NGD Agile 9 string....ahh what the crap?!?

[AntiTankDog]

So I got my Agile yesterday, been waiting for this thing for a long time.

I open the case....looks nice, oh shit, passive Cephus, I ordered active.

It's an Agile screwup, not Rondo. Of course, Kurt is being totally cool about it. He offered $$ back to keep it, a full refund, or a rebuild.

I'm probably going for the rebuild, but that means 3-4 more months of waiting, which sucks balls. Realistically though, school started back up, so I wouldn't have much time to play it anyhow.

Kinda frustrating, this shit always seems to happen to me.

[Waelstrum]

You gotta admit, though, it looks pretty cool.

Just out of curiosity, what other specs did you order?

[AntiTankDog]

Nothing special: 28.625" length, fixed bridge, red tribal (obviously), ebony fretboard, no markers.

I'm planning on stringing it like my 8 string (drop-e) with a high A from Octave4Plus.

[CFB]

Why can't they just swap the pickups? Seems a bit unnecessary to rebuild the entire guitar.
Anyway, it's a stunning guitar. I hope you get what you want in the end.

[beneharris]

Originally Posted by CFB

Why can't they just swap the pickups? Seems a bit unnecessary to rebuild the entire guitar.
Anyway, it's a stunning guitar. I hope you get what you want in the end.

the actives will take a different route. and from the looks of it, it may not work just to re-rout them and throw actives in. (is that why you're not going that route?)

[glassmoon0fo]

ive never even remotely wanted a 9 string, or another agile, until this. stunning. if the passives work out decently, i'd say take some cash back and keep that bish, i dont imagine it'd look the same withouth the actives, plus you may find that for the trouble they may not sound how you'd have liked anyway. either way, nice axe man!

[Hollowway]

Wow, that's pretty nice. I'm doing everything I can to resist ordering more Agiles. That is one mighty hot guitar.

[Psycroptica]

Red + black = my favorite color combo.

if the passives work out decently, i'd say take some cash back and keep that bish

I agree. Besides, OP, you may end up wanting to upgrade your pups some time down the road anyway.

[exordium]

Originally Posted by glassmoon0fo

if the passives work out decently, i'd say take some cash back and keep that bish, i dont imagine it'd look the same withouth the actives, plus you may find that for the trouble they may not sound how you'd have liked anyway. either way, nice axe man!

+1

If it sounds good to you, take the $$ and be happy with it IMO.

[Explorer]

If he wanted to upgrade to a transparent active, what pickups do you all recommend?

I prefer actives at this point, although Tom D. finally received the DA8s and is sending me my pair. I don't think there's really a clean drop-in active, so I can definitely see wanting a guitar built for actives from the beginning....

BTW, looks beautiful. If my personal preferences were okay with the in-line headstock (sorry, don't like 'em, but that's just me), I would love a Septor. As it is, I'm stuck with the Intrepid.

[Goatchrist]

Upload a video if possible!

Too bad about the little error, would piss me off definitively.

Anyway, Congrats!

[that short guy]

Take the cash, Keep the guitar, and drop a set of Bare Knuckles in it. that's what i'd do anyway.

[AntiTankDog]

Originally Posted by that short guy

Take the cash, Keep the guitar, and drop a set of Bare Knuckles in it. that's what i'd do anyway.

I did some asking around a while ago, as I recall, Bare Knuckle wasn't interested in making 9 string pickups. Neither was EMG, Duncan, etc.

[Seventary]

That's one good looking guitar. I'd keep it. But then again i'm no fan of actives.

[AnarchyDivine88]

Damn that's too bad about the mistake, but that does look really nice.
When you get the next one make sure you post some clips showing off that high A string. I'm having a guitar made with a high A also. I'd like to hear more people use it.

[JaeSwift]

Originally Posted by AntiTankDog

I did some asking around a while ago, as I recall, Bare Knuckle wasn't interested in making 9 string pickups. Neither was EMG, Duncan, etc.

They may not be interested in making one but you can always have them (BKP) rewind the current Cepheus ones to specs that suit any of the BKP offerings or something else, depending on your preference

I would inquire with Tim @ BKP before you ask for a rebuild.

EDIT: Just keep in mind they won't be able to change the magnet in the pickup; as far as I know you have a ceramic bridge, alnico V neck pickup. That means you could have them wound to Warpig, Aftermath or Ceramic Nailbomb specs.

[AntiTankDog]

That's an interesting idea I hadn't considered.

Latest development:

I looked at the Octave4Plus strings that arrived a few weeks ago, and they put way too much thread wrapping on them, it would extend down onto the fretboard if I installed the string. I specifically told them: 28.625" scale, rear loading bridge...

Have I mentioned this shit always happens to me?

.... MY LIFE!!!!

I'm about ready to bag the whole project.

[Setnakt]

As for BKPs, there's also the Miracle Man and the Cold Sweat.

These seem like minor problems in the long run. If the guitar has the specs you want but pickups you don't, isn't that the same as buying any other guitar? I'd vote for a pickup rewind if you don't like the stock passives.

[USMarine75]

Where have you posted the audio and video clips of this badboy?

Maybe someone on here that prefers passive pickups will buy this off of you so that you can purchase the active version... win win.

[JaeSwift]

Originally Posted by Setnakt

As for BKPs, there's also the Miracle Man and the Cold Sweat.

These seem like minor problems in the long run. If the guitar has the specs you want but pickups you don't, isn't that the same as buying any other guitar? I'd vote for a pickup rewind if you don't like the stock passives.

Cold Sweat is Alnico (bridge), can't remember if the Miracle Man was ceramic or alnico.

[TimSE]

Ahh man gutting they got the pickups wrong but still, that is a killer looking machine!

[nightflameauto]

That is a beauty. Have the same finish on my Hornet 825. It really pops in real life.

It sucks you didn't get what you wanted. I personally dig the passives in my 8 pushed with a Bad Monkey in front of the amp, but realize everybody wants something different.

Glad Kurt's being cool about fixing the problem for you too. Hope it all gets resolved to your satisfaction.

[Grand Moff Tim]

Originally Posted by Explorer

BTW, looks beautiful. If my personal preferences were okay with the in-line headstock (sorry, don't like 'em, but that's just me), I would love a Septor. As it is, I'm stuck with the Intrepid.

I could be wrong, but don't the Agile nines have a 5+4 headstock regardless of body shape?

[Lilarcor]

Originally Posted by JaeSwift

Cold Sweat is Alnico (bridge), can't remember if the Miracle Man was ceramic or alnico.

The CS bridge is actually ceramic as is the MM bridge. Both CS and MM neck are alnico, though.

@OP
I know a german pickup builder who claims to build pickups for every amount of strings, in all possible designs. Quality and pricing is about the same as Bareknuckles (I own 2 of their standard models). They ship worldwide afaik. If BKP doesn't want to build or rewind you a 9 string pup maybe this guy might.

His homepage
The main distribitor for germany

[larry]

beautiful guitar man!!!
sorry about the passives though. if it's any conselation
to you; i emailed kurt about a single passive bridge pup
option, hard wired to jack w/ no tone controls what so ever.
he said the closest option available was a single EMG in the
bridge (w/ volume knob i'm guessing). 9 strings ofcourse.
i'd be in a similar predicament, searching for a passive 9 string
pup.

i say keep her, and have a tech swap out the pups for some EMG
45dc's.

also, if it's alright to make a request:

pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics
pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics
pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics
pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics

pease oh, please oh pleeeeeeaaaeeeaaaeeezzzeee.
i am curious to see the whole thing, and i'm sure others
here feel the same. somewhat.

on a side note, does anyone know when orders end for this
agile custom run? i hope there's still a week or two
left. i get's monies to pull the trigger soon.