecut.

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Strange, since the auction ended with no bidders. Yeah, I asked him how the AL-3200 compares to the 3000M, and I never got a reply. He's got a purple one that I'm gassing for, but unless the quality is that of the 3000M, I won't buy it, not that I have the money anyway, lol. I have the 2000 and had the 3100, and the 3000M I have now is in a completely different league.

Yea I went back and checked. It did end with no bids. I didnt pay much attention after it ended because I was kinda dissapointed it was gone before I was ready to snag it. There was 9 days left on the auction the night before it ended, so it didnt just end with no bids. Im betting he ended the auction early. Im thinking it was a mistake entry or something and he ended it early so as not to lose his shirt.

I was assuming that the AL-3200s were a neck thru and tummy cut version of the 3100. Not much mentioned on the top, so I would assume that its a 1/16 vaneer like the 3100 tops.

http://www.rondomusic.com/product4527.html

This just says flame maple top, though its obviously a quilt.

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Buy a MIK Schecter Solo 6, or Dean Soltero (NOS) and call it a day if you are looking for a great value sub $700 import Singlecut.

The solo's look like Michael Kelly patriots to me with a funky headstock. I prefer the headstocks on the patriots.




Another thing ive been looking at are the Indie ILP's. This might hit the spot.

http://www.jsdguitarshack.com/indie_guitars/indie_ilp_standard.html

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

used les paul studio

they can be had for $500, i've seen it happen

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

used les paul studio

they can be had for $500, i've seen it happen

Yes, here is a nice beat up one sitting at $455 with 2 days left to bid.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190578376723?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649


My next gibson les paul studio would be my 3rd. I sold the other 2 several years ago and that was with good reason. I dont like them.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Steak 'N Shake all the way mate !!!

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

One of the questions I asked Kurt that I didnt really get an answer to was concerning the 3000m and the figured tops. I asked him if the tops were the 3/4 cap with a vaneer on top of that. I did some looking and found some forum discussion on the matter. Of course I know what a few people on a forum have to say is not necessarily golden but anyway I did see it from more than one source. It was said that the 3/4 tops are AA grade maple with a 1/16 AAA grade flame vaneer. For anyone that has a 3000m model with a flame top, it should be easy enough to check the next time you change strings. Lift up the front pickup and take a peek.

 

[Thorn137666]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

You could get a Schecter Solo and switch out the EMG's for Blackouts.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

If you have the budget for an Epi Black Beauty, I would save just a bit longer and get a Heritage.

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Well, I spent about 3 hours between SA and GC tonight.

I played alot of stuff, even some superstrats. It was definitely a helpful trip and i was able to filter out some choices and draw some conclusions.

I still dont like epiphones. I played several, including some standards and some customs. I also played a ZW Sig custom. I didnt like any of them. The cutoms had a nice baseball bat sized neck that i didnt like and the standards had something more to my liking, but overall, they seem like cheap guitars to me. I think even the customs except for th ZW came sporting a plastic nut. Not at all acceptable when your laying down 600 bucks.

I played a gibby trad pro which I liked alot, just not 2k liked. I also played a few gibby Lp studios. I still dont like them, but they were definitely better than the Epi customs.

I've really been trying to like the LTD EC's and I just cant do it. The necks are way too thin and the frets will cut you up if you arent careful. These are the EC-1000's even.

I was able to try out a used Michael Kelly Patriot. this was the limited active model with a Floyd and EMG's. its not what I would get if i went with a patriot, but it gave me an idea at least. The necks on these are just right and the way the neck join is set, it makes access to the 22nd fret more than adaquete. this particular one had a thinner body. I dont know if its just that one or if its all patriots, but its was about the same thickness as the LTDs.

This is the best thing i played tonight. The neck and neck join are identical to the patriot as well as the quirky body shape, but it was thicker than the patriot which is what i want. Maybe Bloodrose can answer the body thickness question since he has a Patriot Custom as well as some lesters to compare to.
Schecter Hellraiser Special Solo-6

Now for the real order of business. What I had for Dinner. Here is a hint.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

PM sent Ball & Chain! Did you get a guitar yet?

 

[BEACHBUM]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

I own a LP Studio and an Agile 3100. The Agile is a better guitar in every respect except pick ups. Once those are changed the Gibson will probably be out of the game.

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

PM sent Ball & Chain! Did you get a guitar yet?

No, I havent bought anything yet. I'm still mulling over a couple options. PM received. Thanks.

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

I own a LP Studio and an Agile 3100. The Agile is a better guitar in every respect except pick ups. Once those are changed the Gibson will probably be out of the game.

How do the agile necks compare to the studios? All the studios ive tried and have owned have been a little overly beefy. I dont necessarily want shred stick thin, but baseball bat thick doesnt quite get it either. Somewhere in between there would be good.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Try an Agile before you buy one...please! It is important with any guitar, but especially so with "lower-end" guitars. I wanted to like them when I first saw them and their extensive catalog. But I just couldn't do it after spending several hours playing in a shop full of them. Not unusable guitars, but much worse than Epis IMO...and that is pretty bad.

Have Gibsons really gotten so bad that any Agile can be considered a better guitar than a Studio in every way except pickups?

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Try an Agile before you buy one...please! It is important with any guitar, but especially so with "lower-end" guitars. I wanted to like them when I first saw them and their extensive catalog. But I just couldn't do it after spending several hours playing in a shop full of them. Not unusable guitars, but much worse than Epis IMO...and that is pretty bad.

Have Gibsons really gotten so bad that any Agile can be considered a better guitar than a Studio in every way except pickups?

I would love to try one before I commited to a purchase, but there just arent any around to try. I've never seen one. From what I hear, the return policy at Rondo makes the risk/expense of trying one out pretty minimal.

If they were lesser quality than Epi's, I would have a hard time justifying buying one at any price, because I still havent played an Epi that I liked and still dont see the quality in relation to the price, however thats not the prevailing word I hear about agiles.

Only way for me to know for sure is to buy one and try it out. If I dont like it, im out about 25 bucks.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Try an Agile before you buy one...please! It is important with any guitar, but especially so with "lower-end" guitars. I wanted to like them when I first saw them and their extensive catalog. But I just couldn't do it after spending several hours playing in a shop full of them. Not unusable guitars, but much worse than Epis IMO...and that is pretty bad.

Have Gibsons really gotten so bad that any Agile can be considered a better guitar than a Studio in every way except pickups?

I really can't fathom how you could have posted this. As far as the Epiphones that is. I've never played an Epiphone that was better than an Agile out of the box. Maybe after a setup, who knows. I think it comes down to personal preference there, but I've owned four Epiphone Les Pauls, have played a lot more in stores, and I've only played three Agiles, and those three Agiles--two of which I still own--go from being better to completely blowing Epiphone out of the water, depending on the model. Were did you find a store full of them, considering that they are mail order only? I've never even seen one in a store, let alone more than one.

In my experience, the only Agile I would compare to a Gibson is the AL-3000M. I own one of them and I've played countless Gibsons, and as I've said before in many posts, I would put my 3000M on par with the studios and pleny of "off the shelf" mass produced Les Pauls.

 

[JordanM82]

Re: Guitar shopping again so some opinions needed

Ok you're all crazy... Chipotle all the way...