1960s Hagstrom I

Description

Hagstrom made their name as an accordion maker but in the late 50’s started producing some cool guitars and basses in their Swedish factory. This Hagstrom I, also called an F-200 on models branded “Kent” is a unique piece that plays exceptionally well and has a cool tone. Made in the 1960’s, the wooden body has a vinyl covering with a raised Plexiglas top and large raised-even-more plastic pickguard. It features a single volume control, dual pickups, and controls for L (neck pickup on/off), H (bridge pickup on/off), Tone (bright switch), and Mute. Other features include a birch body and bolt-on neck with rosewood fretboard, Fender-style headstock and dot position markers, Van Ghent machine heads, and a unique but very useable Hagstrom-made tremolo bridge. It’s pictured without trem arm but we’ll find something that fits prior to shipping. It also features Hagstom’s patented H-expander truss rod which allows a low action and prevents neck twists or warpage. This is probably the reason why so many of these play exceptionally well today. You don’t see many of these in this pastel blue which is very close to Fender’s Daphne Blue, a vast majority are black, red or white. Overall in really nice shape with the only real flaws being the typical fine cracks in the Plexiglas around screws. They are not a problem. Neck is very much a wide/thin, very thin in fact. It has very low action and the single coil tone falls between a Strat and a P90 tone, although not as powerful as a P90. Super nice find for the Hagstrom or vintage collector at $699. Includes a vintage case that may or may not be original. It is not an 80s Japan case – the latches most likely place it no later than the 70s. Case is in nice shape as well.