Anybody out there got a Hagström guitar?

[Yossarian]

Not looking for one, just curious. Actually, I’m not even a guitar player but growing up in Sweden it would have been hard not to come across the name of Hagström. My best friend at school played guitar in a band and he started out with a Hagström. I always had the impression that Hagström was a cheap, local Swedish brand for people who couldn’t afford a ”real guitar” (i.e. a Gibson or a Fender). Seems I may have been missing the point.

Recently, the name has popped up again. The Hagström factory closed shop in 1984 but at NAMM this year, the American company AM&S announced that they have licensed the Hagström name and will be manufacturing and distributing re-issues of the classic Hagström models with names like Viking, Swede and Super Swede.

I got curious and started googling. Soon enough I came across websites like the UK Hagström appreciation site at www.hagstrom.org.uk and www.hagstromworld.com . Clearly there was more to these guitars than I’d given them credit for.

I was astounded to find that among the users of Hagström guitars and basses were people like Frank Zappa, Noel Redding, Brian Ferry, David Bowie, Gordon Giltrap, Cat Stevens, ZZ Top, ABBA (OK, not so astounded by them ), Jimi Hendrix, Johnny ”Guitar” Watson, Mike Rutherford, Larry Coryell and Elvis!!

So, what’s so special about Hagström guitars? Apparently, one thing that set them apart was the neck design which used a rail for support instead of a rod like everyone else. This gave protection against twisting of the neck and also allowed Hagström to make the necks ultra slim (great for fast playing). Also, looking at all the pictures of guitars at these appreciation sites, even a non-guitarist like me can see that they look fantastic.

I just thought it would be interesting to see if there are any closet Hag lovers out there in KvR land. Come out, come out, wherever you are.

/Yoss

[Hink]

Not looking for one, just curious. Actually, I’m not even a guitar player but growing up in Sweden it would have been hard not to come across the name of Hagström. My best friend at school played guitar in a band and he started out with a Hagström. I always had the impression that Hagström was a cheap, local Swedish brand for people who couldn’t afford a ”real guitar” (i.e. a Gibson or a Fender). Seems I may have been missing the point.

Recently, the name has popped up again. The Hagström factory closed shop in 1984 but at NAMM this year, the American company AM&S announced that they have licensed the Hagström name and will be manufacturing and distributing re-issues of the classic Hagström models with names like Viking, Swede and Super Swede.

I got curious and started googling. Soon enough I came across websites like the UK Hagström appreciation site at www.hagstrom.org.uk and www.hagstromworld.com . Clearly there was more to these guitars than I’d given them credit for.

I was astounded to find that among the users of Hagström guitars and basses were people like Frank Zappa, Noel Redding, Brian Ferry, David Bowie, Gordon Giltrap, Cat Stevens, ZZ Top, ABBA (OK, not so astounded by them ), Jimi Hendrix, Johnny ”Guitar” Watson, Mike Rutherford, Larry Coryell and Elvis!!

So, what’s so special about Hagström guitars? Apparently, one thing that set them apart was the neck design which used a rail for support instead of a rod like everyone else. This gave protection against twisting of the neck and also allowed Hagström to make the necks ultra slim (great for fast playing). Also, looking at all the pictures of guitars at these appreciation sites, even a non-guitarist like me can see that they look fantastic.

I just thought it would be interesting to see if there are any closet Hag lovers out there in KvR land. Come out, come out, wherever you are.

/Yoss

OMG my first guitar was made by Alamo and sucked....so I bought a great guitar (hey I was 12) a Hagstrom II (Hagstroms were popular with guitarists playing surf music)...in fact I still had that when I joined the army (1978). I really don't remember what became of it, I know the pawn shops would not loan me ten bux on it...I think the dry heat cracked the body, something happened to it, I remember that because I was in Texas and went to Ray Hennings (I think that's the right name) Heart of Texas Music store (in Waco) and bought my old vintage black tele custom.

The funny thing was that I hadn't talked to my half brother for about 6 months. I called him and said I bought a tele...he said me too...I said mine is a custom...he said mine too...I said mine was black just like Kieth Richards....he said me too...we both grabbed our guitars and read the serial numbers...they were less then 50 numbers apart...

When I came home we both stripped our guitars and stained them. But I wanted a much different shade...but they came out identical. Of course after I put a Kahler in it, took out the bridge single coil and put in a duncan invader, cut a hole so I could put one of the 4 volume controls up near the strins and sanded the front and bac like a strat (repainted it black too) they didn't look alike, and mine was no longer a twangy tele...

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane...

[Yossarian]

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane...

Yer welcome, Hink.

A Hagström II, eh? Anything like this?

/Yoss

[Hink]

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane...

Yer welcome, Hink.

A Hagström II, eh? Anything like this?

/Yoss

anything like that?...how this, I just saved the pic. It also had the coolest case with tiger stripe lining...another thanks....jeez goose bumps..

[Yossarian]

...another thanks....jeez goose bumps..

Sticking to the Swedish theme, did you know that ”hink” is the Swedish word for bucket?

/Yoss