Anyone got a Hagstrom?

Thoughts?

Likes/dislikes?

What's the synthetic fretboard like?

My buddy has a Viking, very nice. Played a Les Paul type Hag that is among the finest instruments I've personally handled.

Used to have the Select Super Swede. Fretboard felt good but the neck was very thin and hard to get used to. Layout of the controls in the cavity was terrible. The output jack touched the tone pot. Rewired and installed Lace PU's and Grover locking tuners. Very heavy. Nice looking but the finish was very thick. Sold it for other interests.

https://pr7gha.sn2.livefilestore.com/y1pk_k8YAcA5aJ-fEUWWXrFx52MGyr9WTrGmVYeWTyyLktU7m4O15VjoLcefulJtw _8bHnizTkuI7scyTGvooNXYVx2F_cxsk14/DSCN4146.JPG

I've heard the necks are thin, but are they wide? They look it in pics

They don't seem very common in the UK, I can't find a local stockist.

I know the nut width was 43mm.

I know the nut width was 43mm.

Hmm, that's the same as my Highway One.

You don't happen to know what the bridge spacing was do you? :smile:

I've owned an original Swede and an original Viking 1N; the Chinese ones made currently are only similar in looks to the real thing. Try to find an old one; they are very nicely made guitars.

I've owned an original Swede and an original Viking 1N; the Chinese ones made currently are only similar in looks to the real thing. Try to find an old one; they are very nicely made guitars.

I was thinking of the Northen [sic] Swede models, Still made in the EU, not China

http://www.thomann.de/gb/hagstrom_northenswede_wh_made_in_eu.htm

I've heard the necks are thin, but are they wide? They look it in pics

They don't seem very common in the UK, I can't find a local stockist.

Musicroom stock them. There's quite a nice selection in their Exeter branch. Unfortunately, because I'm using the Android TDPRI app, I can't see your location!

I used to have several Hagströms:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/skb/misc%20stuff/Guitars/82_phapstroms.jpg
L-R sunburst HIIN, black modified HIIN, blue metalflake III and Viking

Now I've just got an HIIN body and a few parts, plus a broken Swede:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/skb/misc%20stuff/Guitars/IMG_4733.jpg
:cry:

I don't know anything about the new versions, but if you like chunky necks, the original Swedish ones aren't for you. Their necks are very thin. I found the Viking's a bit too narrow for me and I don't have unusually large hands.

Musicroom stock them. There's quite a nice selection in their Exeter branch. Unfortunately, because I'm using the Android TDPRI app, I can't see your location!

I'm near Brum, Exeter's a bit of a trek :lol:

Thanks everyone.

I have two, an HJ-800 and an Ultra Swede Select, both new Chinese-made instruments.

They are both excellent guitars and I never think about the synthetic fret board while I"m playing. The overall quality of the guitars is high for what you pay, but they exhibit some inconsistency: my Ultra Swede had a nearly perfect fret job out of the box, but my HJ-800 had some rough fret ends. The finishes are great, I don't mind the slim necks and the stock electronics are very good.

I like the new Hagstroms very much.

I've had my eye on a Viking for some time... just haven't pulled the trigger. Nice guitars in both looks and playability.

http://musiccitycanada.com/images/products/hagstrom/Vintage-Viking-electric-guitar-TSB-lg.jpg

I had a vintage H2N. Excellent guitar, very light, very thin neck. You will either love it or hate it.

I have an F-200T which is the double cutaway that looks like cross between a strat and an SG. I like it a lot. The neck is thin but not overly wide. The sythetic (composite may be a better word) fretboard is very nice and plays a lot like ebony in my opinion. The construction is really good and the finish is very nice; mine is a transparent cherry red.

The only issue with mine is that I think the stock humbuckers are a little sterile, maybe a little flat sounding. It's not so bad that I've replaced them yet but I think a pair of DiMarzio PAF Pros are in my future.

Even though this model is pretty far into the budget end of their line, with a basswod body and a bolt on neck, the quality is way above the price point. It feels and plays way above what they go for.

Dealer support and parts are both difficult but they don't seem to break.

It is not really "quirky" at all. It's a solid, Gibson-ish guitar that plays a little in between a Gibson and say, maybe an Ibanez art series.

My Viking (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/skb/misc%20stuff/Guitars/82_phapstroms.jpg) came with a Hagström Bigsby-style vibrato.

I haven't seen another with that type of wiggle bar, is it uncommon? If I can find it in the guitar cave, I'll get some better photos of it.

a what?

a what?

It's a guitar for grown ups. It doesn't have spiky bits, which is probably why you've never heard of them.

Everyone else. Thanks again for your input.

I have a Viking deluxe

a what?

It's a guitar for grown ups. It doesn't have spiky bits, which is probably why you've never heard of them.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I like those old Hagstroms. Pat Smear's Strat look alike(the red one) is something I have wanted forever

I have a Viking deluxe

I'd take it back - they made it blurry! (Just kidding!) Love the look of that flamed Viking.

I love my Super Swede. You'd have to play one to understand what the fretboard feels like, but it doesnt have any real negative qualities about it. Its a pretty quick neck, and I think it feels great. I agree with a previous post that is is a heavy guitar, but its comfortable. They are one of the best guitars in the price point, and maybe a bit higher than their range even. Get your hands on one, I couldnt put it down when I did!

I love my Hagstrom HJ-500. It sounds great, plays like a dream. My grandaughter said that the Hagstrom Crest of Arms on the tailpeice made it look like a Hogwarts' guitar, so I'm going with that. Harry Potter would have played this guitar, if Harry Potter played guitar.

I've heard the necks are thin, but are they wide? They look it in pics

They don't seem very common in the UK, I can't find a local stockist.

They're quite common in Liverpool if you're desperate to track one down!

What is meant by synthetic fretboard? Isn't it real wood?

They're quite common in Liverpool if you're desperate to track one down!

What is meant by synthetic fretboard? Isn't it real wood?

New ones? What shops?

The fretboards are a composite resin/wood fibre (whatever that is), that's supposed to feel like ebony. Obviously it's more stable than wood - or more inert, you choose. :smile:

New ones? What shops?

The fretboards are a composite resin/wood fibre (whatever that is), that's supposed to feel like ebony. Obviously it's more stable than wood - or more inert, you choose. :smile:

Curly Music have had a few in over the last few months and Dolphin used to have a couple. Sadly, Dolphin is gone, which is a massive shame as it was the only place to have a nice selection of Gretsch/Rickenbacker/Danelectro. :(

If you're serious about wanting one then call Curly Music and see when/if they're getting any in soon.

ps: if memory serves they had a 12-string semi Hagstrom in the Window just before Christmas!

Right. Nothing Hagstrom on their website, not that that means much.

Have all of Dolphin's shops closed since the PMT buyout?

I'm not too sure, the websites still up (albeit with less of a selection than the Liverpool store used to have) but the shop went last year. No warnings or sales beforehand too so I guess the stock just went: a) to another store, b) back to the warehouse.

Dawsons is pretty good if they have what you want. They don't have a really diverse selection 90% of the time but they're pretty good otherwise (and for the big name brands like Fender, Gibson and Vox). The Manchester Dawsons' is better than Liverpool's I think though, so may be worth checking out.

PS: the websites never seem to reflect the in-store stock ever, although the Dawons' website does tell you how many of that item is in each store. Pretty handy!

I had a hagstrom f200p (double p90s). I went to my favorite local music store to try out some guitars and the guy there pointed out his favorite, an off-white offset sg kinda ugly duckling with a tortoise-shell pickguard. Picked it up, felt weird for about two seconds, then... Great neck, so comfortable and fast, and it sounded great with the amp I played through (traynor ycv20, I believe it was). The thing that really impressed me was how well the vibrato was set up, it came back to tune after some pretty wild dive-bombs. Ended up buying a used one for about $200. That one wasnt set up as well, but I sold it because I have horrible electrical interference in my house, and p90s are NOT the pickups for that. If you can get the f20 or f20t, I'd say go for it!

I've got a pair of Hagströms: a brand-spankin' new Deuce F:

http://www.leftyguitartrader.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2983&d=1340947641

that I absolutely love. Great feel, the resinator fretboard plays wonderfully, the coilsplitting tonal options are awesome, and the sustain that this guitar has is quite an achievement.

My second Hag is a III from '66, which used to be Bowie red but has been stripped down to the wood by a previous owner (along with some other minor mods); I rather like the looks now. It's due for a re-fretting, but even so it plays comfortably and the funky single-coil pups have great growl and bite.

http://www.leftyguitartrader.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3002&d=1341515164

Hagström guitars, in my experience, offer an amazingly good QPR. And since they've been making axes for me and my lefty kin since the 60s, in my book, they rock even harder.

I bought a new Hagstrom III in 1966 in the Red color. It played super easy, sounded very good through my 1962 Ampeg Reverbarocket, and the tremelo worked great. I used it in a local Wash DC band that year playing all the great new hits,... Beatles, Stones, Beau Brummels, Zombies, and all. I traded it in for a brand new 1966 Fender Jaguar in Ice Blue Metalic. That was a giant mistake. The hagstom could eat the Jaguar for lunch. I disliked the sound of the Jaguar... So did everyone I ever played with. It even sucked at Surf Music, which is what it was made for. The Tele or Strat were far more advanced in sound, compared to the Jag. Just my opinion.

I have a modern-production swede and I think it is a very nice instrument. It is IMO substantially better in construction, finish, playability, and sound vs. comparable epiphone LPs. And based on what I've heard lately, even some gibbys. :sad:

I'm not a total connoisseur but I think the resinator fretboard is nice, I guess they were going for an ebony look/feel. I think the stock humbuckers sound quite good and I have no desire to replace them. I would like to do something different - coil tap? - with the tone filter toggle though. I just don't use it. But there is nothing about it I feel the need to upgrade or mod, it's a great guitar right out of the box IMO.

Some guys don't like the headstock and tuners but I think they look classy.

A bit of a sleeper line of guitars that get overlooked by many players. Fine by me - it will be that much easier to find a Viking Tremar at a discount. :mrgreen:

I have one of the new Viking Deluxe models and love it. Extremely nice for the price point. The only trouble I have had is with the three way switch. I've heard this was common for a while, but it is such an easy fix that I didn't return her. Didn't want to part with it. The resonator fret board is a composite material. A quick look and feel make you think ebony. The necks are thin. I like them. If you look at used stuff from retailers like MF, many are for breaks near the nut. This might be the biggest weak point. Mine has been great. I even like the pickups. I have no intention of replacing them, and I am a modification addict :-)

I have two MIC Hagstroms, a Swede and a Viking. My experience is that they have good finish, good pickups, a nice neck if you like thinner ones. The fretboard material is a non issue, feels good. Both of the guitars needed fret leveling done, after that I could get a really low nice action on both of them. I think the pots and switches are a bit cheap and got a little scratchy quickly.

I still have and use both guitars. They sound and play nicely. If I could keep only one of them it would be the Viking. It's versatile and handles just about anything.

]Haggy D2F, had to replace the switch other than that, it's a bit heavy. But nice budget guitar for sure ...
http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt221/AllroyPA/Hag/DSC05374.jpg
http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt221/AllroyPA/Hag/DSC05383.jpg
http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt221/AllroyPA/Hag/DSC05387.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj138/saintOlav/Guitars%20and%20stuff/guitarsstuff018-1.jpg
Select Ultra Swede

I like the fretboard and overall feel of this neck very much.

I have a Viking IIP. I really like the neck - thin, flat, fast. Great P90's as well.

http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z451/pkerr4/SAM_0548.jpg