Page 1 of 1
NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:11 am
by RockYoWorld
Well, I got my first AL, finally! What took me so long??? Credit goes to
@slowhand84 for spotting the deal on GC used and sharing it here:
https://www.aguitarforum.net/viewtopic. ... 522#p32522
I received it last week and have played with it a bit here and there. Very solid guitar. I immediately would put it up right next to my 2 LTD EC-1000's. The only thing that puts it under those two guitars for me, personally, is that the frets are not extra-jumbo like I'm used to. It also doesn't have the greatest upper fret access and only has 22 frets, but that's not a huge concern for me on an LP type guitar.
As discussed in the other thread, this is definitely just an AL-3100, NOT an MCC as GC had it listed... Although they'll also spelled it Algie, which is likely why no one else snagged it before I did. It came with a hard Gator LP case, shipped for $300, and I'm really happy with what I got for that price.
Someone on the other thread was wondering if the tail piece had flat or domed posts. I added a picture of them below. I'd say they're domed. I'm not sure what the significance of that is, though. The tailpiece itself has some sort of residue or the finish is wearing off, as you can see in the picture.
The back of the neck and the body seem like it's been sanded. Is that typically how AL-3100s are? I dig it.
I haven't pulled the pickups yet to see what's in the guitar, but I suspect that the bridge pickup has been upgraded since the cover is a glossy finish while the neck pickup is satin/matte. The bridge pickup sounds like a JB to me, which is in many of my other guitars. It sounds great in this guitar. The only reason I'd replace it is if I wanted to do something different for the variety's sake, but that's unlikely.
Only upgrades I'd consider doing right now is maybe swapping the neck pickup, putting in coil tapping DPDT pots, and possibly locking tuners if the tuning stability doesn't get better. The strings came super loose on the guitar so I suspect they keep going flat from that. I won't be doing that upgrade any time soon, so I'll just keep an eye on it.
Anyways, thanks for the tip, Slowhand84! I'm really digging this purchase!
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:20 pm
by thepezident
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:23 pm
by mozz
When that thread was posted, i was 5 minutes behind you. Gone. That tailpiece and posts may be aftermarket. Gonna also say the shiny pickup may be stock and the neck changed.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:38 pm
by slowhand84
RockYoWorld wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:11 am
Well, I got my first AL, finally! What took me so long??? Credit goes to @slowhand84 for spotting the deal on GC used and sharing it here:
https://www.aguitarforum.net/viewtopic. ... 522#p32522
I received it last week and have played with it a bit here and there. Very solid guitar. I immediately would put it up right next to my 2 LTD EC-1000's. The only thing that puts it under those two guitars for me, personally, is that the frets are not extra-jumbo like I'm used to. It also doesn't have the greatest upper fret access and only has 22 frets, but that's not a huge concern for me on an LP type guitar.
As discussed in the other thread, this is definitely just an AL-3100, NOT an MCC as GC had it listed... Although they'll also spelled it Algie, which is likely why no one else snagged it before I did. It came with a hard Gator LP case, shipped for $300, and I'm really happy with what I got for that price.
Someone on the other thread was wondering if the tail piece had flat or domed posts. I added a picture of them below. I'd say they're domed. I'm not sure what the significance of that is, though. The tailpiece itself has some sort of residue or the finish is wearing off, as you can see in the picture.
The back of the neck and the body seem like it's been sanded. Is that typically how AL-3100s are? I dig it.
I haven't pulled the pickups yet to see what's in the guitar, but I suspect that the bridge pickup has been upgraded since the cover is a glossy finish while the neck pickup is satin/matte. The bridge pickup sounds like a JB to me, which is in many of my other guitars. It sounds great in this guitar. The only reason I'd replace it is if I wanted to do something different for the variety's sake, but that's unlikely.
Only upgrades I'd consider doing right now is maybe swapping the neck pickup, putting in coil tapping DPDT pots, and possibly locking tuners if the tuning stability doesn't get better. The strings came super loose on the guitar so I suspect they keep going flat from that. I won't be doing that upgrade any time soon, so I'll just keep an eye on it.
Anyways, thanks for the tip, Slowhand84! I'm really digging this purchase!
image.png
image.png
image.png
image.png
image.png
image.png
Sweet, glad I was able to help you grab it and even more glad that you love it! Taking the gloss off the back of the neck (aka "scotchbriting") was a pretty common thing for folks to do on these Agiles and some folks did it to the bodies as well to get 'em less glossy and more of a satin-ish look. I've never had any tuning issues with Agiles so guessing once you change the strings you'll be all set, the Grover tuners are solid. It's not the strings being loose during shipping that's the issue, it's likely just that the strings are old and need replacing. Let us know what you find out with the pickups, almost every single time I bought an Agile from GC it already had some nice upgraded electronics
.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:34 pm
by Stoli
Love the finish.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:47 pm
by jtcnj
NICE!!!
Whats the weight?
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:56 pm
by honyock
Looks like wire retainer is missing from the bridge, probably an old Sung Il that came on the Agiles before they offered Tone Pros upgrades and then moved to Graphtech and then Cepheus.
Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 5:09 pm
by RockYoWorld
jtcnj wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:47 pm
NICE!!!
Whats the weight?
Thanks! If I remember correctly, it came in at 9.4 lbs. It's now my heaviest guitar.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:09 pm
by redman
Beautiful top I haven't ever saw one with a Birdseye Maple Top very cool congrats on an excellent snag.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:22 am
by eicca
Gorgeous. I love the nat tops with those reflector knobs. An axe like that has been on my dream list for a while.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:57 pm
by TVvoodoo
Geez... so glad it's not in the club. I seriously suffer not much gas these days, but when it was posted, I admit I had to go have a look. Good Grab!
Can I call dibs on it if you fall out of love with it?
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 1:34 am
by Mossman
Nice score! That was a great deal... My first Agile was an AL-3100 too, and to echo
@slowhand84, I never had any tuning issues with mine, either... Weight issues, yeah (mine was about 11 lbs!), but not tuning issues. When I have tuning problems, I find the culprit is almost always the nut, not the tuners. Could be old strings, too... Or both.... You'll figure it out.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:01 pm
by RockYoWorld
TVvoodoo wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:57 pm
Geez... so glad it's not in the club. I seriously suffer not much gas these days, but when it was posted, I admit I had to go have a look. Good Grab!
Can I call dibs on it if you fall out of love with it?
I would definitely post it on here first if I did.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:01 pm
by RockYoWorld
Mossman wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 1:34 am
Nice score! That was a great deal... My first Agile was an AL-3100 too, and to echo @slowhand84, I never had any tuning issues with mine, either... Weight issues, yeah (mine was about 11 lbs!), but not tuning issues. When I have tuning problems, I find the culprit is almost always the nut, not the tuners. Could be old strings, too... Or both.... You'll figure it out.
I just had to let the strings settle. Stays in tune pretty well now.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 4:32 am
by LancerTheGreat
Now you definitely have to play Black Betty on that guitar.
I don't remember if it was here or when I was just browsing but I watched a YouTube video the other day about the guitar from the Black Betty music video. If it wasn't here and you're curious I can dig up the link.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 10:24 am
by BatUtilityBelt
That is stunning, and a perfect example of why I troll GC Used. If it was lefty, I would ask you if you would consider flipping it for a quick profit.
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 8:27 pm
by slowhand84
@RockYoWorld coincidentally someone just posted this on Reverb haha, though he is more than a bit “ambitious” with this price:
https://reverb.com/item/44876617-agile- ... t=44876617
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:31 am
by RockYoWorld
For the record, that is NOT me!
Looks like I got quite the bargain!
Re: NGD Agile AL-3100 Birdseye
Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 3:12 pm
by RockYoWorld
I'm already thinking of possible multiple-guitar pickup swapping if I decide to do so. I had to go to my backup guitar during my gig Saturday and while the backup has the same pickups as my main guitar, there are other differences that reduces the output/sustain in the backup that annoys me in live situations, which opens the door to take out those pups and put them in the Agile. I would then take the pickups out of a guitar I don't use live and put them in my backup guitar. Turns out those pickups were the ones that originally came in the backup guitar, go figure. That guitar I don't use live would then get a set of EMG's I have lying around since it does C-standard chugga chugga music anyways.
The other option is to put Fishman Fluence Moderns back into my backup guitar to give it more output. I would have to swap out the set I have in my red EC-1000 though, since I need black pickups in my backup guitar and my red EC-1000 looks good with either black or chrome pups.
OOOOORRRR.... I could not use the backup guitar as my main backup guitar and instead use another guitar that sounds more similar to my main guitar, but doesn't have as good as tuning stability as the backup guitar I've been using as of late...
I think I need to make some visual charts to explain that better...
SIDE NOTE: It's bad enough to break a string on a Floyd Rose guitar live, but does it really have to happen in the middle of a guitar solo in one of the few songs I sing? Thankfully, my backup system with dedicated wireless transceivers makes a guitar switch take only 5-10 seconds and I was able to switch and play the last few notes of the solo before having to start singing again.
