Agile or Xavier

[FLHX]

I still haven't decided on which to buy an Agile 3000,3100 or a Xavier. I've heard good things about the Agile, any news on the Xavier. I believe the Xavier has the same neck profile as my standard 12 degree radious and the Agile is around 14. Is that a big difference? I'm trying to get as close to my
'90 standard as possible because it will be a back-up.

[Eric]

I still haven't decided on which to buy an Agile 3000,3100 or a Xavier. I've heard good things about the Agile, any news on the Xavier. I believe the Xavier has the same neck profile as my standard 12 degree radious and the Agile is around 14. Is that a big difference? I'm trying to get as close to my
'90 standard as possible because it will be a back-up.
I have both brands, though a 335 model Xaviere and Agile AL-3100.

I'm not experienced enough in guitar-buying that I regularly notice the difference between neck radii, but I tend to like both guitars that I own.

Major notes:
Agile AL-3100 is heavy
AL-3100 quality overall I would say is nicer
AL-3100 has grover tuners and a tusq nut
Xaviere has a graphite nut
Xaviere tuners are a bit rough, but no big deal
Agile pups are pretty hot, Xaviere not quite as much
Considering the heft, the sustain on the Agile is not exactly earth-shattering

If I only had one guitar, I'm pretty sure I'd go with the Agile, but both are reasonably nice. I've never owned a guitar over $500, so do with that what you will. For the money, I'd say the Agile is a better deal.

[Spudman]

If you are looking for a LP type then ask Duff about the Xaviere. He just got one and said he really liked it.

I've got an Agile LP too and it's heavy as well. It's a great player. I can't tell you about pickups though because mine is a P90 equipped LP. I actually prefer a sweeter lower output pickup. Whatever you get the pickups can always be swapped out if you don't like them.

[duhvoodooman]

I've had a serious lech on for one of those Agile "Black Beauty" LP's for some time now. Anybody here ever played one of the Agile LP's with the "slim profile neck", e.g. like this one?


http://www.rondomusic.com/al3000prestthincsbf.html

I assume these would be analogous to the "slim taper neck" that Gibson offers on some LP's?

[Bloozcat]

Well, if I suddenly got the urge to say "GAS be damned", and stop taking my medication, I'd have to opt for an Agile 3000M with the full 3/4" maple cap. They really are beautiful guitars, both to look at, and to play.

[FLHX]

It sounds like Agile is the way to go.

[Eric]

It sounds like Agile is the way to go.
That'd be my pick, but you might want to check around and see what Xaviere LP owners think. Maybe PM Duff, since he doesn't seem to have stumbled on this thread yet. I know he's played at least the AL-2000 Agiles, so he probably has some idea of them.

Do keep us updated on what you get and how you like it!

[ZMAN]

I don't know the Agile brand, but as you stated you are backing up a 90 standard and I am assuming it is a 90 Gibson LP. You should look at a used Studio. Same pickups and maybe a little fatter neck but basically a good match. If you look around you can probably get one with a thinner 60s neck. The varied in sizes over the years. They are great guitars.

[Bloozcat]

The reason I recommended the 3000M is because of this one, my latest Agile purchase (of the three I own):
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z265/Bloozcat/th_AD300010.jpg
Agile AD-3000M with 3/4" maple cap on 2-piece mahogany body & a mahogany neck.

[Robert]

The answer is:

Hagstrom!

:D

[Eric]

The answer is:

Hagstrom!

:D
Homerism...?

[Duff]

I currently have an Agile AL2000 a gift for someone along with a Peavey Valve King Royal 8, an eleventh graders first rig.

The Agile has gold trim and better attention to detail and sounds good for a lower end model. Plays perfect with excellent action and no buzz, gets an unimaginable range of sounds out of that three control Royal 8.

I bought an Xavier XV-500 solid body, heavy, LP copy with the guitarfetish "Crunchy PAT" chrome covered humbuckers and they really push a tube amp into overdrive fast and sound incredible. One of the better GFS pickups I would guess. This guitar is set up perfect.

The great thing about the Xavier is that it uses the old time technique of laminating a 3/4 inch maple carved arch top cap onto a solid mahogany body, which I verified by examining the inside routs. Definitely a three quarter inch slab of solid maple. The tone of the Xavier is superior to the Agile I would guess, but both are close. The Agile has grover tuners. The Xavier had heavy duty wiring inside the control area with full size pots; I didn't check the Agile. The attention to cosmetic details with the Agile appeared to be superior to the Xavier, line up of tuners for example.

I will probably get an Agile one of these days but right now I'm getting an ESP LTD EC-1000 Deluxe LP copy in black with gold hardware and EMG 81 neck and 60 bridge active pickups, along with a Fender Special Edition Telecaster solid mahogany with mahogany set neck in black cherry flammed maple with Seymour Duncan 59 uncovered HB in neck and Custom 5 uncovered HB in bridge, so I have my hands full.

Plus I'm thinking of one of those new release Squire Telecasters with the full binding, Classic Vibe Telecaster Custom's.

So, in conclusion I would not rule out either the Agile or the Xavier. The Agile AL2500 series have WAY hotter ceramic pickups. Nothing wrong with ceramic pickups either. The AL3000 more expensive line is great but have Alnico V humbuckers which are different from hot ceramic pickups. The AL3000's have set in mahogany necks and ebony fretboards on at least some of them if not all.

The Xaviers also have mahogany set necks. The Agile AL2000's have maple set necks. Traditional Les Pauls have mahogany bodies and mahogany set necks, with most having thick maple carved arch top caps. Most of the Agiles ar solid mahogany with carved mahogany caps with a veneer of flammed maple on the figured models and just a coat of paint on the solid color models over solid mahogany; not necessarily a bad thing. The Xaviers have full 3/4 inch maple caps on solid mahogany bodies with mahogany set necks, a definite plus at a bargain price of 208.

The Gibson Faded LP is a solid mahogany body without a maple cap and is a great guitar. I had a Gibson SG Faded bought new in July and in my hospital bed with me on the sixth of July for nine days of relief played thru a Vox hot lead amp plug and a good set of headphones. My Russian surgeon even jammed on it, not bad either. Stolen by a nephew I took in, 43 yrs old, that burned me bad. Stole my Fender Hwy One super strat too. Collected on insurance and got another Squire Classic Vibe 50s, had an aged pearl pickguard installed along with the bridge tone mod and Fender Custom Shop Texas Special single coil pickups before I bought it home, in Lake Placid Blue; awesome guitar. I have a three tone sunburst CV fifties stock that sounds great an I'm leaving stock. With the rest of the insurance money from the theft I bought a really cool great sounding Micheal Kelly Patriot Custom with direct mount Rockfield humbuckers in Cherry flame burst; another great guitar. But I still love my Epiphone LP Standards, both with SD pickups and just had a kill switch installed on my neck repaired wine red birdseye maple Standard, now bearing the marks of the blues and carrying a true road warrior aura. The neck repair was less than a work of masterpiece art but the structural integrity is outstanding and the kill switch is great, all for 40 dollars and about a months wait for drying, curing, etc.

Hope this helps.

Duffy

[FLHX]

Thanks Duff