NGD Agile Pendulum Pro Dual 82728 (56k grab yer ankles)

[Splinterhead]

Agile Pendulum Pro Dual 82728 EB Nat

Multi-Scale design with scale range of 27" to 28.625"
Angled nut and pickup for improved intonation and sound
5 piece neck thru design with ebony fingerboard
Dual Angled Cepheus 9 active pickups
Custom Agile Bridge
Mahogany Body
Ebony fretboard with no markers. Position markers are located on the side of the neck.
24 Extra Jumbo 2.9mm frets and a 13.7" (350mm) radius neck for fast play
Grover Die Cast tuners
Width of the neck at the nut: 2 1/4"
Uniform Neck Profile - For ultra fast playing - 21.5mm at the first fret and 22mm at the 12th fret.
Overall length, including the strap button: 41";
Actual Weight is only 10 lbs

Yep I'm back again with another guitar and another review. So here's what happened: I may have been in a mild state of denial regarding my 8 string Interceptor Pro. I truly loved the guitar! It looked great and sounded damn good as well. The reason why it went back was that I couldn't set up the Kahler bridge to my liking. I don't know if it was the particular bridge that I had or what but I just couldn't get the action to an acceptable level for me without causing the string to either rise out of the roller or get a strange twangy type effect with no sustain. It only happened on a few strings at a time. And it was intermittent. I read up on the forum and ordered the flat head screws to replace the dome capped ones that came with it. It was better but still no dice. The bridge is a cool piece of hardware but as time went on it ended up not being for me. That said I was very bummed when I finally decided to send it back. I emailed Kurt and he was totally cool about it. After I got back from my UPS drop off I figured I'd go to the Rondo site and get even more depressed but something told me to go to the multiscale page...and there it was. Same finish, same everything except no Kahler and it was a multiscale. So onward and upward!

This one came packed a bit better. One large cardboard box with the Agile box inside it. Styrofoam ends and foamy sheet around the guitar. It took 2 days to get to my house. It came by Fed Ex. Not bad. Guitar was in great shape, no dings, dents, scratches, bird poop.

Since the finish is the same as the previous guitar it has a nice silky feel to it. Great feeling behind the neck. The frets were the same as the other guitar as well. I wish they were bigger but its all good. Since its a neck-thru the heel is minuscule and the large lower horn cut out allows my hand to very comfortably access the upper most frets. Like I mentioned in my other diatribe the hardware is quite adequate. The machines are smooth and everything feels solid and relatively high quality. I tuned it up and adjusted the truss rods to straighten the neck a bit and I got some very reasonable results with only a little tweaking. I let it set up for a day and then I came back and adjusted the string heights via the bridge. The action at the 12 fret is at the very most 2mm which is a good deal better than my previous bouts with the Kahler.

The only thing I was reticent about was the fanned fret idea. I thought it was cool and I saw the benefits as far as string tension but I had never played one before so I didn't know if it would work out. Well I have to tell you not only did it work out but I actually prefer it to standard fret set up. My other guitars are Carvin's and I feel that the Agile, while a much larger scale, is just as comfortable to play. And its MUCH more comfortable than the Interceptor Pro. The Pendulum came with active Cepheus pickups. They are a relatively benign pickup. No real specific character or color. They seem to sound very even across the board and work well clean, over-driven, and with high-gain. Compared to the passive Cepheus they seem a bit less scooped, more neutral sounding, a little airier. I ran it through my AXEFX and they sound quite good! I'll have to make some time and dial in some patches more tailor made for the guitar.

The one thing that's driving me nuts is that I can't find a case that will fit this thing. The guitar is 41” long so its in that gray area between guitar and bass. If anyone can help me out with this that would be great!

On with the gratuitous pics!












thanks for checking it out and please ask questions if ya got 'em.

[shrapnelhunter]

Holy hell, that is the best guitar I've ever seen. I wish I could say more, but... wow.

[metal_sam14]

omgomgomg ....ing brilliant

[JamesM]

Sweet. I'm actually getting rid of my Pendulum.

[Philligan]

I really need to get one of those.

[CooleyJr]

I have to choose between one of these.. or an RC7X... as my ONLY guitar. I should probably just get the RC7X and get one of these later on. I'd hate to get this one, and not really like the feel of the fanned frets, then have to sell it and go through the process of getting a new guitar.

Absolutely GORGEOUS though. Do want. Congrats duder!

[AcousticMinja]

AH
....ing awesome.

[drmosh]

Originally Posted by shrapnelhunter

Holy hell, that is the best guitar I've ever seen. I wish I could say more, but... wow.

really? best guitar you have EVER seen? have you not seen many?

[MF_Kitten]

I want two of these. One in that scale, tuned to drop f#, and one with a 30"-28" scale fan tuned to drop E.

I'm hella addicted to my 30" scale 6 string in drop E...

I saw this exact model Pendulum on the rondomusic newsletter, and wished i had a job again instantly.

[80H]

1. hot
2. HOT
3. nice use of the word diatribe
4. how's palm muting on the bridge shape?
5. do you have a 24.75 or 25.5 (or both?!?!)that you could do a fret size comparison picture on for the first 5-6 frets?

i'm def getting a dual pickup model pendulum as my next but not sure if it'll be in this production run. play mostly on a 6 string 24.75 but 25.5s and 727s are np to adjust to so i'm hoping the step up to 8 won't be horrible and carpel tunnely

[5mjacbyr]

Sweet ass guitar! thats the one I wanted but wasn't out when I was going to be in the states. totally awesome. now all you need is a lace alumitone in the bridge and a q tuner in the neck === end of the world!

Congrats man.

[Mindcrime1204]

Originally Posted by drmosh

really? best guitar you have EVER seen? have you not seen many?

Maybe in his eyes it is. What's the deal?

[Splinterhead]

Thanks for all the kind comments!

@80H - bass side is 28.625" treble side is 27". My seven strings are 25.5". I'm 6', average size hands. For me the neck is comfortable.
No real issues palm muting. My hand just falls where it usually does to mute the strings.

@CooleyJr - I highly suggest you try a fanned fret if you are going to go with an 8 or even a 7. Kurt was great about the return. You can always order one and if you don't dig it go to a UPS drop off (Stapes, Office Max etc) and return it. Easy process.

[SkullCrusher]

Originally Posted by Mindcrime1204

Maybe in his eyes it is. What's the deal?

Please keep the forum friendly.

[77zark77]

congrats man, that guitar really make me gassing !
it's really nice

the little design flaw I'd like to be corrected is , if I dare,
Kurt, please cut the end of the fretboard parallel to the last fret

[Red Beard]

Very nice! I have been curious if the way the neck pickup is angled will interfere with picking on the low string at all. Is this something you have noticed, or is it not an issue?

[shogunate]

I love the look of the fan frets than aren't extreme, under 2" seems to be sweet Looks like a trick of the camera.
Congrats on the axe!!!!

[Splinterhead]

Originally Posted by Red Beard

Very nice! I have been curious if the way the neck pickup is angled will interfere with picking on the low string at all. Is this something you have noticed, or is it not an issue?

It is something I've noticed. My other guitars have a HSH setup so I'm pretty used to picking in tight places. Just like anything else you kind of get used to it. As of now its really not an issue.

@shogunate - thanks!

@77zark77 - he could trim the fretboard OR maybe add a couple of more frets for the bottom strings.

[theperfectcell6]

Orgasm...

[Steve-Om]

so much WIN in that guitar !!!!

[Splinterhead]

thanks!
been hanging around the AXEFX forum to work on some new patches so I can put a half way decent vid up.

[leandroab]

So ....ing nice!!!!!

[tubarao guitars]

this axe is perfect.
one thing i would change, is the last fret, or, the scale/neck cut.
i'd love to see the scale/neck cut angled just like the last fret, to make it look angled.
and pleeeease no tus rod cover.
other tahn taht, looks superb!

[CooleyJr]

@Splinter, I've actually decided I'm gonna save up to buy one of these. Like you said, If I don't like it, I can simply return it and get another guitar! I've been staring at it all night, feeding my GAS and I just can't resist.

[PyramidSmasher]

Jesus Christ, if I had any interest in having an 8-string, this'd be the one!