Just a few images of the Swedish produce to get the juices going:













Anyhow, I was in correspondence with Ceri the other day, and somehow Hagstrom came up. I thought I'd follow this string a bit further and have a look at their latest models on their website, since it's been a while since I last played a Swede or Ultra Swede, and then I thought I'd share it here on the forum.
I don't own a guitar from them, however I have a gigbag ("HagBag") from them for my Falcon copy which I am exceptionally happy with. It is very well padded and has plenty of pockets and good straps. So thumbs up for that!

The guitars are really a matter of taste, especially the feel of the necks. Hagstrom pride themselves in making very thin, ultra fast necks with fingerboards made from a compound they call "Resinator Wood", basically highly compacted wood "dust" with the specs of ebony, from what I gather. The necks have a H-shaped truss rod which is apparently very stable and allows them to make the necks very thin. Whichever or whatever they may be: For my huge hands they're too skinny, anyway.

Black Tusq in the nuts, nice Humbuckers and pretty solid tuning machines, too. I was always wondering how come they were still quite affordable. Doesn't say explicitly on their wobsite, but Korea as place of manufacture of the PUs and a lot of parts seems plausible.

Did I just write "wobsite"?



Anyway. Thought that might be a nice occasion for other people to chime in and talk about their Hagstrom experience. Be nice to get to know a few manufacturers out there, eh?

Oh, by-the-by: Lucky for Hagstrom, in '68, a TV special starring a certain Elvis Presley got them a bit of publicity. Check out:



That's Alright, mama!


Cheers:

Nutter

Hi Nutter: in correspondence, huh? Did it take long to get a response?

Anyhow. Picking up what you said about Hagstrom's trussrods: I do happen to know that they have a very unique design for those which goes back a long way in their history. Here's a pic:



That is completely different than anyone else's trussrod and light years ahead in terms of strength and also building warp resistance into the neck. And has you say, it permits the neck carve to be much thinner, if that is something people want (eat your heart out, Ibanez Wizard).

Nutter, in the bottom row of pictures you posted what is the middle guitar model, please - the grey doublecut?

We have good friends in Sweden who were visiting here a just a couple of weeks ago. I love Stockholm and I'm long overdue for a return visit - it's always us buying them supper here! (And Nutter, you should have seen how scarlet their faces were after hiring bikes in the local town and then cycling up all the hills to our Summer Palace. Hee-hee! Very flat, Stockholm: hills come as a rude shock to them...) Hagstroms can be a bit hard to find in any numbers, where I live. I need to go to source and play a wall-full. I wonder if they're any cheaper in Sweden? Anyone know a good guitar shop in Stockholm?

If it's good enough for Elvis...

Cheers - C

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Not really - since he was standing right next to me! How overly formal of me! Sorry!



Ah, no problem at all: That's a Deuce. They have the Deuce F (below, black) and the Deuce (silver greyish).



Regardez the slightly shiny pot knobs? ahh looking sweet!

Thanks for that image of the H trussrod, I totally forgot to include that. Cheers!

Nutter

What the deuce?

Nice body shape. Slinky F-hole! Thank you.

And now I'm also studying the models with vibratos. Gotta get my hands on one of those sometime and see if it keeps pitch any better than a Bigsby. Love the look of a Bigsby - never met one that returned to pitch well enough, even under my gentle right hand shimmer. How Brian Setzer pulls off those big dives I have no idea!

Need to find me a stockist in Stockholm. A Stockhomist... Huh: they should name a syndrome after that.

Cheers - C

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I played this one once. Return to pitch wasn't too bad at all!



BTW - ain't that coat of arms on the vibrato just super cool? ...food for thought...



Nutter

edit: added pic.

Hmmm: a nice way to go for someone who already had a logo in the shape of a shield. Indeed a thought to feed upon.

Cheers - C

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Played the HB4 bass when my old bands bassist got his. Gotta say, I wasn't impressed. Horrible control layout, not a fantastic sound out the thing. The first Danelectro guitars used a I beam instead of a truss rod. Hagstrom's idea no doubt comes from that.

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No no and no

Not a Hagstrom, but a NVWKG. I've always wanted to order one of these.



DiPinto Galaxie 4

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Learned about Hagstrom when I was getting into Nirvana, Pat Smear plays em..... After seeing that beautifully thin neck I want to get my hands on one and give it a try

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Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

Sure Robert pops in here at times, maybe he could give his opinion, made in china could put a few off seems everyones beating a well worn path in that direction of late, my Epi Sheraton is made in china tends to get ignored but when I do pick it up I realy enjoy it,
Anyhoo here's Roberts Viking demo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmXeOilXLJw

Hagstrom, looks like a nice guitar. Why do they all have that Gibs look. If you want to sell something quick, make it look like an American Something.

I've never played a Hagstrom before, in fact I don't think I've ever seen one in any of the music shops near me, but I would love to try one, especially this one ...



One of my favourite looking guitars

Drew

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You can't win them all, if you did, where would you keep them?

2010 Fender MIM strat in candy apple red w/ rosewood board
2010 PRS SE Tremonti single cut, vintage cherry red
2009 Squier "tiredcaster" modded strat w/ big hairy wiring R.I.P

I have 2 vintage Hagstroms-a'63 mahogany neck-through body Corvette that cost $750 in '63 and a '65 HagstromII.The Corvette has 3 s/c pups and a master volume and 8 rocker switches and the Hagstrom II has 5 rocker switches.Hagstrom necks are among the best ever made for comfort and action.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.