Hagstrom Swede Guitar

[Turtle]

Hey - i have just traded my MIM Fat strat for a Hagstom Swede. Sounds pretty good with my Marshall but wondering if anyone knows much about the pups in this guitar? They sound really dark for the most part (muddy in some settings) Still playing with settings but wondering if anyone has had this model and replaced the pups with something else. Any advise or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks ...

Turtle

[t_ross33]

Hey Turtle...

I recently picked up a Hag Ultra Swede and am blown away at how BRIGHT it sounds for a 'bucker guitar. Granted it does have a thinner/lighter body than the Swede, but I think Hagstrom puts the same p'ups in both. I wonder if they have the same electronics (pot and cap values etc.?)....

[Bloozcat]

Hey - i have just traded my MIM Fat strat for a Hagstom Swede. Sounds pretty good with my Marshall but wondering if anyone knows much about the pups in this guitar? They sound really dark for the most part (muddy in some settings) Still playing with settings but wondering if anyone has had this model and replaced the pups with something else. Any advise or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks ...

Turtle

Robert bought one and reviewed it a few months ago. Here's the link:
http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=14212

The Swede has a thick, heavy, all mahogany body (2-piece mahogany body with carved mahogany top), which makes it a darker guitar than a similar guitar with a 3/4" maple top over a mahogany body. Still, you can get some great tones, and even some bright tones, from the guitar depending on the amp used. In Robert's You Tube video you hear that quite clearly.

[Robert]

Thanks Blooz, yeah it's a sweet guitar. I don't know any details about the pickups, but I really like them.

[Bloozcat]

The limited information I've been able to find on the Hagstrom Custom 58 pickups that come as OEM on the Swede is as follows:

< Made in Korea to Hagstrom specs.
< Alnico V magnets.
< Bridge - 12.7k-ohm, Neck - 7.4k-ohm. **

The pickups are probably made in the same factory that makes pickups for Agile, Artec, Nico, and a whole host of other Korean and Chinese made guitars. That doesn't mean that the pickups are not well made, quite the contrary. I've heard many a pickup from this factory that sounds just as good as, or even better than some of those made by "the big boys" of after market pickups.

** I'm not sure how acurate this ohm rating spec is. I've only seen it listed in one review. Without additional information supporting these specs, I wouldn't necessarily consider it accurate.

[Turtle]

I'm playing it through a Marshall JCM 2000 TSL half stack - i am still trying to dial my setting in to that sweet spot, but it's coming. I don't think i will run right out and change the pups just yet; it does have some really nice tones, especially the clean stuff - very bright for a humbucker but sounds wonderful with a bit of chorus and delay going on. I removed the pick guard - i thought it looked kind of cheezy and cheap - the axe looks really nice without it. - thx everyone for the reponses.

Cheers....

Turtle :-)