Kurt selling Agile brand?

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Gergo
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Hate to be the party pooper but the idea of a bunch of friends on a guitar forum going in together and buying, then trying to run an established guitar brand together sounds like a disaster in the making. Sounds like a good way to end friendships.
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mikesr1963
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Houblues wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:39 am Like a band roadie or fan becoming a member.
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tony1852
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yeah, i get the practical 'disaster waiting to happen' train of thought. however, i think a lot of businesses started like that. back in the day every business started with some type of dream. no one starts off as a master of enterprise. the good new is, no one that i think would be serious on this board would not either be a professional of some type with business experience, an expert with technical experience, have capital, time and desire. maybe it sounds silly, but i think it is worth exploring. now, if everyone else says its stupid and no one else is even remotely interested, then it dies on the vine. i'd just hate to lose the Agile brand that we all love so well to disappear or be transformed into something that we no longer recognize or care for. we'll have the board and the old-school Agiles as long as we keep together.
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fatjack
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I know I'd be out on that deal. 1] Making sure you're not infringing on copy write / patent on the guitars as lawyer suck profit out real quick. 2]Dealing with multiple foreign factories for contract work , language and cultural values can have you working at cross purposes. 3 I have no desire to work 70-80 hours week at something that not a major passion. As an example of how things get sideways the AD 2250 was designed here slightly modified by Kurt so as to avoid the big G c&d letter. Korea changed the upper horn more and it looks nothing like we wanted. I bought the first left because I said I'd buy. It has become my favorite player light with nice belly cut hog body maple neck ebony board for $350 shipped with decent bright but quiet p90s. Another oddity different factories different paint codes 4 different oceanburst factories 4 different looks.
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honyock
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relying on a supplier with little to no recourse would get old real quick. When stuff is sitting in a freighter going transoceanic for 6weeks or more...

Having a name and some contacts would very quickly fall apart IMO.

We have built stuff in Asia in the past using an intermediary (British guy based out of HK that was nice enough, but was not a native speaker nor a local) it never turned out well.

We have been relying on our own project managers based in China that can go to the shops and don't take any shit, stuff turns out nicer than most anything we used to see coming from that region as a result.

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nomadh
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We give Kurt some shit here and there but I'm pretty sure we all think none of us could pull off what he does or would want to try.
We're all fans because he was able to pull off pure FM. The magic wand may be running low but its still worth checking out to see some of the old magic.
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Razzle
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He is selling the brand because guitars are passé, and actually six string guitars are passé , the only market that he’s probably selling a lot of guitars are the multi string guitars. That’s just the way it is.
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Chocol8
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Razzle wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 7:54 pm He is selling the brand because guitars are passé, and actually six string guitars are passé , the only market that he’s probably selling a lot of guitars are the multi string guitars. That’s just the way it is.
Actually, I think the affordable 7 and 8 string boom he capitalized on has passed.
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nomadh
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Gibson '13 studio dlx hsb
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Gibson '06 sg faded
Gibson '15 LP CM w gforce
Epiphone Casino coupe
Epiphone dot studio
Fender USA strat w mjt body _w Original body 81
Fender lead II
Firefly spalted 338
Squier affinity tele bsb
Squier strat std relic
Squier subsonic baritone
Agile al2500 albino
Agile al3001 hsb
Sx ash Ltd strat
Sx ash strat short scale
Sx ash tele
Sx callisto jr
Dean vendetta
Washburn firebird. Ps10
Johnson trans red strat
Johnson jazz box Vegas
Seville explorer
Inlaid tele
flametop bigsby tele wood inlaid neck
23

Acoustics
new Eastman acoustic
Sigma dm3 dread x2 (his and hers)
Fender 12 str
Ibanez exotic wood
Silvercreek rosewood 00
Ovation steel str
martin backpacker acoustic
Johnson dobro

Chocol8 wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 11:42 pm
Razzle wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 7:54 pm He is selling the brand because guitars are passé, and actually six string guitars are passé , the only market that he’s probably selling a lot of guitars are the multi string guitars. That’s just the way it is.
Actually, I think the affordable 7 and 8 string boom he capitalized on has passed.
Maybe but no where near as much as the lp fad I'd think.
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dabbler
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Chocol8 wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 11:42 pm Actually, I think the affordable 7 and 8 string boom he capitalized on has passed.
This ^ is, I think closer to the issue. And the other part of the equation is the profit margin on the upper end is better. Which is why I'm surprised that he is getting rid of the brand that he has the most control and flexibility with for following the market and keeping an economy label (SX) with less potential, IMO.

I fear a retirement from the business may be coming.
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mikesr1963
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Even the 6 string LP market, guitars that interest me at the $605 it would take for me to get an Agile there are a whole lot of options out there for that money. I really like my Agile LP but if I had to pay $605 I can't say it would be my first choice now.
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nomadh
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Gibson '13 studio dlx hsb
Gibson '79 flying V
Gibson '06 sg faded
Gibson '15 LP CM w gforce
Epiphone Casino coupe
Epiphone dot studio
Fender USA strat w mjt body _w Original body 81
Fender lead II
Firefly spalted 338
Squier affinity tele bsb
Squier strat std relic
Squier subsonic baritone
Agile al2500 albino
Agile al3001 hsb
Sx ash Ltd strat
Sx ash strat short scale
Sx ash tele
Sx callisto jr
Dean vendetta
Washburn firebird. Ps10
Johnson trans red strat
Johnson jazz box Vegas
Seville explorer
Inlaid tele
flametop bigsby tele wood inlaid neck
23

Acoustics
new Eastman acoustic
Sigma dm3 dread x2 (his and hers)
Fender 12 str
Ibanez exotic wood
Silvercreek rosewood 00
Ovation steel str
martin backpacker acoustic
Johnson dobro

mikesr1963 wrote: Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:59 pm Even the 6 string LP market, guitars that interest me at the $605 it would take for me to get an Agile there are a whole lot of options out there for that money. I really like my Agile LP but if I had to pay $605 I can't say it would be my first choice now.
In that price range I'm checking around more myself. If I were even looking to be in that price range
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mikesr1963
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nomadh wrote: Sun Jun 14, 2020 5:17 pm
mikesr1963 wrote: Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:59 pm Even the 6 string LP market, guitars that interest me at the $605 it would take for me to get an Agile there are a whole lot of options out there for that money. I really like my Agile LP but if I had to pay $605 I can't say it would be my first choice now.
In that price range I'm checking around more myself. If I were even looking to be in that price range
That's what I'm saying too. But knowing to get a new Agile it's $605 I set the top price at $605 and then look at everything equal to and below it and when I do it there's a lot to consider.
mechanic1908
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Interesting
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Blackened
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Yeah, I was surprised to see it too:
image.png
Keeping a business going is tough and he's had a pretty dang good run with it. Agreed that the prices are getting a bit taller which puts him in the same range as many other brands. Plus competition is crazy out there.

End of an era IMO... Or maybe the start of soemthing new. :shock: :?:
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Rollin Hand
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Could this mean more SEG-1s?

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