Danhedonia
Noted duckfat enthusiast
Deep breath.
1. I have absolutely NO connection to "balsa and spit" and etc. In fact, I suspect I may not like the dude's politics, but I digress. Just saying: no horse in this race.
2. I'm hoping to be part of "the guitar crowd." A significant part of me is "part of the cheap guitar crowd." I am enthusiastic as all get-out about this; please be forewarned. My heels are dug in on the belief that "each guitar shall be considered individually, on it's own merits."
3. I have an Agile Valkyrie. Pic attached. I also have a Gibson SG special faded (e.g., cheapie Gibson) that's pretty darn nice, and have been around a great many guitars. It's a nice guitar. Stainless frets, ceramic pups that give a really nice dirty growl, surprisingly functional electronics and hardware. Specifically, I found the overall quality significantly higher than the Epiphone SGs I looked at, both in terms of assembly and constituent pieces. I've got around 25 guitars; I still play it fairly regularly, and it competes for attention with vintage US Fenders, Reverends, etc. The Valkyrie is as-nice as the Special Faded (which, in and of itself, is a 'nice' iteration of a Special, most of which I have not cared for). I've recorded a couple songs with the Valkyrie over others - it has a certain tone, and it also is so comfortable that I've written some good tunes on it as it's easy to carry around the house whilst noodling.
4. I prefer to avoid saying "for the price," because for me guitar ownership comes down to a simple question: do I want to play it? I've fallen in love with expensive guitars (and please, let's never discuss my nose-against-glass feelings about the '62 Strat I was permitted to fondle once at Mr. Music ....), but I cannot play a thousand dollar bill. See: #2 above. In certain ways, I enjoy a $200 guitar exactly the same way I enjoy a $2,500 guitar: by playing it, or not wanting to play it.
5. Counterpoint: even as a connoisseur of "reasonably priced, 'less-than-cool' Asian guitars," I still have a suspicion about two things directly related to OP's GAS:
a) mail order of cheapies. At this end of the market, I firmly believe one must either play the actual guitar (given the variance in QC) and/or commit to a lengthy back/forth exchange process if necessary. And ...
b) That the very lowest end of any model line, from Daisy Rock to Jay Turser to Squier to ESP to whatever, has a grand chance of being total crap. Just utter crap. Aimed at the "put it under the tree on the 24th, then in the dumpster on Valentine's" crowd.
I've lusted for an AL2000 after visiting the website. Talked myself through the extensive set up and mods I'd do .... and then had the thought: "Why would I do that when I could drop another $150 and have a 3000?" And then I realized "For $350, I can find a used guitar that's much better, or buy an incredible boutique pedal."
As a practical matter, I'd leap if you really want that body shape, and I'd leap at a higher model. If I were buying online, I'd buy an Agile over an Epi.
1. I have absolutely NO connection to "balsa and spit" and etc. In fact, I suspect I may not like the dude's politics, but I digress. Just saying: no horse in this race.
2. I'm hoping to be part of "the guitar crowd." A significant part of me is "part of the cheap guitar crowd." I am enthusiastic as all get-out about this; please be forewarned. My heels are dug in on the belief that "each guitar shall be considered individually, on it's own merits."
3. I have an Agile Valkyrie. Pic attached. I also have a Gibson SG special faded (e.g., cheapie Gibson) that's pretty darn nice, and have been around a great many guitars. It's a nice guitar. Stainless frets, ceramic pups that give a really nice dirty growl, surprisingly functional electronics and hardware. Specifically, I found the overall quality significantly higher than the Epiphone SGs I looked at, both in terms of assembly and constituent pieces. I've got around 25 guitars; I still play it fairly regularly, and it competes for attention with vintage US Fenders, Reverends, etc. The Valkyrie is as-nice as the Special Faded (which, in and of itself, is a 'nice' iteration of a Special, most of which I have not cared for). I've recorded a couple songs with the Valkyrie over others - it has a certain tone, and it also is so comfortable that I've written some good tunes on it as it's easy to carry around the house whilst noodling.
4. I prefer to avoid saying "for the price," because for me guitar ownership comes down to a simple question: do I want to play it? I've fallen in love with expensive guitars (and please, let's never discuss my nose-against-glass feelings about the '62 Strat I was permitted to fondle once at Mr. Music ....), but I cannot play a thousand dollar bill. See: #2 above. In certain ways, I enjoy a $200 guitar exactly the same way I enjoy a $2,500 guitar: by playing it, or not wanting to play it.
5. Counterpoint: even as a connoisseur of "reasonably priced, 'less-than-cool' Asian guitars," I still have a suspicion about two things directly related to OP's GAS:
a) mail order of cheapies. At this end of the market, I firmly believe one must either play the actual guitar (given the variance in QC) and/or commit to a lengthy back/forth exchange process if necessary. And ...
b) That the very lowest end of any model line, from Daisy Rock to Jay Turser to Squier to ESP to whatever, has a grand chance of being total crap. Just utter crap. Aimed at the "put it under the tree on the 24th, then in the dumpster on Valentine's" crowd.
I've lusted for an AL2000 after visiting the website. Talked myself through the extensive set up and mods I'd do .... and then had the thought: "Why would I do that when I could drop another $150 and have a 3000?" And then I realized "For $350, I can find a used guitar that's much better, or buy an incredible boutique pedal."
As a practical matter, I'd leap if you really want that body shape, and I'd leap at a higher model. If I were buying online, I'd buy an Agile over an Epi.
