Hagstrom Swedes

[toneguy86]

I just saw a local jazz guy ripping it up on a guitar he said he paid $300 for on the bay. It was a Hagstrom Swede--beatiful guitar and great tone for the mostly neck pup stuff he was doing. Anyone here played around with these? They look cool and the price is right. I have heard consistency is not a strong point, but this guitar was nice. The neck was a bit think for my taste, but an all Mahogany set neck guitar for under $400 makes me sit up and take notice.

Mark

[Roman Rist]

I love them. and have owned a few. Originals though. He got a reissue, I have never seen one in real life. But for that price, that is what he has.

The original Swedish made Swedes are very consistent and the necks are smaller than an R9 but not as small as a 60s neck.


Roman

[shotgunlew]

I played one the other day in a small guitar shop by my old job, there nice guitars.

[toneguy86]

Originally Posted by RFR

I love them. and have owned a few. Originals though. He got a reissue, I have never seen one in real life. But for that price, that is what he has.

The original Swedish made Swedes are very consistent and the necks are smaller than an R9 but not as small as a 60s neck.


Roman

Thanks for the info Roman. What are they like soundwise? Being Mahogany bodied, are they similar to a LP in any way?

Mark

[Kølabrennern]

I've played both a 70s Swede and the modern ones. It's right that the consistency isn't the best for these new ones, but if you play around with a few you'll find a keeper. The original ones sound VERY vintage-ey, have a nice medium thin neck and are quite comfortable in general, though they weigh a lot. It looks like the old ones have something of a hybrid between a set and bolted neck, but I'm really not sure about this. I'd definitely say you should give the new ones a chance, or even have a look at their Super Swede. The amber sunburst Super Swede is fantasically beautiful, in my opinion.

[ES350]

I looked at these for awhile, but I was a little leery about the synthetic 'tone-wood' fingerboard. The 70's ones are pretty good, though. Not quite a LP tone, a little thinner...

[pfa]

Makes me proud to be swedish! .. i'v got a 1966 levin lt-18 lying around.. maybe i should restore it..

[Weefler]

Kerry Livgren played one on the early Kansas albums. I saw them live at the Minnesota state fair after their first album and Kerry was playing a Swede. It had great tone.

[Roman Rist]

Originally Posted by Weefler

Kerry Livgren played one on the early Kansas albums. I saw them live at the Minnesota state fair after their first album and Kerry was playing a Swede. It had great tone.

That is who got me into Swedes

Here is the last one I owned, I sold it like a dummy and my GF was pissed
Its usually the other way around, huh.

[shotgunlew]

Originally Posted by Roman Rist

That is who got me into Swedes

Here is the last one I owned, I sold it like a dummy and my GF was pissed
Its usually the other way around, huh.

Thats one nice axe ya had there roman. Sorry bout the loss...

[Roman Rist]

Originally Posted by toneguy86

Thanks for the info Roman. What are they like soundwise? Being Mahogany bodied, are they similar to a LP in any way?

Mark

It is like a custom (playing-wise)
The solid mahogany body is great for tone, but the pickups tend to be a bit thin. So, it is not quite as meaty as a good Les Paul. The switching and tone circuit is awesome though!

[jonesy]

I owned one of the original 70's? Hagstroms in the early 90's and if I remember right it had a Dark purple-ish/wine finish with killer grain. I think I paid $300 from a music store I was teaching at.
I had it plugged into a 60's Fender Champ and the Tone Was awesome. Big and Fat and very much like you would get from an LP. Spent a winter in a little farm house in Michigan and wrote quite a few songs on that guitar. I sold it when Spring came and picked up another Strat
Not sure what the Quality is like in these new ones, but the one I had was a very fine made instrument.

Peace, jonesy

[captain tightpants]

Originally Posted by Roman Rist

That is who got me into Swedes

Here is the last one I owned, I sold it like a dummy and my GF was pissed
Its usually the other way around, huh.

Buddy of mine has a '78 (I think) just like this, but Natural instead of cherry. Great guitar, really nice player. Been a while since he's dug it out and played it. He won't sell it to me, tho.

Hey, what's the 2nd switch do, is it like a Gretch tone filter? That's what it sounds like to me, but I'm not sure. He only says, "I don't know, flip the switch and it sounds different."

[coldsteal2]

I love thier 8 string basses!

[brianbzed]

I have a good friend that collects them, both old and new. In fact he is so into them, that his nickname is Hagstrom! His Hags sound pretty good when played alongside my Gibsons. I have to agree with Roman about their pickups-they're a little weak. Nothing a good set of aftermarket PAFs wouldn't cure!

[NeoConMan]

I've bid on several vintage ones on Ebay but they always went higher than I wanted to pay.
Been looking at them for a couple years.

When I see the new ones advertised, there's always several marked as blems.
Doesn't give me much faith in them, being Chinese and all....
I won't even consider one.

I would LOVE to have that big slab of Mahogany plugged into my Marshall!