IYV ILS-300 EGR (LES PAUL COPY)

[tobijohn]

FWIW, if anyone is interested in the exact same guitar, I just stumbled over one on eBay with a BIN price of $115) + shipping::

https://www.ebay.com/itm/316036883395?_ ... 95W46JQKXS

[dabbler]

...I remember @tobijohn mentioning that some Agiles were produced in Vietnam at some point.

I believe it was only a couple of runs at the end of 2015. "Made in Vietnam on the back of headstock label and the serial number begins with a V. I've got a couple of MIV AL-3100MCCs and the build quality of both is consistent with the MIK AL-3100MCCs I have.

I didn't know Rondo had any Agiles made in Vietnam!

This site is so educational!

[glasshand]

I have never been completely happy with the tone of my Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s. I have swapped in numerous different sets of pickups, but the guitar still has a thinness that I can't correct. To be honest, I bought this guitar because it had the most beautiful unburst flame top I'd ever seen.

This is only tangentially related, but your post reminds me a little of an experience I had the other day. I wandered into a local guitar shop, and they had two Gibson LPs there, so I played both a little bit.

One was a Melody Maker, the kind with the single humbucker. And that thing felt cheap and looked cheaper. I mean, your average $150 random East Asian guitar feels like it's had more care put into it. It looked like it was made with lumber and spray paint from the local Home Depot and the cheapest hardware they could find.

The other was a standard of some sort - beautiful flame top, nice hardware, good fretwork, etc. Picture a good sunburst LP and that's what this looked like.

But you know what? The Melody Maker sounded damn good. Resonant, alive, responsive. The sunburst did not. It sounded thin and plinky and utterly uninspiring. So you never know. I still don't think I'd buy a Melody Maker, certainly not when you can get a Studio for what MMs are going for these days, but if I had to choose one of the two in the shop, it definitely would have been the MM.

[SamIV]

More of my experience with this guitar. The tuners suck, it’s much better after fret level, the nut needs to be replaced, and the fret board edges needed to be rounded off. The first fret on this one is lower than all others, even after a fret level. Probably going to replace it one day. I am replacing the nut with a new bone nut. The body wood is not mahogany as advertised. The front and back are veneers with whatever body wood is sandwiched in between. Same experience with the first one I purchased and donated.

Now the good. It plays very well, the stock pickups are not half bad, and it is very resonant. I play it as much as my high end PRS. I would buy again even with the work I put into it which really was not difficult. I had to do nut work on some of my PRS. Also owned an older PRS that needed its fretboard edges rolled. I have done fret levels on every PRS SE I have owned except one. It’s shaped very much like a Les Paul and sounds like a Les Paul. It feels great, and plays great now. It is easier to play than my much more expensive Godin LP style guitar. And it’s green!!!. Can be had shipped last time a looked on EBay for $125 from the same seller I bought two from. Did I mention it was green.

[sabasgr68]

Another tangent - maybe @tobijohn is the most experienced guy on ebay searching, but anybody's input is welcomed -: How do you search for a LP style guitar with a neck heel similar to AL3200s? This is just for the fun of searching and finding things on ebay.

There are tons of beautiful LPs, but haven´t seen any with that feature.

Like I said, it's a tangent; green IYVs for the win!

PS: Found this one but after looking like 20 offerings and looking for back pictures. The description doesn't mention it. This is just an example.

[tobijohn]

...One was a Melody Maker, the kind with the single humbucker. And that thing felt cheap and looked cheaper. I mean, your average $150 random East Asian guitar feels like it's had more care put into it. It looked like it was made with lumber and spray paint from the local Home Depot and the cheapest hardware they could find...

That description reminds me of the Gibson LPJ which I had briefly. At the time, I described it as "rustic", an appropriate guitar for a trip out into the woods....

[Tiga]

One was a Melody Maker, the kind with the single humbucker. And that thing felt cheap and looked cheaper. I mean, your average $150 random East Asian guitar feels like it's had more care put into it. It looked like it was made with lumber and spray paint from the local Home Depot and the cheapest hardware they could find.


But you know what? The Melody Maker sounded damn good. Resonant, alive, responsive. The sunburst did not. It sounded thin and plinky and utterly uninspiring. So you never know. I still don't think I'd buy a Melody Maker, certainly not when you can get a Studio for what MMs are going for these days, but if I had to choose one of the two in the shop, it definitely would have been the MM.

This reminds me of my Gibson M2. The M2's came out around 2016 or so and were an Amazon exclusive by Gibson. They were thin poplar-bodied Melody Makers with import electronics and colorful albeit low-end paintjobs. They were ridiculed by many. I picked mine up for ~$245 and you know I just love it. Extremely resonant body and neck. And despite it being a thinner 60's profile I find the neck very comfortable - and it's green!!

[tobijohn]

Another tangent - maybe @tobijohn is the most experienced guy on ebay searching, but anybody's input is welcomed -: How do you search for a LP style guitar with a neck heel similar to AL3200s? This is just for the fun of searching and finding things on ebay.

Other than using "neck through" as one of the search terms, I have no idea...

[toomanycats]

Another tangent - maybe @tobijohn is the most experienced guy on ebay searching, but anybody's input is welcomed -: How do you search for a LP style guitar with a neck heel similar to AL3200s? This is just for the fun of searching and finding things on ebay.

There are tons of beautiful LPs, but haven´t seen any with that feature.

Like I said, it's a tangent; green IYVs for the win!

PS: Found this one but after looking like 20 offerings and looking for back pictures. The description doesn't mention it. This is just an example.

LP china neck heel.jpg

IYV does make a neck through guitar with a heel as you describe, though it’s a PRS type thing instead of a Les Paul. It’s a great guitar with the same pickups as the green Les Paul, only uncovered.


viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4132&p=49019&hilit=Ivy#p49019

[Buddha Pickups]

IYV had their neck thru superstrat on clearance for $90 last week on Amazon

[dabbler]

IYV had their neck thru superstrat on clearance for $90 last week on Amazon

WHAT!?!? Why didn't anybody tell me?!?!?

[Buddha Pickups]

IYV had their neck thru superstrat on clearance for $90 last week on Amazon

WHAT!?!? Why didn't anybody tell me?!?!?

Deals like that don't last long enough to post here and get any traction that quickly. It was posted on slickdeals too. One of my best deals this year for sure.

[peskypesky1]

It cannot be denied that the Gibsons seem more substantial and "expensive" all around. They have better tuners, hardware, and wiring. I'm not even going to try to argue otherwise. But you know what seems even more posh than my Gibsons? My WOLF WLP 750T, made by AIO, which is supposedly the high end of IYV and can be had for around $450 new.

Guitar Max loves those Wolf guitars too:

[tobijohn]

Guitar Max loves those Wolf guitars too:

A while back, he did an interview in their store with the guys who sell them:

[toomanycats]

This original song showcases the sound of my WOLF WLP-750T plugged straight into a tube amp. It is a very mid focused and "meaty" sounding instrument. By way of contrast, the IYV ILS-300 EGR has a more airy, scooped, crisp and bright tone. A comment I came across on a YouTube video claimed that the pickups on the IYV are unpotted, which could account for their more open sound . . . though I can’t confirm this as I haven't removed the covers. The pickups on the two guitars are supposedly the same Destiny CNC Wound set, though on the WOLF the bridge is slightly hotter while the neck has a tad less resistance. Regardless, both are good instruments with different though equally excellent tone.


https://aguitarforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=4985

[idiotsdelight]

Still have my IYV ISVG-200( SG with Vibrola).

I've never seen them return since that initial run.

[Tiga]

Still have my IYV ISVG-200( SG with Vibrola).

I've never seen them return since that initial run.

Looks like it's back.

[Tiga]

Amazon link not working - but looks like the model number is now IVSV-300

[idiotsdelight]

Amazon link not working - but looks like the model number is now IVSV-300

Hopefully they fixed the neck angle. Mine is pretty shallow to work with the Vibrola. There's barely any string break angle. It's been good for the 7-8 yrs I've had it.