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Topic: New Laps at Rondo |
Dave Sky
From:
Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Posted 31 May 2010 5:02 pm |
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Rondo top of the line models are called Agile (then Douglas, then the lowest is SX.
Here is a new lap called the Labradoodle. for $140.
Hey, I didn't name it!
http://www.rondomusic.com/product3442.html
Not sure why it is more expensive than a SX but folks claim the Agiles are 40% better than the SX. (This may be said jokingly.)
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Stephen Calhoun
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 31 May 2010 5:49 pm
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Kind of disappointing SX still puts a cover over the strings.
It looks thicker. Alas, still just a 6 stringer.
New keys, bridge, string-through, and, pick-up, turned my SX into a player.
_________________
slide avant-gardist, experimentalist, echo surfer
two 1970-ish Fender 400, Fouke Industrial Rail, Allen Melbert 6, Rondo SX -- everything one way or the other through Guitar Rig/Logic/Apple/synthesizers/iPAD. ...sometimes out to a Tech 21 Trademark 60 1x12
recording as Kamelmauz.bandcamp.com |
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G Strout
From:
Carabelle, Florida
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Posted 31 May 2010 6:31 pm
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The only plus I see with these is that the bridge cover is not an integral part of the volume / tone controls. On the later SX models the bridge cover was also acting as the mount for the Tone / Volume controls. Although the pictures posted on line never really got corrected to show this.
Who knows..maybe now at least 50% of them actually have the strings lined up OVER the magnet poles. 
Thinking about it..... these are probably just as crappy as the SXs'...... only more money. Great case though......  |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 1 Jun 2010 10:53 am Re: New Laps at Rondo
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| Dave Sky wrote: |
| Not sure why it is more expensive than a SX but folks claim the Agiles are 40% better than the SX. (This may be said jokingly.) |
The Agile line is indeed significantly better that the rest they offer, but all the Rondo stuff has value for the low prices paid, and Kurt quickly makes good on all the problems I've ever heard about.
I too wish they'd bust out with an 8 string steel model, since they now have 7 & 8 string guitars available! |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 1 Jun 2010 2:14 pm
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I wrote to Kurt at Rondo asking about this lap steel, and his reply was:
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Biggest difference is the improved tuners and bridge (we have some problems with the SX LG1 in this area).
I am open to input for an 8 string design as well. |
What would you like to see in an eight string version of this guitar (besides eight strings, of course)?
Would making the same guitar with the same neck width and two extra strings (narrower string spacing) be acceptable, or should they go with a wider string spacing and wider neck?
How much of a premium would you pay for an eight string over a six string model?
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2010 2:12 am
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| The metal guys over at the seven string (guitar) forum really like Rondo, because of the owner's willingness to design guitars based on customer input - there may be an opportunity to get something nice out of this. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2010 5:45 am
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| one thing i have seen with rondo is that if you see something you like, you best buy it while it is availiable. seem to get in a run of instruments and sometimes they are not there anymore after the run is sold, and are sometimes not made anymore. they must have some chinese manuf. that they have batches of a design made up instead of continuous manuf. the instruments they sell are of decent quality for the price they charge. |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 2 Jun 2010 12:25 pm
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| Bill Hatcher wrote: |
| one thing i have seen with rondo is that if you see something you like, you best buy it while it is availiable. seem to get in a run of instruments and sometimes they are not there anymore after the run is sold, and are sometimes not made anymore. they must have some chinese manuf. that they have batches of a design made up instead of continuous manuf. the instruments they sell are of decent quality for the price they charge. |
Good point! I have no idea what the break-even point is, but I know that he needs to order sufficient quantity to get good prices.
I bought an SX after reading the reviews here- and bought a second one because I liked the first one so much! Yes, they need a lot of hot-rodding to bring out their potential but that is why the good Lord invented soldering irons and hammers. 
I think it is great that they are selling an upgraded model that should play better right out of the box.
As for an 8 string model it might be hard competing with the US-made Joe Morrell JMPM 8 stringers selling on their website for ~$300 (they also have a less expensive line that includes an 8 string version). But the more the merrier!
I do like the string spacing on those- I measured 2.565" on the outside of the strings at the bridge.
I appreciate all of the great information in this thread.
Steve Ahola
P.S. I did not realize that Rondo was designing these guitars made in China. I don't feel like getting my SX out but I think that the back of the headstock should read something like "Designed in the US / Crafted in China". This would distinguish their guitars from the generic clones that most of the overseas factories build.
"Let's see- I'll take 1000 of your strats in sunburst and 500 of your LP copies..." Of course they aren't total junk, but you can find the exact same guitar sold by a half dozen different vendors (if not more).
What I love about the US-designed guitars made overseas (like the PRS SE's) is that they keep getting better as the designers learn how to "program" the factory to produce the exact guitar they want by presenting fine-tuned specifications.
_________________
www.blueguitar.org
Recordings on electric guitar:
http://www.box.net/blue-diamonds
http://www.box.net/the-culprits |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 2 Jun 2010 1:52 pm
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| Quote: |
| I have no idea what the break-even point is, but I know that he needs to order sufficient quantity to get good prices. |
The more you order the better the price, but actually you can get fairly small quantities at a time for not too much of an increase. The biggest savings actually comes from shipping if you buy enough to fill a container.
I looked into maybe getting some steels made from a Chinese company and could get them in as small of quantities of 6 at a time built to my specs, and they even take PayPal. Ultimately I decided against it, at least for now.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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Dave Sky
From:
Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2010 5:47 pm
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This lap steel does not come with a case. You have to pay $40 more for one.
So this model with a case is $180 and the SX model with the same a case is $116.
The upgraded bridge and tuners on the Agile must be good ones for $64 more than the SX. |
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G Strout
From:
Carabelle, Florida
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Posted 2 Jun 2010 6:11 pm
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They come from here...........
http://www.teamintlco.com/Sx/
Team Int'l. Co. Ltd., China
Suite 1005, 10th Fl. Gitic Plaza
339 Huanshi Dong Road, (CZ: 510098)
Guang Zhou, China
Tel: 86-20-8331 7252
Fax: 86-20-8331 7263
E-mail: sam@teamintlco.com |
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James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
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Posted 3 Jun 2010 7:21 am
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The one shown on the original post of this thread is different than THIS one.
Instead of mahogany, it's made of swamp ash and has a dog-ear pickup (p90?). |
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