Agile AL-3200MCC:
Rondo Music’s Agile line has garnered
many followers for its unusually high
quality-to-price ratio, especially the AL
series of Les Paul style guitars. The best
of these is probably the AL-3200MCC,
which sets itself apart from lesser Les
Paul copies with a three-quarter-inch solid
maple cap atop its arched mahogany body.
Many lower end LPs have the mahogany
body, but use a thin maple veneer atop
it to achieved the “flamed top” look. An
actual maple cap is superior in part because
it contributes noticeably to the tone of
the guitar, enhancing treble clarity and
presence. The Agile also boasts a 5-piece
maple-and-walnut neck-through design
with an ultra-smooth, comfortable heel,
quite a difference from the standard setneck Gibson design. Top this off with a
compound radius ebony fretboard, Alnico
V pickups, Grover tuners, and a Graph Tech
bridge, and the Agile AL3200MCC is an
incomparable deal at 499 bucks direct.
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TONE TALK //
Paulternatives for the Working Player