The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: chromium on January 12, 2008, 10:51:23 AM
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One of the guitarists I jam with brought in this old Hagstrom bass that he has owned since childhood. It looks exactly like this one:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/hagstrom-hiib.jpg)
He's had it since around 1970, and never really played it much. I don't know much about Hagstrom, but I suspect the bass is from around 1966, give or take. It think the model is HIIB.
The strings were about an inch off the board when I took it out of the case, so I gave it a quick setup for him (best I could with the dead flats - also from around '70!). I got it playing nice, and boy is that a fun little bass! It had some of that deep fundamental that I like in my EB-0, but also a nice bit of tic-tac-like presence. It was hard to get a good gauge on the tone, since the strings were so shot, but I liked what I heard of it. Has a lot of switches on it, but always seemed to emit the same tone no matter what settings were employed.
I had a blast playing it! I would not mind getting one of these at some point. I saw that there were several styles of this bass throughout its evolution. Does anyone have any experiences or preferences with the different variations?
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I had the guitar version of that.
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A good setup, some new flats, a pick, and move that top strap button and it looks like it would be fun!
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That model was one of my very first basses.
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i had one of those,very small almost "guitar" size,i sold it on ebay like 2 years ago.
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Another original Dark Star Hag?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/fred.jpg)
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That's not the same model as the one in chromium's original post. I'm not that familiar with all the variations but there are several Hag sites online.
The bridge on those leaves a lot to be desired.
I played a Swede a couple of weeks ago, had a neck repair but the store had a $695 price tag. Yow! Way more than I would pay for one.
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That's a Coronado IV. There are two of them for sale at a store in Stockholm. Old Hagströms like the rest of the vintage brands are rising in price. The price on for the Bisonic equipped '65 and the '66 is 12500 SEK each.
(http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1965_Hagstrom_Coronado_IV_589138.jpg)
(http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1965_Hagstrom_Coronado_IV_589138_front.jpg)
(http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1965_Hagstrom_Coronado_IV_589138_head.jpg)
(http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1966_Hagstrom_Coronado_IV_658143_front.jpg)
(http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1966_Hagstrom_Coronado_IV_658143.jpg)
(http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1966_Hagstrom_Coronado_IV_658143_case1.jpg)
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The Hagstrom Coronado IV pictured with Fred & Steve is one I loaned to Dan (Lakin) while he was researching the Decade Bass. I saw a near mint Coronado IV for sale at the Marin Guitar Show this last weekend and I believe it was around $1800. I think the seller/dealer was taking it to LA for the Guitar Show down there this coming weekend (happens every year same time as NAMM). They are, in my opinion, one great bass! The Bi-Sonics sound great. They are all mahogony and built like battleships...very solid.
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Those Coronados are gorgeous! I was impressed by the build quality of my friend's bass - not bad at all for what I assume was more of an entry-level instrument (the HIIB). It makes the mid-80s plywood monster that I learned on seem almost criminal by comparison!
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It's hard to take a bass with push buttons seriously. It reminds me of my sister's old Ford Galaxy 500.
Now it comes off kind of kitsch, like old television sets & boomerang tables
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It's hard to take a bass with push buttons seriously. It reminds me of my sister's old Ford Galaxy 500.
Now it comes off kind of kitsch, like old television sets & boomerang tables
Have a heart. How could it not have push buttons?
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Keep in mind that Hagstrom made accordions long before making guitars. Same with Pigini (EKO). That would explain the pushbuttons and switches.
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There was supposed to be a picture of a Hagstrom accordion on my post. I think it got blocked.
I suppose coming from an "old fashioned" industry, there was a desperation to appear modern amongst many of the European guitar makers in the 60s, hence the profusion of knobs, buttons, switches and plastic celebrated at http://www.fetishguitars.com/ (http://www.fetishguitars.com/)
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Keep in mind that Hagstrom made accordions long before making guitars. Same with Pigini (EKO). That would explain the pushbuttons and switches.
Exactly. Sales of accordions dropped in the late 50's when rock 'n roll stepped in. They had loads of parts and decided to use them on the guitars.
(http://www.albinhagstrom.se/basses/Hagstrom_EBP_26_1961_full_1.jpg)
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That blue one is reissed by Italia. Well.. sort of...
Hagstrom is back into basses! They introduced an entire line at the 2008 Winter Namm. Also an 8-string. The site has a news subject about it, but unfortunately no pics. Only a small one of the 8-string.
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That's good to hear. I saw their guitars back at Summer NAMM 2006 and they had announced at least one bass, but I never saw any for sale online.
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I had no idea. I'm curious what the prices will be.
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In holland the guitars are fairly cheap. More Epiphone prices than Gibson. And the guitars look very well made.
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Well, they're now made in China, where the labor rate is slightly lower than Sweden. The new ones seem to be made with the original Hagstrom company's approval. I don't know if they own any of the current venture or if it's a licensing arrangement.
The guitars do look very well made for the price, which in the US seems to be about the same as the middle of the line Epis. But the old Hagstroms were not expensive either.
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I'll check it, but if I'm right a son or grandson of the hagstrom founder leads the company.
I think you can compare them with Epiphone, but more unique.
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A Hagstrom still leads the Hagstrom company in Sweden. but that doesn't necessarily mean the Hagstrom guitar venture is wholly owned by the Hagstrom company.
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You're right. But it always sounds nice as a 'name' is involved. The Warwick/Framus guy is the son of the Framus founder I believe. Before he died Jim Burns was involved with the modern Burns instruments, of course we have some generations Fred Gretsches:)
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The Hagström name is licensed to a Canadian company. Interesting that they picked up the bass manufacturing too.
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(http://www.postimage.org/aVnG1f0.jpg) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVnG1f0)
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From that pic, only the second one from left really looks like a traditional Hagstrom. The one on the far left looks like a modern version. The two on the right look more like generic singlecuts.
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The shape of the two on the right (Beluga Series) looks influenced from Ampeg AEB-1.
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I've seen them at the Messe. Nice, but no more than that. The 8-string is special and nice of course.
Kay's also back with two more than gorgeous basses!!
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A friend of mine has this sixties Hagstrom guitar synth which looks like a normal guitar (so no tons of knobs) and which needs a special cable. Of course he hasn't got the special cable. Does anybody know how to find one?
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A friend of mine has this sixties Hagstrom guitar synth which looks like a normal guitar (so no tons of knobs) and which needs a special cable. Of course he hasn't got the special cable. Does anybody know how to find one?
I don't know, but it was called the Hagstrom Patch 2000 and it came out in the mid-70s (there was a bass version too). If you google that and look around you might find a source or maybe find out if another cable could be modified for use with it. I do know Ampeg made a special pedalboard and cables for it.
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Okay, thanks. that'll help already!
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One of the guitarists I jam with brought in this old Hagstrom bass that he has owned since childhood. It looks exactly like this one:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/hagstrom-hiib.jpg)
He's had it since around 1970, and never really played it much. I don't know much about Hagstrom, but I suspect the bass is from around 1966, give or take. It think the model is HIIB.
The strings were about an inch off the board when I took it out of the case, so I gave it a quick setup for him (best I could with the dead flats - also from around '70!). I got it playing nice, and boy is that a fun little bass! It had some of that deep fundamental that I like in my EB-0, but also a nice bit of tic-tac-like presence. It was hard to get a good gauge on the tone, since the strings were so shot, but I liked what I heard of it. Has a lot of switches on it, but always seemed to emit the same tone no matter what settings were employed.
I had a blast playing it! I would not mind getting one of these at some point. I saw that there were several styles of this bass throughout its evolution. Does anyone have any experiences or preferences with the different variations?
hey there is a beater project one of these on ebay,listed as "vintage fretless bass guitar project fender style 80's" it has no pups and the frets have been ripped out but without the hagstrom name it'll be a cheap fixer upper.its not mine just thought someone would be into it.