8 strings, Laney amps and Loom bands! NGD and NAD

Hertz32

You knew this day was coming!

 A combo of new ERG (extended range guitar) day and a new amp head have resulted in a fairly colossal new extended range guitar rig day! 

Family photo  

 Right, lets start with the:
Laney IRT Studio 

I picked it up off evilbay not that long ago for £230, a right bargain for a 3 channel high gain head of this standard! 
I had a couple issues setting up the footswitch at first, the switches on the amp have to be the right way and 2 buttons for 3 channels was odd but basically boiled down to:
Lead on Clean off = Lead channel

Lead on Clean on = Lead channel

Lead off clean off = Rhythm channel
Lead off Clean on = clean channel

The built in reverb is brilliant if I'm honest, I cant stand most reverbs and often find myself going without. But this one was just realistic enough that I can happily use 4.5/10 on reverb and it adds something to the sound rather than sounding like utter crap. 
The EQ is an active circuit, although i found it actually pretty weak. even though they are push pull pots, which in theory expand the EQ range further. I might buy an EQ pedal to stick in the FX loop instead, not that it's at all pressing given that this is a great amp without it! 
Tone control does what it says on the tin really, right for crunchy definition; left for more round, warmer tones. 
The dynamics control remains something of an enigma for me, as I haven't noticed any use for it yet. I've left it at 2 O'Clock until I figure out what it's for. 
The built in boost is a little bit crap, and tends to drive the preamp into compression clipping if used at max. I leave it off and use a Digitech Bad Monkey OD for my boosting instead. 

The real area where this amp shines however, is the DI out, headphone out, usb out, line in, internal dummy load, variable level FX loop and re-amp facility. 
It really is the perfect little recording amp, and I'll upload my ROTM submission using it, and stick it on here too so you can hear it.

Harley Benton 212 cab

courtesy of @bazxkr for £40, and it's mint for what it is! I'll hang onto it, despite the fact I plan to upgrade to the one with the V30's in.
The speakers are perfectly serviceable, if a little middy and prone to boxyness/honkyess if not EQ'd out. Not that it's a massive problem as it's good as is.

Agile Septor 830 - The blue 8 string one

My first foray into ERG's has so far been bloody fantastic! It arrived on the expected date courtesy of rondo music and FedEx. 
When it arrived it naturally needed a Truss rod adjustment to put a bit of curve into the neck again, and the jack socket needed tightening. Thats been it. 
Kurt at rondo was kind enough to chuck in a spare set of LaBella strings (Apparently they are quite good if you believe the Americans) 

even though there is no returns policy for overseas customers. 
The 830 but of the model name refers to the number of strings, and the scale length. In this case it's a 30" scale length and 8 strings. 
The 30" scale length is HUGE but reduces inharmonicity massively and allows for better intonation in the low F#, and really means the low stuff is a whole lot clearer rather than the typical, mucky sludgy sound you get with a 27" scale. 

It probably needs heavier strings, currently 9-74 in 8 string standard. F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E and it's as loose as I would like to go, I'll probably go for 11-86's. 

The neck is also built with 2 independent two-way truss rods, due to the neck width. 

The pickups are EMG 808's, which I'm not a huge fan of. But I'll probably 18v mod them while I save up to pay the rest of what I owe Ash to build a set of pickups for me. 

The pots are typical eastern micro type, although the control cavity is HUGEEE. Plenty room to put whatever I want in there, I'll probably replace it all. I'm going to have a killswitch volume put, with a coil tap on the tone. And a pot inside the guitar to adjust the blend levels of the tapped coils when engaged. 

The fretwork is frankly excellent, no sharp edges or flat spots anywhere. 
Tuners are mini-Grovers, which are good. If a little close together on the 8 inline headstock. 

Finish is supposed to be blue flame, although it does look darker in real life than it does in the photos. 
There's one spot where the flame breaks up near the volume pot, but that's it. it's only a Veneer afterall. 
Neck through construction is superbly done for the price and I have no problems with it. 

The headstock even has an 11deg angle and a volute!
The neck is wide as all hell, and a slim/med D shape. Unobtrusive and comfortable, although I may satin the finish there. 

Ebony fretboard is pretty much flawlessly black, it may have been stained but I'm not fussed. 

The Loom band string mute

The little red/black/white stripy thing just above the nut is my homemade string mute, made from Loom Bands. The latest kids toy that everyone has been obsessed with for no reason, but it's pretty damn practical as a mute, and cheap too! £1 for a pack, and theres more than enough to make 2-4 mutes in there depending upon how tight you want it.  
It just stops the sound of the strings above the nut ringing out. Nothing to help my playing, it just cleans up the recorded tone somewhat.

And now, for pictures! 

Dave_Mc

Nice

Hertz32

Updated with full post.

 

Thanks @Dave_Mc !

Can't say how much of a nice bloke bazxkr is though, thoroughly decent chap who happened to be round my way right when he needed to be.  

The picture where the Agile and my Dean soltero are on the floor shows the actual colour of the Agile best.

ChrisMusic

What an excellent day, loving that Agile  

edit:  very nice to have the bonus of a review too...

strtdv

Run a compressor in the loop of the Ironheart, it tightens up the sound no end. 

I just use the one in the TC Nova System I have running in the loop and it works very well.

I generally keep the boost below 4 so it acts as a volume boost on the clean channel and just slightly boosts the gain and tightens things on the lead channel.

I run the gain on the crunch channel very low, around 2, for more of an overdrive sound, and then with the boost engaged it's more of a crunch sound.

The dynamics lets more bass through and leaves the amp feeling a bit "looser". I have it turned up for rock sounds, but for the very low stuff you're likely to be playing on an 8 string you might need to turn it down a bit to stop things getting wooly/woofy.

Hertz32

Ahh cheers @strtdv looks like i'm after a compressor now then
So dynamics is a bit like Resonance on a 6505? I shall have a play.

monquixote

What we need is clips!

Hertz32

@monquixote and you shall have them! I'll upload some bro0talz riffs (and some less pointless stuff too) later

dindude

I reckon you're trying to get your own back for being duped on my recent NGD, you've actually bought one of these haven't you? http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n505/dindude/5e22342481960ffe9a7e3b699fe8b525_zps6deecc6c.jpg Seriously though, I think the Agile looks great, nice top and finish and no blingy abalone, HNERGD

blueskunk

Good work man.

strtdv

Presumably it was 30" scale length that made you choose the Agile over similar guitars by Jackson/LTD/Ibanez etc?