NGOTWD

[Tadpui]

New Guitar On The Way Day!

Man, it's been a long time since I've bought a new guitar. I've been shopping for an ES-335 in Cherry Red with block inlays and a slim neck profile, but the only Gibson varieties that satisfy my criteria are in the $5000-$7000 range. As much as I really really want a legit ES-335, I just can't bring myself to spend that on a single instrument.

So I started shopping for knockoffs. The Epiphones just didn't excite me. I looked at Harley Benton, and while they're a great value per dollar, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I looked at Heritage, but they're almost as expensive as the real deal (and they fired all of their experienced builders a few years ago). I even looked at Dusenberg after Armi's awesome score recently but they're a little scarce and overpriced in the US (I'm still keeping an eye out because they make some really beautiful guitars).

Then I found this. A Hagstrom Super Viking. It checks all of my boxes. Transparent red, block inlays, a neck that doesn't profile as a baseball bat, modestly priced...and gorgeous. The wood under the finish doesn't seem to have much (if any) figuring or anything, so it looks a little bland. But Hagstrom's art deco appointments more than make up for it. It's a b-stock guitar, and after chatting with the store, apparently the cosmetic flaw that justifies this is a couple of milky spots in the clear coat on the front of the headstock. I can live with that.

The shop owner says his tech will give it a once-over today and it'll be in the mail tomorrow!

https://reverb.com/item/42143764-hagstr ... ransparent

[liv_rong]

Nice!

[WhiskeyJack]

Dang dude. that is a really nice guitar! good score!!!

[Tadpui]

Nice!

Dang dude. that is a really nice guitar! good score!!!

Thanks guys! I'm really excited to have a semi-hollow finally. I'm intrigued by Hagstrom as a brand. I think they manufacture in China, but they have such a good reputation that I couldn't resist.

I've bought a few guitars sight-unseen by now, and I've had pretty good luck with it. You never know how a guitar is going to feel until you get your hands on it, but I've got high hopes for this one. But there's always the nagging feeling that it's going to feel like crap or play horribly or refuse to stay in tune, etc. Mainly I just hope that UPS treats it well enough enroute that it arrives on my doorstep unscathed.

Now I've just gotta figure out where it's going to live. My guitar rack is full, and I don't have much spare wall space. I'll figure something out...

[CrowsofFritz]

You got it after all! That’s awesome! Record some good toans for us!

[WhiskeyJack]

Thanks guys! I'm really excited to have a semi-hollow finally. I'm intrigued by Hagstrom as a brand. I think they manufacture in China, but they have such a good reputation that I couldn't resist.

I have futzed around with a few hagstroms before at a shop here in town and there isn't anything at all wrong with them. They felt great, sounded great, looked sharp. Nothing quite as rad this one. If I had disposable income and saw a lefty model that caught my eye i'd snag one for sure.

Can't wait to see it!

Will you be doing an unboxing video or anything?

[muttley]

............The wood under the finish doesn't seem to have much (if any) figuring or anything, so it looks a little bland. But Hagstrom's art deco appointments more than make up for it. ..........

You don't want pretty wood under a 335 translucent finish. The originals were pretty tame and just laminate tops with some of them having fancy figured veneer backs.. Thats how I like them. That looks pretty cool for a 335 style. Good score, I hope it delivers for you.

[Tadpui]

You got it after all! That’s awesome! Record some good toans for us!

I did! I was close to pulling the trigger on a Harley Benton but then I saw this fella and couldn't resist. Plus the wife really likes how it looks, so that sealed the deal

I have futzed around with a few hagstroms before at a shop here in town and there isn't anything at all wrong with them. They felt great, sounded great, looked sharp. Nothing quite as rad this one. If I had disposable income and saw a lefty model that caught my eye i'd snag one for sure.

Can't wait to see it!

Will you be doing an unboxing video or anything?

That's good to know. I only know Hagstrom by 2nd hand reviews, so I'm anxious to get my hands on this one! I might do an unboxing, actually it'd be a good idea to film it anyways just in case it gets damaged and I'd have some leverage against UPS.

You don't want pretty wood under a 335 translucent finish. The originals were pretty tame and just laminate tops with some of them having fancy figured veneer backs.. Thats how I like them. That looks pretty cool for a 335 style. Good score, I hope it delivers for you.

That's good to know, Mutt. I've ogled the figured 335s at Gibson's upper end and they look really nice. But you're right, now that I look at more standard models, they're not all that fancy under the finish. Thanks, and I hope it's a good one as well!

[Armistice]

Nice score! But if you attract Mr Hagstrom Miro back here, there'll be trouble...

They had some Hagstroms at the place I bought the Duesenberg but I didn't play any.

[Tadpui]

Nice score! But if you attract Mr Hagstrom Miro back here, there'll be trouble...

They had some Hagstroms at the place I bought the Duesenberg but I didn't play any.

LOL yeah I thought about that...but I kept my trap shut

The nearest place to me that sells Dusenbergs is hundreds of miles away, and only had 1 in stock on their web page. In order to actually touch more than one, I'd have to hop on a plane and make a weekend of it. But I'm definitely keeping my eyes open for them. Such cool designs.

[rayc]

Tad becomes the new Miro?
As an owner of a Harley Benton hollow body 12 string Rick knock off i can tell you the quality is quite good and the sound is fab.
As the owner of an Epiphone Sheraton II...rather like the 335...I can tell you it's really good but HEAVY.
Well done mate..enjoy.

[Tadpui]

Tad becomes the new Miro?
As an owner of a Harley Benton hollow body 12 string Rick knock off i can tell you the quality is quite good and the sound is fab.
As the owner of an Epiphone Sheraton II...rather like the 335...I can tell you it's really good but HEAVY.
Well done mate..enjoy.

Easy now, Ray LOL

I'm almost certainly going to return to Harley Benton because I've got a couple other guitar wants/needs to satisfy in the near future. Their stuff is so incredibly affordable, I thinking of getting one of their baritone guitars and their LP Junior knockoff. I could get both of those for less than I paid for this one 335 knockoff. And they get very good user reviews.

[musicturtle]

Awesome!

I love NGD!

[Lt. Bob]

I had a Hagstrom Swede and it was a great guitar even if Miro had like 20 of them,.

[WhiskeyJack]

I forgot about Miro. lol.

[JD01]

That's really nice, Tad. Hope it works out.
Make sure you give us an update when it arrives. I'm sure if there's any drawbacks it won't be anything you can't sort with a bit of setup work.

[Greg_L]

New Guitar On The Way Day!

Man, it's been a long time since I've bought a new guitar. I've been shopping for an ES-335 in Cherry Red with block inlays and a slim neck profile, but the only Gibson varieties that satisfy my criteria are in the $5000-$7000 range. As much as I really really want a legit ES-335, I just can't bring myself to spend that on a single instrument.

So I started shopping for knockoffs. The Epiphones just didn't excite me. I looked at Harley Benton, and while they're a great value per dollar, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I looked at Heritage, but they're almost as expensive as the real deal (and they fired all of their experienced builders a few years ago). I even looked at Dusenberg after Armi's awesome score recently but they're a little scarce and overpriced in the US (I'm still keeping an eye out because they make some really beautiful guitars).

Then I found this. A Hagstrom Super Viking. It checks all of my boxes. Transparent red, block inlays, a neck that doesn't profile as a baseball bat, modestly priced...and gorgeous. The wood under the finish doesn't seem to have much (if any) figuring or anything, so it looks a little bland. But Hagstrom's art deco appointments more than make up for it. It's a b-stock guitar, and after chatting with the store, apparently the cosmetic flaw that justifies this is a couple of milky spots in the clear coat on the front of the headstock. I can live with that.

The shop owner says his tech will give it a once-over today and it'll be in the mail tomorrow!

https://reverb.com/item/42143764-hagstr ... ransparent

Dude that's awesome. I love it. I'm also on the look for a semi-hollow and have had my eyes on these, or a Guild Starfire. They're damn near identical. Good luck with it!

[Tadpui]

Awesome!

I love NGD!

Thanks Tony! I love NGD too, although it's been since about 2015 since I've experienced one!

I had a Hagstrom Swede and it was a great guitar even if Miro had like 20 of them,.

The Swede / Super Swede really looks like a great guitar. I learned that the "Super" designation means that they have a Fender-like scale length, as opposed to the shorter Gibson scale length. So it'll be interesting to play a 335-style guitar with a 25.5" scale. I'm looking forward to it!

That's really nice, Tad. Hope it works out.
Make sure you give us an update when it arrives. I'm sure if there's any drawbacks it won't be anything you can't sort with a bit of setup work.

Thanks JD! I have all of the tools and about half of the experience that it'll take to get it set up

Dude that's awesome. I love it. I'm also on the look for a semi-hollow and have had my eyes on these, or a Guild Starfire. They're damn near identical. Good luck with it!

Thanks! I came across a couple Starfires as I was shopping. I do like the looks of them, very classy instruments. And they've been around for a really long time. I think Jerry Garcia played one before he even joined the Dead (I read that yesterday as I was trying to figure out what he used on the Live/Dead album...it was an SG thru a cranked Twin. That was before his tone went to shit )

[Armistice]

Nice score! But if you attract Mr Hagstrom Miro back here, there'll be trouble...

They had some Hagstroms at the place I bought the Duesenberg but I didn't play any.

LOL yeah I thought about that...but I kept my trap shut

The nearest place to me that sells Dusenbergs is hundreds of miles away, and only had 1 in stock on their web page. In order to actually touch more than one, I'd have to hop on a plane and make a weekend of it. But I'm definitely keeping my eyes open for them. Such cool designs.

I've got to tell you, every time I open the case and look at my new guitar, I just think, wow... that's so nice. And as a result I pull it out and play something and... god damn it, have I just invented the basis of ANOTHER song?

I'm not much in a singing, detailed recording mood at the moment, but jeez I'm getting some ideas down - exactly what you want in a new guitar. Hopefully you'll get the same thing happening with your new baby when it arrives.

[Tadpui]

I've got to tell you, every time I open the case and look at my new guitar, I just think, wow... that's so nice. And as a result I pull it out and play something and... god damn it, have I just invented the basis of ANOTHER song?

I'm not much in a singing, detailed recording mood at the moment, but jeez I'm getting some ideas down - exactly what you want in a new guitar. Hopefully you'll get the same thing happening with your new baby when it arrives.

I hope so too! I hate to depend upon new gear acquisitions to spur me to play and create, but it sure doesn't hurt

I do like how different feeling guitars push me to play differently. Fighting the .012 gauge strings on my wide/flat Jazzmaster neck is such a different experience than playing .011 strings on my shorter scale LP. The feel, the resistance, even the weight and balance of the guitars make for such different playing experiences that I play different stuff depending upon which one I pick up.