as those on Hagstrom’s über-popular Swede
guitar model), the instrument screams classic. The 6-position, chickenhead pickup
selector on the treble bout is a nice touch
(more on that shortly), and the Hagstrom-designed, alnico- 5 Dyna Rail humbuckers,
with their “Razer-Mesh” covers, runneth
over with vintage vibe.
Oftentimes instruments as affordable as
the new Viking exhibit finishing touches
that are a little rough, but this bass not only
featured a flawless transparent wild-cherry
finish, but it also felt really solid—no mys-
tery rattles, loose screws, or fittings. The
binding on the body and the thin, low-pro-
file neck was beautiful, but, more impor-
tantly, the neck passed my initial “cut test”
(which entails running my hands down
the sides of the neck to check for sharp
fret ends). For whatever reason, smoothing
down the fret ends is not always a priority
in some factories, but not in this case. They
were smooth as silk.
REVIEW > HAGSTROM
to keep it level, having taken a bit of a dive
when I attached a strap. The strap button
is behind the heel, and though I appreciate
the nod to the classics, a little more balance
would be welcomed.
Tone Time
For this review, I plugged the Viking into a
trusty 1965 Ampeg B- 18, an Eden WT800
and D410XLT, and a Korg headphone amp.
I was wrong in thinking beforehand that I
would only hear long-gone tones from the
Summer of Love—this bass is way more
flexible than the vintage classic I expected.
With the volume and tone controls cranked
and the rotary switch engaging both pickups, the tone was rock solid and powerful,
which got me wondering how I could work
it into my next gig.
Hagstrom 22: 1 die-cast tuners
Composite fretboard
with block inlays
I was wrong in thinking beforehand that I
would only hear long-gone tones from the
summer of love—this bass is way more flexible
than the vintage classic I expected.
premierguitar.com
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