Hagstrom Swede

this is one of the new reissues. i like having the phase toggle in addition to a classic lp style electronics set-up. the resonator fretboard is great, as is the carved mahogany type.

i play indie rock style stuff and it has a great thick sound with a brightness that you don't get with a les paul. i play it through a vox ac15, which sounds thin when the gain is pushed, however it sounds great with my marshall jtm 60 and my mesa boogie blue angel (buy yourself one of these!).

this category is why i thought another review was needed for this guitar. the binding is uneven and dips below the fretboard on the bottom of the heel of the fretboard. the frets needed dressing. the nut is plastic non-fantastic. right out of the box i had to have the action set-up, a bone nut made (definitely what made this guitar sound great) and the p/u's adjusted. next i plan on getting the pots and switches replaced. hagstrom's revival is a great thing, however they need to get on their production facility and teach these folks how to solder and fret these guitars. a few more dollars spent on their part for a bone nut and better pots would go along way.

this remains to be seen, but i see this guitar being higher than average maintenance.

i have a g&l, and a gretsch 5120 as well as this swede. i love it's heaviness, but i didn't anticipate it's shortcomings in regards to construction. if it was lost or stolen, i would get something else taht wouldn't require a couple hundred more to a luthier to make a great player.

Bought the '74 Swede in '75 and replaced the pickups with Dimarzios. Still plays like day one after years of travel and play - it has never failed or needed adjustment (also stays tuned far longer than other guitars I have)?!
Many sounds with different switch settings that range from a mellow jazz souund to a super sustain and crunch sound when the volume control passes "8". Teachers at Berkeley/Boston would always use my Swede when they needed to borrow a guitar and one eventually admitted he loved playing it due to the narrow neck and fast action. This is an increadible buy for the prices I see it selling for. 10-for the price 8-when compared to newer $1,000+ models.

I bought the Arctic White version, and it has a beautiful finish. I wash my hands before I touch it. The tuners are good, the hardware all solid. It's a Mahogany set-neck, Mahogany body, carved Mahogany top. Standard Les Paul pickup/switch/knobs configuration, plus a tone filter swith that doesn't have much effect, except when playing clean (undistorted), it can add a subtle but nice "chimey" sound.The pickups are supposed to replicate 1958 Gibson humbuckers, and I can't compare those, but they are fat and warm, with a nice bite if you attack the strings peoperly.

I am a legend on my own couch; I play mostly classic rock and pop to amuse myself, and this guitar delivers all the classic Les Paul sounds I try to emulate. It can be distorted into super heavy darkness, or fat but squealing bite, and the clean sound can be classic Les Paul to an almost Rickenbacher "Chime" sound. Seems to be quiet through my Kustom practice amp, and absolutely YUMMY through my Hughes & Kettner Attax 200 head and Rivera half-stack.

The action was great, but I did tweak it just a tad, and the intonation required adjustment. There was a little sawdust in the control cavity, and the 1/4" jack had to have a lockwasher and tightening. I had to turn down the pickup poles on the low E and A strings a little. I expect to fix/adjust this sort of stuff on any guitar I buy, new or used, so all in all, no complaints. The finish and fretwork were perfect.

I'm just an amateur player but I have a good taste for quality instruments, and this seems like a very solid and dependable guitar. I've only had it about 2 weeks, so I can't say how the finish will hold up, but it's a very solid, heavy, and serious instrument. This ain't no Epiphone P.O.S. or half-assed knock-off; it's a REAL guitar.

Haven't had to deal with them, so I don't know. They answered my questions before I bought it, so I think They're OK.

I've only played seriously with 4 Les Paul Standards/Customs, and 2 Les Paul Studios, (to compare with the Hagstrom). 2 Les Paul Standard/Customs MIGHT have been better. 2 of them were worse, but that could be set-up issues. The Hagstrom was equal or superior to the LP Studios. And has prettier features. I would absolutely replace this if lost or stolen, and hope to buy a couple more just so I can have back-up and modify at least one, with a Bigsby Tremelo and different pickups (I want to make a sonic clone of Neil Young's "Old Black" Les Paul).

It would be nice to have the coil-splitting ability of the Super-Swede, but then again why not just get a single coil guitar if you want that sound?

As I said, I'm a horrible guitarist, but I do for a fact have a good feel and taste for what makes a great instrument rather than a mediocre or crappy one. I do set-ups for Pros.

Transparent finish on Mahogany. Les Paul type body. Fixed bridge. Good tuners. 22 fret ebony composite neck. Laminated Mahogany top. Mahogany body and neck.

Suits blues, rock, metal (fast neck). Real growl here. These pickups are very good. Not as hot as most Gibson pickups, but they distort very nicely. Sound is very rich and warm. Not a great variety of sounds are possible though.

Excellent playability. The best Les Paul type guitar I have played. The fretboard is a dream.

I bought a factory blemished guitar, but the defect (dust in the finish) is very small. You would never notice without it being advertised as such.

This a very beautiful and stylish guitar.

Seems to be very durable, but it doesn't have the gigging experience to confirm that. The hardware all seems very durable.

Ebay.

It was a good seller.

I've been playing for 2 years and I mostly play my dads guitars (Martin, Paul Reed Smith, Stratocaster). This guitar can stand up to any of them. The PRS has more tonal variety and features though. If this guitar were stolen I would probably buy another one. I would definitely buy another Hagstrom.

I have a 1974 Hagstrom Swede, LP-style. I contacted the factory in Sweden on the S/N and they confirmed the roll-out date. It's black, one of only a few made that color out of the 4000 or so that Hagstrom turned out in the '70's. The Bottom switch is the pickup select, the top switch is a three-position, center-bypass tone switch which I never use because it doen't apply that much of a difference to the sound, which is pretty awesome. The original tuners for these are made by Schaller, but mine has Jacksons, only because I bought it that way from a pawn shop. This axe is a two-inch-thick solid block of Mahogany with a mahogany neck reinforced with a metal H-Expander Truss Rod. I've had this guitar for twenty years and never had to adjust it. It's got a 21-fret neck with ebony fretboard. This mo is heavy, make sure you get a padded strap, but the incovenience is worth it. Pony up and get some shoulders already. Very durable finish. The inside cavities are all shielded, which makes this guitar dead quiet when you're not playing.

I play rock, grunge, punk and metal, and the Swede takes it and dishes it out on its own better than a dozen other models could. The general sound is very bottom-heavy but I EQ it out a bit on my amp (a Marshall MG100DFX) and get a beautiful full-spectrum tone when clean. I use a Danelectro Fab chorus as my only stompbox, and the Hag sings when clean. When I play distorted, I usually put it in pretty heavy, and this ax changes character instantly from a clean, gorgeous jazz sound to a full, gutteral roar that some say rearranges your chromosomes. Rhythm playing is super-easy and Every one I know who has heard it say it out-performs the Les-Paul

The action is super-low. The covers for the cavities (on the back) have a couple of small gaps, but that's secondary. The pickup rings disintegrated a long time ago, and I replaced those with Gibsons. The Schaller machines that these came stock with hold the guitar in tune extraordinarily well. The neck binding is another common issue with Swedes. It tends to separate. Mine is missing altogether on the bottom of my neck.

You could drop this guitar twenty-three times, pick it up, kiss it and play it without missing a thing. The only issues I have wer mentioned already: The pickup rings and the neck binding. Other than that, this is a real road warrior. You could play it without a backup, but who would?

Although Hagstrom quit making these in Sweden in 1983, I was easily able to get in contact with them about questions I had. They are now being made by a company in CA, I understand. My experience with the original factory has been great.

I've been playing for thirty years. I have three guitars, a Hagstrom Swede bass, a Hagstrom Swede guitar, and a '79 Fender F-65 acoustic. I wish all my axes were Hags, I would get another in a heartbeat. The hard part is convincing my wife I need a twelv-string Viking.

2006 build made in China. All the things that you find in the other reviews, i guess there is not so much variety. There is also another switch, that is not typical for other les paul type of guitars.
I also got a nice Hagstrom Gigbag from the previous owner.

This guitar is just perfect for my style. I play alternative rock, grunge, Tool -influenced kinda rock primarily, with influences from jazz, funk, and others. It is true that you cannot possibly get the typical sigle coil sound, but in any case you have to be pretty messed up in the head to expect this from a guitar like that.
Also I make good use of the lower switch, which i find especially useful at high gain for creating more... cutting kind of sound...dunno how to explain it, really. The switch itself is some sort of filter, the lower position with a higher passing frequency. However thats about all I can say from just listening, and I cannot find any info online about what exactly each position does.
I am using it so far with a GNX1 for effects and one stomp box, a copy of Tech24's Sans Amp. Sounds awesome as far as I am concerned. I havent got the chance to use it with my amp, which is far away from me for now.
I got the chance to sit down in a music shop and compare the Swede with a Gibson LP, and I dare say that my preferences tend drift in Swede's direction. Contrary to what the previous reviewer said, i found the Swede to be slightly brighter than the LP. But in any case to me the Hag is not a soo much an attempt to copy Gibson, I mean if every guitar that has this shape and PU configuration is a LP rip-off, the the majority of the guitars ever done should be a Fender rip-off, right. The Swede in my eyes has a really cool character that sets itself apart from being a LP wannabe :)

The guy that sold me the guitar had put the action waaay too low, and quite naturally there was some fret buzz. I put it a bit higher and it feels perfect, without any noise. It might not be really the fastest neck on the planet, but sure feels damn good. And in any case, I do not consider this a shred type of guitar.
Finish is awesome. I'm in love. My girlfriend is even jealous :D

I am not a gigging musician at this point of time so, I cant say, but i'd be very surprised if something goes wrong. The guitar appears very solid.
I would not use it without a back up, as I would not use any guitar without a back up.

Haven't dealt with them

This guitar rocks. Hagstrom in general are a very cool brand in my eyes, as they build world class instruments rivaling the quality of the top players for a fraction of the price. I am very much looking forward to become a little bit richer so that I could buy myself some of the other models.
I have been playing now for over 15 years, but not professionally (i.e. I dont make a living from music).
I have owned a Epiphone LP standard and I have had also friends leave with me for a long time a cheap Yamaha and a US Fender Stratocaster.
If the guitar would get stolen, I would buy another one for sure.

Made in China.
Singlecut LP body style.
Mahogany Body with Carved Mahogany Top and rear body contour. A little lighter than an LP and easier to hold/better balanced.
Set Mahogany Neck.
Resinator Fretboard with Hagstrom Pearl Block Position Marks. It is a wood composite made to look like ebony.
H-Expander Truss Rod.
Hagstrom 18:1 Die Cast Tuners.
24.75??? Scale.
2x Hagstrom Custom 58 Alnico 5 Humbuckers. "Matched covered Humbuckers optimized for a fat, warm Vintage tone".
3-Way Toggle.
Long Travel Tune-O-Matic with Hagstrom Stop Tail Piece and 6 Individual Brass String Blocks. It is not a standard stop tail piece.
2x Volume / 2x Tone / 3-Way Tone Filter Toggle (center bypass). This provides some passive mid-boost and cut for a little more tonal variety.

I've been playing single-coils but I've been adding some heavier rock and a little jazz to my repertoire so I wanted to get a basic humbucking guitar with the classic rock tone and a passable neck tone for the jazz. Even though the Swede is lighter than an LP there is still enough body mass to give that classic lead tone with all the broad, fat, chunk and long sustain that you expect from this style guitar. Much heavier sounding than the Epi LPs I tried. But that's about the only sound you can get out of it. Otherwise the sound is all bass and mid, no top end. I tried 3 samples of the Swede with a few different amps and they all sound the same. I also tried the Hagstrom Deluxe-F and F20 which use different pickups and they have more variety of tone although they are they are nowhere near the chunk monster that the Swede is. This is darker than the typical LP dark. The darkest sounding LPs (I'm thinking the ones with all-mahogany bodies) have more top end than the Swede. There is very little difference in sound between pickup settings. There is basically no difference in sound as you spin the tone pots. The volume pot has no taper; goes from silent to full volume by 3 on the dial so it is tough to work the tone by blending the pickups. The only noticeable change in tone comes from the toggle switch but that is centered around the mids so it won't add any brightness.

All of the Hagstroms I looked at were put together very well, on a par with some of the best imports that I've seen. They are better looking and more substantial feeling that the equivalent Epis. I like the neck a lot, it is a real player. The electronics were spotty on some samples I tried - sound cutting out, switches not working, that sort of thing.

I emailed Hagstrom a couple of times to see if they had anything to say about the tone and switches. Maybe they want it to sound like this or maybe they had a run of bad parts overseas and my dealer just got stuck with a bad batch. It is common to have parts issues when you first set up manufacturing offshore. Figured I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. They didn't answer.

This has the potential to be a great budget LP-style guitar. It has a lot going for it but I couldn't get past the limited tone and spotty electronics. If you are the type that looks at budget
guitars as a platform for mods then definitely check it out, it might be better base guitar to work with than some others.

2005's Swede,made in China.I am so surprised that Hagstrom never sell its guitars in China but now China become one of its OEM base. You can hardly find a single Hagstrom in China. But mine is an exception, it was stolen from the factory(the owner said so).Well, I don't care too much about its origin.
22 frets(someone says 23?),mahogany carved top,Set Mahogany Neck,fully bound everywhere,24.75? Scale,2x Hagstrom Custom 58 Humbuckers,2x Volume / 2x Tone / 3-Way Tone Filter Toggle (center bypass) which made me really in trouble with absolutely no accessories. However, it's worth a 9.

I generally play Brit-pop and some guitar master staff for practice.The sound is too fat and round for some clean staff,but I just like it. I have Strat and Tele to deal with those clean staff so it doesn't need to be that versatile.
I only have a Marshall MG10CD as my main amp and Berhringer V-amp2 and Guitar Rig2 as multi-effects.
As an old Chinese saying goes: It's silent like a virgin! Yeah it keep reasonablly quiet when not playing no matter how heavy the dist is especially when only the neck PU is selected.
It can be bright if you need, but generally very rich/fat/full/round sound. It's good at Slash's sound when using the neck.The sound can last forever and easily trigger a warm and smooth feedback sound.
It's no sharp enough for some staff. And I just dream of a push-pull!

The set-up is just so so. The tune-o-matic bridge is a little bit too high and so is the bridge. Frets are sharp.But the finish is perfect and all the tuner and selectors works well. It's comfortable when you play it standing but it will break your neck when sitting.

I just bought it less than a week. All the hardwares look sturdy. I'm sure it is a last-for-ever guitar!I totally and utterly can depend on this tough boy when practising and having gigs.There's no need to take any backup with it except that I want to play some light and clean sound.

It was stolen from the factory, so I guess I don't have the chance to deal with the company. And I don't have any warranty.But I have some items agreed on the contract with that seller.According to the contract, I can repair/change/return it if the problem is caused non-environmentally and non-artificially in 3 years.

I have been playing for 7 years. I have a Strat and a Tele.I wish I had asked how to use its 2?3 way toggle and whether it has a push-pull.If it were stole or lost I will surely buy it agian! I can't put it down once I stand up and play it!It has a profound sound which attracts me to explore endlessly.It's one of the best buy at its price and you will never regret buying one!

'72 all original - bought from original owner so no questions there. 23 frets on bound ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlays. Solid cherry finish bound mahogany body LP style etc., etc. Tune o matic bridge that is orig. but seems weird cause of
shallow seating indentations [per posts adjstmnt/heighth issues.
Very unlike Gibson tune o matic cause of knurled knob lack.
Tuners are classic 'stairstep' classy buttons with what I assume were/are "Inhouse " machines. All metal is chrome. Pups are 2 humbucker and controls are as expected.

I blush to say...I hav'nt wrung this out yet 'cause recently aquired,so I'm assuming the previous opinions apply to mine in this category. After all, It's so mint, it just can't be a dog! I like the fact that I bought it for a song , but dislike the fact - I had to!

Action is wonderful...Set neck and ebony with neck radious seem as good or better than my '71 LP Custom! Blasphemy, perhaps, but it doe's feel solider[heavier]. Pup adjustment might be overated in most cases unless you're anal. This has one of the most bombproof AND refreshing construction simplicity of designs of this era that I'm aware of. NO plys in neck or body-
just a well made inst.

Very subjective - 'cause of 1st owner's 1st electric and yes it was gigged...but very moot, because of that. I imagine when I sell It -
it might not be appreciated as much; but reading previous reviews, I believe this inst. has a bit of starting over. A true mint
example of TLC.

Don't know, but if I'm unhappy, my buddy will remedy. That's nice! - Don't Ya think?

I've own/ed countless classics, and can't pass up deals that invariably will haunt you if ignored. I love provenance and mint condition of this and the LP aura just might help me excuse my recent '71 LP Custom up for sale thing. I mean...I'm not a lead player and have several quality acoustics for rhythm...OK! I'm no great shakes at that either, but a electric is always a neccessity...especially if you have an Amp.

Mine is a 1973 Swede in natural mahogany finish, with bolt neck,ebony board and the rest. When I got it, I was told it had belonged to Chet Atkins' second guitarist, Paul Yandell. This wasn't substantiated except by word of mouth. The tech told me the "tone" toggle was disconnected, phase and coiltap switches installed and the pots exchanged for centralab audio taper 500k pots, apparently at the behest of Mr Yandell. The case was original and serviceable. I bought this axe to back up my Les Paul deluxe in 1988. When I got a 74 LP special to replace it,I sold the Hag to a freind in 1991 for what I paid...150 bucks. During the time I owned it, I had it refretted, put on schallers and straplocs, and changed the treble pickup to a Seymour Duncan JB. All in all a pretty sweet guitar....and get this...I just bought it back 3 weeks ago for 300 bucks!! Inflation, but still a bargain!

Truthfully, I only used the rhythm pickup for recording a few solos back in the day, and I bought it back for nostalgic reasons. I play hard rock originals as I did then. Then I used it thru a Music Man HD130 head into a Fender 2-12 with JBL speakers. I used a proco rat,crybaby wha, and a solid state echoplex.I hated its tiny frets and altho the tuners were pretty, they were useless. The lead pickup was anemic so in went the JB.Oddly enough, after all the work it was sweet, but I sold it when I got the Les Paul Special. The sound is quite good thru my current JCM 800 and Vox AC30 and after using it I can say it suits me way better than it did all those years ago. The neck is quite fast and it does play nicely with no noise and many good tones. It sounds very similar to a Les Paul,but with more clarity and less midrange snarl. I thought it sucked a bit in 91....now I think it awesome to play. It has always been very nice looking! I'll grade it according to how I liked it then, how I like it now, and take off a bit for work done to it as it was pretty poor in stock condition playing and tuning-wise

Tiny frets and sucky tuners, crap lead pickup....but the fast neck and low action are there. The finish is quite good and has lasted well. The wood is quite pleasing and workmanship is clean and neat. Outside what I've mentioned already, this is a fine guitar.

It is pretty tough and quite heavy at 11 pounds. I know it holds up well as the fellow I sold it to used it onstage for many years as his main axe. The finish looks as it did when I sold it and the hardware is good. I will gig with it, but since I use several tunings< I require several guitars at performances and that gives me backups. That said, outside of a string breaking, this guitar is very reliable. In the 16 years I've been around this Hagstrom it has been a real trooper!!

It was used and Hagstrom had been defunct 8 years when I bought it the first time...'nuff said!

I have been playing for 25 years and have been a "gear whore" at times!! I've had everything but currently I own this Hagstrom, several Gibson electrics, a Martin 000-28, a Gretsch Nashville, Ric 330-12, several Fender guitars and a Pbass, Marshall, Vox, and Fender tube amps, too many effects pedals, and a Hammond b-3 organ. This axe is one I would not replace if stolen, but I would be very pissed off and saddened if it was. It has come top be like an old friend after all these years.

This guitar was made in alvdalen, sweden in 1970. Its the 120th swede built(out of 4000 total 1970-1980) and in the first year they werent called swede but "lp", the name change probably was a result of the model guitar being exported abroad.
The features are identical to any pre-1976 swede(when they switched to a set-neck design). All mahogany, bolt on neck with ebony fretboard, mop block inlays, those elegant hagstrom tuners, a very unpractical adjustabke bridge, dual humbuckers, 2-tone 2-volume pots, 3way selector and 3-way "mystery switch"(this is disconnected on mine)

There is a rumour going round that the first batches of Hagstrom humbuckers were alot like gibson PAFs(its infact very probable that they are copied from gibsons design) in having a very special "magic" sound. This rumour could be true because they are VERY good pickups indeed.
Very balanced, defined and rich tone with a lot of bite, completely free of mud. They sound very genuine.

I play mainly through a Line6 guitarport(2.0) so Ive really been able to test the guitar with different amp models and effects, its extremely versatile, much more than my gibson les paul, especially clean but you could play death and nu-metal on it too, no problem.

but we tried it on a cheap marshall v65 the other day and some amps doesnt go with this guitar, it got very trebly and unpleasant(but that amp isnt exactly the cream-of-the-crop either)

If you're curious of the sound then you might try Kaipa's first album where Roine Stolt plays a Hagstrom Swede on some songs.

Since its now 34 years old, it has lots of dings- scratches, cracks and whatelse but no factory flaws. The bridge isnt a very good invention(it has two screws opposite eachother to adjust the intonation which require a lot of fiddling) but its possible to adjust it very well. The tuners stay in tune too.
The frets have proabably been changed atleast once on this guitar and the ones on now are too low which makes it difficult to fret notes without buzzing, but this again is no fault of the Hagstrom company.

This guitar has been USED, its almost as rediculously worn as the fender relic models, but it holds together and sings like it was new. Its a brickshithouse with the only classic weakspot which all guitars with angled heads have, if you drop it with enough bad luck, the neck will proably snap at the nut just like with Gibsons. Allthough this is a little thougher because of the thicker neck.

Hagstrom ceased in 1981.

A very fine instrument, with proper setup it can hold its own or top a Gibson any day.

First of all, this is not, strictly speaking, a Swede. It's a Patch-2000, which was basically a Swede with the addition of circuitry for driving an analog synth (e.g., moog, ARP, etc.) When I got it, all of the circuitry was intact, and I had not one, but TWO of the external interface pedals. Unfortunately, not having much foresight at the time, I figured I'd never be using an analog synth, and I ripped out the digital electronics, and turned the pedals into wah-wahs, volume controls, ring modulators, and such. Oh well! That said, in terms of features, this was (I think) the FIRST synth guitar, which is pretty significant. I actually had occasion to use it through a synth once, and I have to say, aside from being a novelty, it wasn't terribly useful. It used wired-fret technology, allowing only single-note leads, no bending, etc. Still, with the crystal clear hindsight of retrospect, I do wish I had left it intact. Other than that, it has basic Les-Paul type features -- two humbuckers, 2 volume and 2 tone controls, adjustable bridge and stop tailpiece. An interesting result of the synth technology is that the saddles are plastic, and the bridge electrically isolates the strings from one another, which was necessary for the circuitry to determine which string was touching which fret. I have since rewired the guitar completely. It now uses two mini 3-way toggles on the pickguard to allow each pickup to be configured with the coils in series or parallel, or single-coil configuration. It now has a single volume and a single tone control where the two original volume controls were, and push-pull switches allow the pickups to be configured in series or parallel, and in or out of phase. This gives me a wide range of sounds, from big thick jazz-box tones, to thin, tinny Telecaster-like sounds. To do this I had to replace the original 3-way toggle pickup selector with a 3-position rotary switch, but this works fine. The first position is the neck pickup, the third is the bridge, and the middle pickup gives four different tones, depending on the configuration of the two push-pull pots. Where the original tone controls were, I have a 6-position vari-tone setup, with a separate pot to control the depth of the notch filter (which is what the vari-tone really is. Finally, the notch-depth pot is also a push-pull, which cuts in the center-tap on the inductor, effectively doubling the 6 sounds from the vari-tone. All told, this will give me a whopping 462 distinct combinations! And this does not take into account the notch-depth control or the tone control. So, I'd have to say, this guitar has a LOT of features, though most are non-original. The neck is renowned for being fast and thin. It has a ebony fretboard, which I like a lot, and a mahogany neck. The body is also solid mahogany.

I play a wide variety of styles, from jazz fusion, to classic rock, to country, and even a bit of folk. This guitar can basically make all the sounds I need. I play it through a 50W Sundown tube head, which has been modified to use EL34s instead of the original 6L6 power tubes. I don't use many effects, just a Marshall PowerBrake and a 2X12 bottom with Celestions. I could not wish for a better sound. I have been through several pickup combinations with this guitar. When I first got it, I replaced the bridge pickup with a Gibson PAF. To my surprise, it did not sound significantly different than the original! Later I replaced it with a Duncan Invador -- TOO MUCH! Now it has a pair of Ibanez humbuckers, which are just fine.

When I first got the guitar it was set up just fine. The quality of the wood is excellent, as was the fit and finish.

This is a well constructed guitar, that can easily stand up to the rigors of touring and live playing. I did replace the strap buttons with lockers, which I do on every guitar, ever since a keyboard player lifted my Les Paul Standard by the strap, dropping it on a concrete floor and snapping the headstock.

Company is out of business, so this issue is moot.

I've been playing for about thirty yeaers now. In the past few years I have owned a Fender '57 Reissue Strat, a Fender Roland Ready Strat, a Brian Moore i2.5 synth guitar, a '81 Melody Maker 3/4, a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion-III, and a Gibson Les Paul Standard, as well as a LoPrinzi acoustic. At the moment, all I have left are the Hagstrom and the LoPrinzi. The thing I love most about it is the contour body, which introduces a Strat-like contour on the back of the body. The things I DON'T like about it? Well, first of all, it has a bolt-on neck, and the truss rod is not adjustable. The neck is dead straight, so it really isn't a problem, but it bugs me nonetheless. Secondly, the block inlays are PLASTIC! Not a big deal, I guess, but hey, this was a guitar that cost over $1400 when new (early 1970s). Even without the synth stuff, the Swede was as expensive as a Les Paul Custom. For that money, bolt-on necks and plastic inlays are, in my opinion, inexcusable. I could just see some bean-counting geek telling them that they could save a few pennies by cutting corners. In my eyes, this keeps it from ever being a real valuable instrument. However, it plays great, sounds great, and for what I paid for it, I guess I can't complain.

1974 cherry red solid body (Les Paul) style Hagstrom "Swede".
Solid mahogany body & neck,wih 2 humbucking pick-ups, fully bound body
neck and headstock,ebony fretboard,2 volume and 2 tone controls, 3-way
pickup selector,and 3-way TONE selector switch. It has a 24.75 in.
scale neck with MOP block inlays, a tune-o-matic bridge and stop tail
piece.(All original)

I play a variety of music from blues, pop, jazz, and country, and everything in between. The guitar sounds best played thru a Peavey
transtube amp. I have added a phase switch, and coupled with the existing stock electronics, I am able to get sounds ranging from an
L-5 jazz box to a Strat (quack), to a Tele bite. This is probably the
most versatile guitar I have ever owned.

Since it was purchased used, I have no way of knowing how it was set up from the factory. The frets were too tall for my liking, but a fret
dress took care of the problem. I adjusted the truss rod slightly when
I purchased it 20 years ago, and haven't had to touch it since. The
tuners work well and hold tune nicely. Action is set low with no buzz.
The guitar is heavy, but the contour on the back makes it comfortable
to play.
The finish is the best I have ever seen on any guitar. I have owned
top of the line Gibson and Fender instruments, and none could compare
to the Hagstrom finish.
Now for the few negative aspects: The pickup surrounds break very
easily, and the neck binding has a tendency to fall off. This is an
easy fix with some luthier's duct tape (super glue). The adjustable
bridge is a pain in the butt, but once intonation is set, further
adjustments are rarely needed.
Overall the guitar is of very high quality, and needs little adjustment.

The "Swede" is built like an armoured car. If Deep Purple wanted to
smash this guitar in one of their shows, they had better bring their
lunch, 'cause' it's gonna' take awhile.
This guitar has been my main axe for the past 20 years with no back up
90% of the time. It had never failed me yet.

N/A Company out of business

I have been playing for 40+ years and have put more miles on this
guitar than all of the others I have owned combined.
I recently purchased another 1974 natural mahogany Swede which came
from the same batch as my original Swede. (218 numbers apart)
The Hagstrom "Swede" in my opinion is one of the best made guitars for the money, and I would highly recommend it for just about any style of music. It is very versatile and virtually bullet-proof.

My latest guitar is a 1970's Hagstrom Swede, made in Sweden of course =)
It's a 22 fret Les Paul copy, basically... It's a natural walnut-coloured stain, and looks very glossy and deep even after all of these years. It's all solid mahogony, which makes it weigh in at almost thirteen pounds (!!). It's fully bound as well, and has beautiful real mother-of-pearl rectangular inlays. The fretboard is ebony, and looks and feels great. The frets are very low and fast, and the neck is just a little bit thicker than a Gibson 60's neck.
I can't really say much for the bridge, since it is an aftermarket brass affair, and the stock tuners were at some point replaced with Schallers.
It's dual humbucker, of course, with the standard LP configuration except for the so-called "mystery-switch" on the upper bout. It seems to be a treble-cut/boost switch of some sort, and is mostly useless as far as I can tell. While we're on the subject of the switches, they are probably the most solid switches I've ever seen, on a guitar or elsewhere. Other companies should check these out!

This guitar is very much voiced like a classic Les Paul. The output is quite low, and the clean sound with the neck humbucker is very smooth and woody- coupled with the easy action, this makes the guitar great for jazz. When distorted, the neck pickup is very smooth- think Santana.
The bridge pickup, on the other hand, is quite sharp. It has a great 50's crunch when overdriven at all- not the greatest solo tone however. When it comes to rock, this guitar is very much a rhythm guitar. In all, I'm very surprised at just how good this guitar sounds.

Obviously, I can't say how this guitar was set up at the factory, since it was made before I was born. The finish is fantastic, and there are really no flaws that I can find. The only problems are ones that come with age- all of the pots need to be replaced, there's some binding on the neck that's coming off, and both of the pickup mounting rings are broken.

This guitar is like a brick. It is very solid, and would easily withstand live playing. The finish will probably outlive me. The strap buttons are a little bit weird, seeing as they're kind of barrel shaped- time will till if they work well. It seems very dependable.

Well, the company has been out of buisness since 1980 or so... From what I hear, some distant relative of the original owner still has a warehouse of parts, and you can buy them from him. Now that's service!

I've been playing for about 6 years now, and have eleven other electric guitars. This one is easily one of the best. I would love to buy another one, and probably will if I ever find another one- apparently there were only about 4000 made.

Probably my least favorite feature is the weight; the best feature is the fact that I basically got a Les Paul Custom for $400! Honestly, this guitar is built like a $4000 LP, and plays and sounds like one too. If you can find one, buy it!!

My Swede is probably 74-75, with what I believe to be all original parts, except a few small screws. I bought it very used at a guitar show in 1998. At that time I was actually looking for a good deal on a Les Paul, but when I picked this up and played it, I couldn't leave without it. It came without a case.

These days I mainly perform with my acoustic, but when I'm going electric, the music style ranges from blues to rock. The swede works great for these styles, both for chunky chords and soloing. I use a Gallien Kruger amp, mainly because of its portability, but I can imagine if this guitar were played through a tube amp it would be amazing. The sound is rich and full, but has great range. I had the electronics cleaned up by a pro just after I bought it, and I think he replaced one or two of the pots at that time.

I think this is one of the best-built guitars on the planet, specifically the body and neck. Some of the minor hardware is getting loose, the bridge is oxidized, and a peg tuner head fell off recently. But this guitar is 25+ years old, and I think it was played a lot before I got it.

This guitar has been absolutely dependable, although eventually I'll have to replace the tuners, and I'm not sure whether I'll replace them with original equipment, or better quality new tuners.

Company out of business.

I've been playing for 26 years, and I own a lot of equipment, but only one electric guitar, and this is it. If it were lost or stolen, I'd miss it because I wouldn't be able to afford a replacement guitar of the same quality and feel (I'm thinking $3000 for something this good new). But if I had all the money in the world, I might buy another Swede in mint condition, or at least fix up this one. Then I'd probably buy a new guitar as well.

My Swede is all mahogany and was probably from the mid 1970's, judging from the serial# and the hardware. The neck is a bolt-on, with a nice tight fit and very low action. I bought this guitar used, in very good condition, except the pickguard is missing. No big deal, it looks great without it. I could never figure that extra upper switch on the Swedes, but the upper position seems to be a tone cut, which basically is like rolling the tone to "0" with the flick of the switch. The other 2 positions are likely phase options.

The Swede looks similar to a Les Paul, but sounds and plays a lot like a really good Guild BluesBird. The notes have an acoustic, bright ringing quality to them and there is no muddiness. The pickups are relatively quiet, but will feed back at higher gain settings on my amp. The tone is bright and punchy with a lot of sustain. The note definition within distorted chords is fantastic. I can see this guitar used for a variety of music, from jazz to country to hard rock. It has a wide tonal range.

Why can't today's guitars be built like this?
The hardware is of good quality and the build quality is second to none.

This guitar has already survived some 25+ years. I expect it to last my lifetime. That's all that matters to me!

Hagstrom closed shop about 20 years ago.
My Swede's warrantee has long expired.

I love everything about my Swede, from its vintage vibe to the wonderful tones it produces. It is a fine instrument.

Hagstrom Swede, mid 70's. 2 volume, 2 tone, 3 way selector and well, I'm not too sure what the other switch does, almost acts like a tone cut. Two humbucker pick-ups. Mine is a transparent red with white binding. Tuners are some of the neatest I've seen. Beats the standard Gibson or Fender style in looks and the performance of them is quite good. I got a case with it with a plush purple lining.

I play a wide variety of music and it's never let me down yet. The tone sweep is beautiful for going from jazz to rock so you don't have to search for the tone "sweet spot" while on stage. The controls on mine are beginning to show their age. The bridge pickup volume goes from 10 to half and then back to about seven when all the way down so that is slightly annoying but it's not a hard repair. The treble pickup is beautiful for country, nice and bright but still full. I use a Fender Deville tube amp with it and the clean on the neck pickup is great, so full.

I didn't get the guitar new so I don't know how it was set up at the factory but mine plays like a dream. The frets are a touch low, I think the've been done once and slight rattling on the 6 string F. It plays better than my 96 SG though.

This guitar has withstood all that I've used it for without any problems. Good solid hardware that will last forever. The beginnings of slight oxidation on the hardware though but I can live. I read that a few people have had problems with the strap buttons but I haven't encountered that yet. It will probably happen at my next gig. I don't think I would use it on a gig without a backup just purely on the fact that I wouldn't want to take that chance and no one in the audience wants to watch you change strings in the middle of a performance.

Haven't looked into it

I've been playing for 8 years and am currently attending a music school so I need something that I can depend on and sounds good. My only regret is that I didn't get them to put in a new pot when I bought it. I just had a guitar stolen,I don't know if I could go through an ordeal like that again, but I would definitely buy another one. I love the fact that it sounds great and it's unique. I'm not just another Les Paul guy. I don't really hate anything about it at all. I tried some Les Pauls but this one just fit me much better and it was much cheaper. Alot of people complain about the weight but I really like the solid feel you get when you play it. It doesn't feel like it's going to crumble in your hands. I also own a Gibson SG, a gibson 295 with P-90's and a strat and this can approximate the sound of all three with the right adjustments

I have both a cherry red Swede and a transparent blue Super Swede. The Swede is probably mid-70's in origin; I think the Super Swede was made in about 1980. Bought both by mail, the Swede from Canada and the SS from ... Sweden, of all places. They are both in near mint condition, despite their age.

These are solid body Les Paul inspired guitars, the top of the Hagstrom line, and are of very high quality. The Swede has a bolt-on neck, but still has excellent sustain and stays in tune extremely well. The necks are LP-like, not like the Hagstrom II or III, which were exceptionally thin and flat. I much prefer the Swede necks (and I own an HIII as well). Fairly flat radius, good for fingerstyle as well as playing with a pick. Fretboards are nicely bound ebony. The headstocks are beautiful, glossy ebony with pearloid Hagstrom inlay. They are heavy guitars, but comfortable to hold and play.

Interestingly, both of my Swedes have had the pickups replaced, although one came with the original pickups included. Tuners are original. I rather like them, but seem to be in the minority here. They work and both guitars stay in tune.

I play a pretty eclectic mix, from blues and rock to fingerstyle music in altered tunings. I have played these through a variety of amps, but mostly through a Trace Velocette tube amp which is a nice sound. I like them both through just about every amp I've tried, and I often practice with them unplugged - both resonate nicely. A word about that: I thought the Swede was absolutely perfect, with terrific sustain -- my second favorite guitar after a Fender custom shop Nocaster relic. Then I got the Super Swede. This guitar has a set-neck and also has a zero fret just below the nut. It sustains forever. A chord I played last month is still ringing away on the guitar, after I put it back in the case. Unbelieveable.

The tone is nice and full; you can get glassy to crunch, but I would like to see what these guitars would do with other pickups, too. I don't think I am an expert in this area, but I know what I like.

As far as fit & finish go, I would say it's pretty hard to beat these. One is 25 years old, the other 20, and they are nearly perfect. They are solid, the action is great, they stay in tune. The necks are extremely comfortably, with nice binding on the fretboard and very nicely finished frets (which I don't think have been touched since they were built). I doubt you could touch an American made guitar of this quality for less than $3000, and you would have to look for a while to find anything this classy looking. The blue super swede in particular is stunning.

These guitars were built by people who were obviously real craftsmen, and who put a great deal of pride in what they were making. After more than two decades, both instruments look and play like they are nearly new - the exception being some intermittent noise in the tone and volume knobs, no doubt from oxidation or corrosion from the passage of time. These are guitars for people who love guitars, and unless mistreated, I expect they will last another fifty years. All guitars should be built so well.

Well, Hagstrom went out of business in 1982, or thereabouts, so if there is any customer support I am not aware of it. If a Swede is in good shape to begin with, and is well treated, you probably won't need any.

I have been playing for about thirty years. I have a couple of tube amps and several other guitars. If I lost either of these, I would miss them badly - even though for the most part I lean toward teles and strats. I love the look of these instruments - they are classy and beautiful - and I love the feel of the neck and the contoured body. I don't like the weight, but that's part of the package with a solid mahogany, carved-top guitar. The one that came from Sweden had an unwanted surprise - the customs' fee, which was significant. I didn't know enough to ask about it in advance, and they collected it on delivery. The blue super swede is stunning; I have been told that only about six super swedes in this color were ever made. I would not be able to replace it if lost. Swedes are one of the best bargains you will ever find in used guitars; it is a shame Hagstrom is not still in business.

1977-78 Swede-D'Aquisto designed tuners-2 H/B pickups-Les Paul style-
I agree with most everyone-this guitar is HEAVY-but there are contours on the back side so it is comfortable to play-Swedish made,fabulous neck-3 way p/u switch & separate bright switch-Mine is a Mahogany finish model-1st-the tuners which everyone seems to hate are very sensitive and IMHO are a good positive for this guitar. Hagstrom tune-a-matic style bridge. Overall, a very nice guitar.

I play fusion & rock and the sound of this guitar is one of its strong points-It has a very unique glassy type tone that is not easily defined.Not quite as loud as Gibson pickups, but I would not say that they are weak pick ups either. Running through Line 6 amp-very excellent clean tones and responds well to effects.

I bought this guitar used and unfortunately Hagstrom is no longer in business. The guitar I got was in excellent original condition so I'm pretty lucky. The guitar is built like a tank so I doubt I'll have any problems. Very high quality made instrument.This was Hagstrom's top of the line model.

After 25 years and the guitar is still virtually new I would say this guitar is reliable and built to last.

Company out of business-wish they were still making guitars

Been playing over 30 years-I have Fenders, Gibsons, U.S.Epiphones, I'm somewhat a collector as well. Very unique sound and the neck is fabulous-Always wanted a Hag-thought I would get one before they catch on.If it was ripped off it would be hard to get another(especially in excellent condition)I won't modify it-VERY HEAVY GUITAR

I bought this Swedish build guitar in a used gear shop and got it very cheap I think a few years ago. My model still looks like it actually never has been played although it must be 20 years old.
It's beautiful all-mahogny (which makes it heavy, but reliable) Les Paul style guitar, with two switches, one for hi-end cutoff and one for pickup changes bridge/both/neck.

I am still amazed how well this guitar is keeping in tune, the tuners are whoa, the best I've ever seen. This guitar just can't go out of tune, it can be played hard for days and I have only to make minor adjustments. I've had it lying for 3 months+ and it was perfectly in tune when I picked it up again! It totally beats my Ibanex, Lo-pro-edge system.. and it's just regular tuners nothing else. Magical!

It has an ebony fretboard with frets that are a bit to thin for my liking, but that's all about taste.

I got it with a hardcase (which isn't as solid as the guitar, but still survived a 5 year old girl jumpin' on it). It has the sexiest red velour inside.

I would prefer this guitar for blues or jazz, even though I have used it for some funky stuff too. It's best for clean broad sounds (but still preserves that crunchy high), and the sound is very full. The best amp I played it with (for it's sound) is a JazzChorus 2x10", it simply sounded wonderful in combination with this guitar.

This is not the most versatile of guitars though, and I wouldn't keep it as my only guitar... Somehow I prefer the sound of either a hollow body or a regular strat-type guitar, and this one is just in-between with a sound that's sweet with alot of deep end, but certainly not usable in every situation.

The action is perfect, and it hasn't been adjusted while I've had it, and frankly I think it hasn't been touched since it was produced! I had to adjust the pickups a bit, coz they were too high (touched the strings on occasions, but no problem really).

My Hagstrom has no flaws at all.

I think it is almost impossible to kill this one, unless you do something really dumb with it, like setting it on fire or dropping it from tenth floor.

Everything about it is rock solid.

I saw there was a museum page, where it is possible to still get parts for Hagstrom guitars, but haven't had the need.

I've been playing for about 15 years, mostly jazz, funk and pop things. I've played a bit of different gear mostly using a preamp/poweramp/4x12 speaker cabinet setup, which is not what I would ideally prefer for this guitar.

If it was stolen, I think it would not be possible to find another guitar like the one I have, at least not in this good shape, so probably I would not be looking... But, I would cry my eyes out.

I never regretted buying this guitar even though it might not be the one I play the most. Can't help to love it for being beuatiful, perfectly tuned and reliable. Only con is the sound, which is nice, but not very versatile.

One of the last Swedes made, bought new it from their store just a couple of months before they closed down.
A Les Paul Copy better than Les Paul?

I am just using it for fun, used to have a fender twin reverb amp but now using a small marshall. The sound can be anything from jazz to distorted. Has an incredible sustain, can hold a tone almost forever.

Bought it new and all I have done during 25 years is changed strings, its still in almost mint condidtion. Never had to change any factory settings and the smooth action together with the perfect hagstrom neck is wonderful. If not abused these guitars will propably serve my son and his sons to.

I can onestly say that its lucky that Pete Townsend to my knowledge never tried to smash one of these, he propably would have been standing there today.

There seems still to be fairly easy to get hold of spares to these although i doubt that enu would need them.