Hagstrom HL-550

[Rob MacKillop]

First video...through THR 10C amp.

[Gitterbug]

Sounds like jazz guitar to me! The Hagstrom brand was resurrected some 15 years ago, with the Swedish family somehow involved. While the MIC build quality has gotten better all the time, the Viking semis and Swede solid bodies with derivatives have been prioritized over archtops, for obvious reasons. Price-wise, new ones are stuck in the Death Valley between 500 and 1000 clams. I'm currently drawn to their 339-sized Alvar, but a lighter Casino Coupe might serve my needs better.

[Rob MacKillop]

I must read up on their history, which I know nothing about.

[neatomic]

nice rob...smokey tone..glad the string change did the trick..it often does...seemed like nice balance throughout...

congrats on the new amp as well!!! hah


cheers

[wintermoon]

Sounds good!

[Rob MacKillop]

Oh, I've had this amp for a few years, since they came out. However, lately it started cutting out, and sometimes not starting at all - hence the quick video. I think dropping it from a high table might not have gone well with its inner organs! So, I bought the same as a replacement, from eBay, and it should arrive tomorrow. Fine little amps for my teaching room.

Yes, it sounds not bad, and is fun to play. Still prefer the 503, though, with the Creamery CC. Unfortunately, Jaime got back to me saying he can't make one for me - doesn't have the hardware for floaters. I'll just leave it as is for a while, and think about it again in the new year.

[Greco]

Sounded great!

However, the tone could very likely be due, in part, to the scarf by Rhona.

[Bbmaj7#5#9]

It’s always nice to hear and see a Hagström guitar. Lovely! When it comes to archtops I rather prefer P-90 pickups than humbuckers. I wouldn’t say ”no” to a Charlie Christian pickup either, but there’s something about the combination between P-90 pickups and archtops that sounds so perfect to my ears.

[Rob MacKillop]

Sounded great!

However, the tone could very likely be due, in part, to the scarf by Rhona.

Don't tell her - she'll charge me for it!

[omphalopsychos]

I'm liking those lines Rob. Nice guitar too.

[Rob MacKillop]

Cheers, my friend. Some are my own, some deranged from elsewhere. The usual

[citizenk74]

I think all Hagstroms have the same basic neck design, which is famous for being rock-solid straight and stable forever. They figured out something about necks and it allowed to make a "fast" neck that was super stable. I love my 1960's era Hagstrom I.

For my first Have Guitar: Will Travel gig the leader had a Hagstrom identical with yours, LS. He had had it since high school and it lived in the trunk of his car, through winters every bit as nasty as Sweden's. The strings had never been changed. At my insistence, and on my dime, I annually installed a set of 0.011s and touched up the intonation, which was, after the first time, perfunctory; one might say, performative. I can confirm your report on Hagstrom necks. The owner had taped an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper on the back with a partial list of songs (over 200) filling the sheet with fine and neat print in pencil. He knew, of course, a lot more than that, those were just off the top of his head. He played rock-solid rhythm and had a great voice, and did it stone-cold sober. He also told great jokes, most of them NSFW. I miss him.

You've got a nice guitar, there, Rob!

[Rob MacKillop]

Great background story, k!

[Max405]

Rob,
I love your spirit man. I could watch and listen to you play 12 hours a day, and listen to you talk for the other 12! You are a breath of fresh air over here buddy.
The guitar is sweet. Sweden’s other gift to the world..
Thanks for sharing and always being you!
Your friend, Joe D

[Rob MacKillop]

Ha, cheers Joe. I couldn't talk for 12 hours, but I could probably play for that long, though I doubt much of it would be of interest! But I appreciate your comments, Joe, while I look forward to your next video.

[lawson-stone]

For my first Have Guitar: Will Travel gig the leader had a Hagstrom identical with yours, LS. He had had it since high school and it lived in the trunk of his car, through winters every bit as nasty as Sweden's. The strings had never been changed. At my insistence, and on my dime, I annually installed a set of 0.011s and touched up the intonation, which was, after the first time, perfunctory; one might say, performative. I can confirm your report on Hagstrom necks. The owner had taped an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper on the back with a partial list of songs (over 200) filling the sheet with fine and neat print in pencil. He knew, of course, a lot more than that, those were just off the top of his head. He played rock-solid rhythm and had a great voice, and did it stone-cold sober. He also told great jokes, most of them NSW. I miss him.

You've got a nice guitar, there, Rob!

Maybe we need a Hagström Love thread!

[neatomic]

prior hagstrom love here-
Hagstrom Jazz Guitars?

cheers

[Woody Sound]

Attachment 66917

Mother-of-Toiletseat binding, cool!

[Bbmaj7#5#9]

I agree with lawson-stone. We need more Hagström threads in this world!

[neatomic]

I agree with lawson-stone. We need more Hagström threads in this world!

spoken like a true super swede!! hahai remember peak fusion era coryell played hagstroms...and later when they came back..he played them again..shortly before passing..rip

tho i think hagstroms real importance was in modern bass design..hagstrom came up with the big bisonic bass pickups that guild used on their basses...which were used by the lovin spoonful, the byrds, lesh of the grateful dead, cassady of the airplane etc etc..which lead to the first bass modders ala alembic!!!..who worked on lesh and cassady guild basses...the rest is modern bass history...i.e. stanley clarke, mark king etc


cheers