Hagstrom Swede Review Part 2
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- The Swedish Guitar Nerd finally reviews a guitar designed in Sweden! The Hagstrom Swede. Part 2 of 2
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swedishguitarnerd
Thanks for putting together such a clear, informative and entertaining review. I've been looking into getting a les paul style guitar and, thanks to this and a few other video demos, I've finally decided to go with the Swede. Keep up the awesome work!
Thank you for the kind words! The Swede is the best (by far) Les Paul-style guitar I have ever tried.
Gorgeous specimen, been lookin for one used. Thanks nerd, long time viewer bro. Take care friend
Thanks a lot for watching! Good luck on your guitar hunt!
I'd say it's well worth it's price. Absolutely brilliant guitar!
Thanks! That means a lot to me. The good thing about having an independent channel is that I don't have to care that much what anyone thinks of what I'm doing. I'm glad that some people enjoy my videos though! :) I'd love to do those guitars. I just haven't had the opportunity yet.
Thanks for the in depth review. I already bought one but its good to know what to expect when it comes in the mail.
I really recommend it! I hope you'll enjoy yours when it arrives! Feel free to write and tell me what you think of it.
It's amazing! Very happy with it. Makes even my cheap amp sound good.
Karl Dilkington Awesome! It's better to have a good guitar than a good amp :)
That's the best way to do it! Noone can tell you what's right or wrong for you (not even me!). Don't ever believe in the hype or commercials. Your hands and ears will tell the truth.
thanks for the review and I hope you recover soon from your head injury
I have a 1974 Swede, made in Sweden, and if you want it, you'll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers. The originals were made with Schaller tuning machines, but mine was refitted with Grover Imperials. Also, the bridge pickup was replaced with a Seymour Duncan humbucker. Playing it through a Marshall amp, you get everything from sweet mellow to a belchfire crunch, all with passive pickups. BTW, on the older models, the pickup selector is on the bottom, and the tone switch is on the top.
Oh I had no idea that they moved the selectors! I'd love to have one of those vintage ones. They cost far less than a new Gibson Les Paul here so it would be a no-brainer if I ever was to get a Les Paul-styled guitar. Thanks for the input!
You can't touch a vintage Swede for less than 3000 USD these days. You're better off buying a new one, and getting the schematic from the Swedish factory for the older models. I know someone who did that, and he was very impressed with the outcome.
They're still relatively cheap in Sweden. Maybe I should start an export company..
LOL, you might at that.
Cyrus Keith oo
Thanks man! Yes I agree, this truly is one of the best Les Paul-style guitars.
Thanks a lot!! I'm one of the few independent guitar reviewers on youtube. Most others are payed by the guitar companies or music stores. Do you think they'll tell you about the weak parts?.. Again, thanks a lot for the encouraging comment!
I have an original Sweden 1971. The most versatile guitar I had ever played. Can make it sound like a LP, like a strato or a Tele connected directly to the amp (Orange Tiny Terror). So, now I let my others guitars take a break (Fender USA, Music Man JP, Ibanez, PRS, etc)
You're a very lucky man!
Hey Swede, I was really happy to see you review this guitar, and despite what some people say I really enjoy the format of your reviews. I don't know if you take requests, but if you do I'd love to see you review the squire classic vibe 50s telecaster, or an ibanez gio. Thanks!
Great unbiased review. I owned and played an original Swede for years.Since it was stolen I bought a new Swede, the same as yours - black with creme pickguard.The super 58 pickups are really great, plays better than any other LP style guitar I tried, including Gibson's. I got a great hardshell case for an extra $75. But there are 2 different cases being sold - one is made in China and is cheap in quality, the other is made in Canada and is good quality-you can tell by the very thick plush lining
Great review. Finally someone who doesn't say they like everything about the guitar they are reviewing. Every instrument has strong and weak points, just like cars. No one guitar does everything, and actually I am looking at reviews to see what people don't like, and then I think "would that matter to me" or "would that bother me too". Thanks again for the post.
I may be Wrong but I think Brent Mason was playing one of these when he arrived in Nashville....
Thank you for such a great review, I have to say I am done with les Paul since I've been playing these, it's nice to play on guitars that stay in tune
Rick Frier Thank YOU for watching and the nice comments!!
Tak for videoen, meget informativt og objektivt. Keep on rockin :)
Yes it does. I didn't really expect it to be that useful.
Another brilliant review. The guitar looks and sounds fantastic. You should review a guitar with P90 pickups? that would be cool.
Seeing this comment is 9 years old, but I wanted to say that I put P90 pickups into this very guitar. It really unleashes the vintage crunchy tone of the 70s. It gave more dexterity to the tone knobs and switches. I run my tone knobs all the way down at 2-5 for casual playing now. Anything higher is great for leads. I found that Hagstrom factory pickups are solid. I just run the P90s because I like how it sounds on the dirty channel of my Orange amp
Oh my! That means a lot to me. My ambition was just what you describe. To be a totally independent reviewer. This upsets a lot of people since I don't always tell the "truth" that magazines and ads feed us with. People don't fully understand how much nonsense we're fed. Comments like this really makes me want to continue my mission!
I really come to trust your opinion over the years and actually took your advice quite a bit when dealing with pawn shops on budget models....cant google everything lol
@@captainhowdy3104 Thanks a lot man! That means a lot to me. Wait a minute.. Should I stay away from Captain Howdy like mr Snider told me to?
@@SwedishGuitarNerd lol, first person to make strange land reference lol.....usually get the Linda Blair or exorcist comment lol.
Nice honest review, good in depth info on the Hagstrom name and history. (yes I watched part 1 aswell) I have a Hagstrom Viking myself, I think it's like a 2007/2008 reissue model, since I got it back then. I've been compairing it a bunch of other ES models at the affordable end of the pricerange and ended up getting the Hagsrtom. My reasons: It was better compaired to the Epiphone ES models I tried, aswell as being slightly different. It also looks classy without being too flashy. It does stand the test of time as I've gigged with it and took it to bandrehearsels, yet not taken as much care of it as I should have. It's still around in my collection of Fenders and Gibsons. I am kinda wanting to get the Viking a little Hagstrom brother so that how I ended up at your videos.
Thanks for the nice comment! Yes Hagstrom make great guitars and I would choose them any day over a Gibson one.
Why these tone knobs barely works has me somewhat baffled. I'm considering replacing them with the Tonestyler pots by Stellartone. They have 6, 10, or 16 selectable capacitors and roll off points. It would make this guitar much more versatile. They also have a footswitchable one but the last thing I need are more pedals to deal with. Anyway, great reviews-keep them coming!
Thanks for answering.
When I was testing guitars in the shop, the Swede was the one who felt best for me.
But that's just personal I think.
Did it come with a white pickguard? The ones I see online have a black pickguard.
Yes this was completely stock. 2010 model I think.
I can add that to my upcoming reviews. Would love to do the Ultra Swede. Not sure when I will be able to though..
Great review. Complete and well explained. Good job. Thanx
Thanks man!
1. It is rather heavy, but weighs less than a Epiphone Les Paul for instance.
2. It does stay in tune. It comes with very good tuners. There will always be problems with the G-string but that's the way it is with all 3 a side tuners. (And basically all guitars)
Great sound, i think that this sounds better than the Les Paul.
I agree!
That's an Ovation Longneck made in the USA :) Thanks for watching!
i just got a super swede. where can i find out info on the serial number?
I would send Hagstrom Guitars an email. They seem to have used several systems for their serial numbers over the years. If it's a newer one you can tell what year it was made from the first two numbers.
thanks man i appreciate your response ill have to email them then. thanks again.@@SwedishGuitarNerd
I totally agree on that. It's not too unlikely that they're even using the same factory..
Many of your comments apply to my Hagstrom P bass copy of 1980 very slim neck and features not found on others like built in damper. Build quality is excellent but the neck is its weakness, tends to bend needing truss adjustment, I do not get this with Maple necks. When I bought this new it was a choice between the Fender, both much the same price and quality and design swung it for me. Like the review.
+klystron44 Is it the one that looks like it's a neck-through? Thanks for your comment!
I haven't played a Gibson Les Paul Standard in a while, but I'm quite sure the sounds are rather similar. Maybe a bit more high midrange definition in the Hagstrom. I you ask which I would choose than I'd go for the Hagstrom without a doubt.
tjena mannen!
1. G-strängarna är avsevärt stabilare om du intonerar gitarren med en spunnen g-sträng. Har alltid fungerat för mig.
2. Hur hög output är det på stallmicken? Om du jämför med andra kända high-output mickar? Skulle du beskriva de som typ PAF kopior?
I can buy a Super Swede new for the same price as a Swede. What difference can I expect? I'm just an intermediate player. Good get? I have a Hagstrom dreadnought by the way. Thanks.
The main difference is that the Super Swede has a longer Fender style scale length 25,5 inches) and neck. The Swede has a Gibson style scale length 24 3/4 inches) and neck. Other than that the Super Swede has coil-splits so you can get a single coil sound out of it. The Swede has the tone filters I demonstrate in the video. Besides this they are very similar guitars.
SwedishGuitarNerd Also, the Super Swede has a maple top. The Swede is all mahogany.
True
Fin recension! Kändes väldigt tydlig och jag fick en bra bild av gitarren😊 Har gått och funderat på om jag ska köpa en Hagström, har bestämt mig nu efter att jag sett detta! Nu måste jag bara bestämma ifall jag ska ha en Viking eller Swede😬😎
Vad bra att jag kunde hjälpa till! :)
excellent review...some actual information. thanks. you play well too.
+Ace Judson Thanks a lot! That's a rare comment :)
can u start doing a sustain test where u play the same exact note on every guitar and see how many seconds it lasts? also, please do a review on the ultra swede.
Oh! Thanks a lot!!
As I said I'm not sure about the radius, but it looked flatter than my guitar that has a 12" radius. I didn't really think about it when I played though.
Hey, great video
I have got 2 questions for you and i hope you can answer them ! It would be very helpful for me
Which weight has got this guitar ?
Does it stay in tune ?
Found a Dark King Swede on eBay, it's my favorite guitar atm. Fretts aren't perfect but definitely ok.
Awesome! I want a Hagström guitar too!
Hey nice guitar, what amp was this with? It sounds great
Really good review, and nice playing too. Did you ever get one in the end? I have to say I'm very tempted.
I still don't have one. I just bought my first Les Paul-style guitar. An Odin 600 - another Swedish design/made in China. The Hagström is fantastic though!
And thanks a LOT for the nice comment!!
Axe of the gods...☺
Hahaha!
Thank you!
I have this guitar and I'm really happy with it. I know it sounds a little stupid but how would you compare its sound to the sound of (a new much more expensive) Gibson Les Paul Standard? I'm just curious about it and I can't compare them since I don't have real Les Paul.
Great review by the way. :p
Tack ska DU ha!
Nice guitar. .
It certainly is!
They both do those styles well. The Hagstrom will suit old metal/rock better and the LTD will suit more modern styles better. They both have slim necks and are easy to play.
Thank you!! There will definitely be P90s soon. Stay tuned!
As usual it's just my Zoom G1 multieffect/amp-simulator. Watch my one hour long demo of if you have the time and patience :)
Hey i really like your Review but i have a question about one of the other guitars in the Background;)
Who is the builder of the red western? Is it tomson? if yes what Serie or Name has it?
greetz from germany
Does the wood get in the way of you're hand at the cut out like you said of the Epiphone ? Likewise Is the headstock in danger of breaking off as well ?
Yes and yes. The Les Paul-shape is not really perfect for the getting to the high frets. And the headstock is in danger since it's tilted and doesn't have a volute in the back.
SwedishGuitarNerd
Thank you.
What year it was made? I'm wondering because you've said couple of times something about being ahead of time and such.
This must have been a 2009/2010 model.
awesome review, i been considering this guitar for a long time... im absolutely in love with how it looks, it seems like its a well made guitar, but it would be my most expensive purchase :P maybe add to the wish list, thank you!
Hagstroms are such wicked guitars.I'd love to own a vintage Swede one day.
I own a 2005/2005 acoustic which I love and would never part with.
Vintage Swede are indeed more desirable than vintage Gibsons :)
Very nice Guitar 👍
Meik1970 It sure is.
finally someone who says something critical about gear. Mostly either reviewers are trying to sell the gear reviewed, they review gear in magazines that a couple of pages further is represented in an advertisement (and they got money for), or they are owners that think their own guitar is better than the next one. It creates this ultra conformist atmosphere I thought rock music was supposed to shy away from and worse, it tells you next to nothing about the gear. Anyway, thanks for the review!
Need more old format brother
As soon as guitars pass my way I'll review them.. :)
@@SwedishGuitarNerd what if I sent you a sammick Greg Bennett h.s.s. strat.....I think they call it the malibu
@@captainhowdy3104 I'd make a full talk-for-hours review about it! Write me at swedishguitarnerd@gmail.com 😀
@@SwedishGuitarNerd cool, I may just buy new for fair review. Let me check the condition of mine, I'm pretty sure its original, parts and all. I'm deathbyelectrocution@gmail.com
Det är traditionell utsignal skulle jag säga men betydligt klarare mellanregister och diskant än till exempel Epiphone's mickar.
Please, either: a) raise the recording volume of your narration, b) turn down the recording volume for the guitar, c) edit the audio of your videos, or d) take an ice cold shower before you record these videos. Nobody's likes having to ride the volume level of their computer speakers just to watch a video. Thanks.
Haha Great review buddy. Funny too
It's a common problem on Chinese guitars. I can't understand why they keep making tone pots like that.
Thanks for that info! They should steal the pickup technology from Hagstroms factory then :)
i do wat i can
Yeah I think it can do a decent Gretch-impersonating
The clean sound sounds rather Gretsch-like...
I like it (y)
Hmm...well..the DO have it on the SUPER SWEDES :D Just in a bit different place! Cmon bro... :(
Elina Suni WRONG. That's a coil split mini switch that you're seeing on the Super Swede, not a tone filter. (I have two)
"Come on, bro. :("