Product: Hagstrom Condor Price Paid: US $1000
Submitted 02/23/2004
at 01:21pm
by Burd
Features
:10
I have a 1964 Hagstrom Corvette, cherry-burst and extremely rare even for this already rare guitar as it has the old "tulip tuners". Corvettes were later called "Condors" here in the states because the Gretsch company had already registered the Corvette name. I can't even tell you how much I love this guitar. It is the best thing I have ever played. The craftmanship is excellent, the design is beautiful, and all of those weird looking switches allow you to create a myriad of different tones with the three single-coil pickups. The neck is thinner and faster than anything else ever made. This guitar is so easy to play that you almost forget you're holding it.
Sound
:10
I play a weird kind of prog punk with jazz licks mixed in. Mild distortion is always mixed in, but I keep it low enough that I can get a "clean" sound by playing lightly on the strings. The Corvette is perfect for this setup. It can boom and it can tinker with the best of them. The tone is warm in all settings, like all Hagstroms.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:10
The action is smooth as silk. No other way to describe it. Like I said before, the "fit and finish" are absolutely superb. This guitar may look weird, but it is well put together.
Reliability/Durability
:10
It's 40 years old and still sounds perfect. Can't get any more durable than that.
Customer Support
:8
Obviously the company is defunct, but it's relatively easy to get parts on eBay, and there are lots of people on the internet who are more than willing to help out with any questions you have. Check hagstromusa.com and hagstromcanada.com if you're looking for answers.
Overall Rating
:10
If you can get your hands on one, buy it. It will immediately become your favorite piece. Be ready to fork over some $$$, however, as you won't find a good one cheap.
Product: Hagstrom Condor Price Paid: US $20 used
Submitted 02/12/2003
at 01:02pm
by doug rawlings
Features
:5
3 pickups, super-thin neck, kinda like a euro-strat, lots of funky multi-colored plastic push switches, 1 volume
Sound
:7
clear and bell like, but the pickups were not strong; i had to preamp it with an mxr dynacomp to get it to drive the amp...
Action, Fit, & Finish
:6
played great...loved it
Reliability/Durability
:7
didn't break
Customer Support
:No Opinion
n/a
Overall Rating
:7
Steve used to sell me junk cheap, which was one reason i was such a loyal customer...this guitar was a beater; there was a hole in the back of the neck, clear to the truss rod...still, for $20...i played it for 2 years, and sold it as part of a package deal with a vox royal guardsman amp ( a truly heinous creation ) for $300...i never even changed the strings; it still had the same ones that were on it when i bought it...it was a cool guitar, and i'd like to get another one
Product: Hagstrom Condor Price Paid: US $400.00 used
Submitted 12/15/2001
at 05:13pm
by licky
Features
:10
Sound
:10
this guitar is the terble you want with out using the wah peddle for it,,,gots more terble than a rick and the same a tele
has lots of weird knobs for tone control and the lokk of it is really cool,,,the finish,,unlike fenders is almost like brand new and mine is a 65,,,the action is great and again like most all hagstroms,,,never needs a set up
Action, Fit, & Finish
:10
the lowest and easiest,,,great for finger tapping
Reliability/Durability
:10
the finish as i was saying is built to last,,,the hagstrom people put 6 coats of pait on each guitar,,,that is why they creamed fender as far as that goes
it is not my favorite guitar,,,but i love it none the less and where i woouldn't use it as my main guitar i certainlt would take it out to perform on,,,most every guitar player loves it when they get their hands on it
Customer Support
:10
no longer arround,,,but the people are very friendly
: