Anybody play Hagstrom guitars? Kind of interested in checking this out...

[brettk7]

http://www.hagstromguitars.com/Swede.html

I see a lot of guys using that guitar. And it got a Guitar World pick for "excellent" value, so its probably pretty cool. Not sure what it costs or where I can get it though =/

[jojogun1957]

Check this out,I think he gets some pretty righteous tone on a swede.
NGaVUApDVuY

[brettk7]

Probably a vintage one though.

My step-dad has a vintage Viking, and it is definitely a really cool guitar.

[Radagacuca]

i just played one an hour ago. a friend of mine just bought one.

workmanship was flawless. amazing what quality one could get for a couple of hundred bucks. sounded nice and played very well even without being setup. the neck was very thin and flat feeling. not my kind of thing.
tonally it´s capable of some very usable & good tones. especially clean.

overall the guitar is not for me as i like the traditional les paul look and feel. but as far as quality goes i think it´s a very nice intrument. probably in the same league as other comparable products such as the prs se line and such. hagstrom seems to have a good qc.

[brettk7]

i just played one an hour ago. a friend of mine just bought one.

workmanship was flawless. amazing what quality one could get for a couple of hundred bucks. sounded nice and played very well even without being setup. the neck was very thin and flat feeling. not my kind of thing.
tonally it´s capable of some very usable & good tones. especially clean.

overall the guitar is not for me as i like the traditional les paul look and feel. but as far as quality goes i think it´s a very nice intrument. probably in the same league as other comparable products such as the prs se line and such. hagstrom seems to have a good qc.

Man, that neck sounds horrid! Probably gonna be a deal killer for me. I like a nice 50's profile on my Les Pauls.

[robertkoa]

I remember those from many years ago , as I recall they weren't a premier type Axe in the 60s, but they sure look to be now.

Kinda pricey but may well be worth it.

Seems like they even have a Strat type with a very long "tenon" that goes under the pickups for more resonance- I'm all for that kind of stuff - if it works.

Never seen one since decades ago, not many places sell them I guess.

[Phoebe]

My first "real" electric guitar (prior to that it was acoustics with mics and pickups taped on) was a Red F300 which I bought new in '67 from Sam Ash in White Plains, NY for +/- $150 w/case. I loved that guitar and wish I'd kept it. A few years later I got a semi-hollow 2 PUP Model which I've forgotten the moniker for.They were perfectly built, extremely playable/comfortable guitars but somewhat lack-lustre in the electronics dept. I'd have to agree to the great value, but not up to professional standards, IMO.

[lamenlovinit]

I remember those from many years ago , as I recall they weren't a premier type Axe in the 60s, but they sure look to be now.


Well, hiring Frank Zappa as a spokesperson wasn't a move that guaranteed commercial success... :rotflmao

[John Catto]

Check this out,I think he gets some pretty righteous tone on a swede.
NGaVUApDVuY

That's not a Swede. That's a Les Paul Personal (similar to a Les Paul Recording model) with it's top replaced, I think Hamer did the work.

The Jan Akkerman sig model was made by Framus not Hagstrom

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3508/tomsjanakkermanfullfront6tw.jpg

http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/JanAkkerman/01.jpgg

[bynt]

Man, that neck sounds horrid! Probably gonna be a deal killer for me. I like a nice 50's profile on my Les Pauls.

I'm hesitant to say anything because I've never played a Swede. That said, I, too, like fat necks and all the other Hagstroms I played where too "neck skinny" for me. So I'd say if you make the jump, make sure it's from a place that will take it back just in case. Good luck!

[rev156]

I have the D2F, (hollow bass side). I love it, changed the pots from 500 to 250. The neck is thin and fast though, but that's one of their selling points. I think they are great guitars especially for the price point.
cheers

[Redlined]

I recently played a Viking, played good, nicely made, overall I thought it was very decent for the price. The neck profile was smallish, but not to the point of being a problem.

[Rob Sharer]

That's not a Swede. That's a Les Paul Personal (similar to a Les Paul Recording model) with it's top replaced, I think Hamer did the work.

Righto.


Here's a vid that shows the actual axe being wielded in anger. This live take of HP is positively furious!

RFDW9b_ejfI

[brettk7]

Still interested... Although, income tax season is coming. I may just get what I really want. A 56'RI LP Goldtop. Quite a price jump though! haha

[In Absentia]

A bit off topic but i used to own this unusual piece in the 1990s.

http://www.hagstrom.org.uk/Patch2000SS.htm

[twinrider1]

Oh great, now I have Hagstrom GAS. And this just popped up on my local Craigslist. Just too cool.
http://columbus.craigslist.org/msg/2112171301.html

http://images.craigslist.org/3n13k13p05Y35T45P4ace9b18bc56a5041eaa.jpg http://images.craigslist.org/3n63oc3pc5O05T45W0ace9f6fc7a3431c1622.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/3kc3mc3o15Q55Z15P2ace0efd7c8ba60316e9.jpg

[Jon Silberman]

My '67 Viking 1.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/682310/1628078/39177036.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/682310/1628078/39177070.jpg

Me playing it (L-R: Tom Gross; Phil Jacoby; me).

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/682310/1628078/26862466.jpg

And, of course, The King with his later model Viking.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/682310/1628078/25226090.jpg

[Fab4ever]

I just picked up an Ultra Swede last night in a trade. It does have a flat neck, and it plays faster than any guitar I've ever played. Now, keep in mind I'm anything but fast..... but I think this instrument will speed up even ME.

I haven't played it through an amp yet, but acoustically it really sings.

No pic yet. Will create a new post when I can get one.

[R13D]

I had a late 60's 8 string Hagstrom bass for a while.It was pretty cool.

[aeronius]

TrueTone in Santa Monica usually stocks a fair number of models. I've had a chance to check them out, and I think that, by far, they are one of the best bangs-for-your-buck (along with Reverend) in import guitars. Finishes are wonderful. They look like they were sprayed by someone who cared about doing a good job instead of being dunking in a vat of poly like on recent Epis and Schecters. Best fretwork I've seen on an import, and better than most non-custom USA guitars. The woods are better, too. You owe it to yourself to go play one!

[jojogun1957]

Thanks for schooling me on the Akerman guitar,I allways thought is was a Hagstrom Swede.
I think sometime in the seventies he did a add for the Swede,that may be where I got the idea.

[guitars4god86]

I own a Super Swede.

From my vantage point, it's worth all the money and more. Like people have been commenting, the build quality is AMAZING! Hagstrom has done some nice work ensuring that their guitars look great. The neck is not LP - it's Fender, which is why I like it. Very thin and fast. Everything is beautiful on this baby...

Sound wise - I'm much more of a Fender guy. Mostly play a Tele, occasionally a Strat and then I bought this for humbucker songs. I've never played a classic LP, so I can't compare to that, but to me it sounds great. It definitely has that thick, chunky tone. It's a heavy guitar just like a LP, mahogany body. It has a TON of sustain and I think the pickups are a pretty good quality too. What's nice on the Super Swede is that there is a switch for coil tapping. So I can get decent single coil sounds too.

When it comes down to it, I firmly believe that you cannot buy a better humbucker guitar than a Hagstrom for the price range. I did a ton of research and played a lot of other options before I bought the Super Swede, and I'm glad I ended up with what I did. On eBay (if you're not opposed) you can find really nice ones for $500-600...

[brettk7]

To the owners of Swedes...

How would you say it compares to like, an American Standard series Tele or Strat? Bigger or smaller than that?

[LSchefman]

Jon, the pic of The King with that guitar is awesome!

You need the all-black outfit, scarf, boots...then you'll be stylin'!

Though I realize it may be a little hard to walk down the street in the stage getup without getting whistled at... LOL. ;)

[Jon Silberman]

I don't think I could be mistaken for Elvis under any circumstances! :p

[brettk7]

I sure can!

Anybody with any advice?

[colinesquire]

Just know that the new ones aren't really anything like the old ones of which I've had a few. The new models remind me of dearmond & I'd expect the same high quality even for an Asian import. The old ones can be funky with very slim necks so be sure to try them first if you can. One thin I've read is that the new fretboards aren't made of wood-some sort of composite. Could be neat but I've never played a new one.

[Travst]

I had a new model Swede for quite a while. It's a very good quality well-playing guitar. I paid $240 on Ebay, and it's a lot of guitar for that little money. The stock pups are deeper and more "growly" than most humbuckers. After a while, I grew to like them.

[brettk7]

How was the neck?

My step-dad has a Vintage Viking and the neck is on Ibanez RG level LOL, although not nearly as wide. I can't deal with that! But, if its similar to my 72' Tele Deluxe RI... I could live with it for sure!

[Lumpy Trousers]

FWIW, the most visible wielders of the original Swede were Daryl Stuermer (Jean-Luc Ponty, Genesis), Larry Coryell, and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA (natch).

Nice guitars, but really heavy. Heavier than a 70s Les Paul. IIRC the necks were fairly similar to a Les Paul slim taper. The pickups were fairly clean-sounding, low output humbuckers.