My Hagstrom Review

[Southpa]

Well I must say I'm impressed! I popped by the local music store up the road and noticed some new inventory on the racks, lots of new Hagstroms, acoustics and electrics. Since the name has been brought back to life a few years ago (they are being made somewhere in upstate New York), I was interested in seeing what sort of design changes have been made.

I own an original 67 Hagstrom III and saw one of its new counterparts in the store. The new one has a much thicker body and they have replaced the old 1-spring "Trem-arm" with a strat style tremolo system. They also replaced the strat style headstock with the original Hagstrom Swede headstock. Speaking of Swedes (LP shaped hags) there were also a few of those, very nice workmanship and finish. Those electrics were priced from $400 - $600 Cdn.

The Hagstrom acoustics are what really impressed me. There were a couple all mahogany dreadnoughts, thats mahogany back, top and sides. They were very affordable, around the $300 (Cdn) area, nice, loud tone and natural finish. A couple of the guitars had some nice figuring in the mahogany as well.

I've noticed a lot of acoustics covered in heavy polyurethane clearcoat could have sounded better au naturel. No clearcoat seems to be the way a lot of brands are going, eg. Simon & Patrick, Seagull, etc. The guitars sound better and the end results are less expensive for the builder and the consumer. The heavy clearcoats seems to deaden soundwaves.

Anyway thats my take on Hagstroms. If anyone is looking for an affordable acoustic guitar I add Hagstroms to the mix. Its funny how a LOT of good affordable acoustic guitars are just coming out of the woodwork these days from places like Korea, China and yes... upstate New York. Designs and structure have been experimented with for so many years that it can't go anywhere but better.

Edited February 15, 2006 by Southpa

[Pr3Va1L]

"Simon & Patrick, Seagull" - both Godin compagnies

I think that (good) affordable acoustics are much more common than electric guitars... I think it's a bit stupid as they require more work but hey... (guess electrics need more hardware so that could be it.)

[Daniel Sorbera]

"Simon & Patrick, Seagull" - both Godin compagnies

I think that (good) affordable acoustics are much more common than electric guitars... I think it's a bit stupid as they require more work but hey... (guess electrics need more hardware so that could be it.)

I don't think it's true that it's easier to find a good affordable acoustic than an electric. I think Godin is the only electric company that I've tried and liked their cheaper range. Acoustic I havn't liked anything i've played except two diffrent larviees and one old martin.

Every single acoustic I've picked up has not done it for me tone wise, fit and finish, and fretwork (even the two larviees and the martin had horriable fretwire and fit and finish). Granted I've never tried any customs such as Myka (im sure his would be killer)

On the other side of the coin I've picked up many electrics for around $800 - $1300 range that we're more than acceptable and I would buy if I couldn't build guitars myself.

Basicly what I've fround is the consistency of one guitar to the next is horriable. Espicially in lower end models. Sometimes (very very very rare) You'll pick up a guitar that just blows you away and is perfect. Thats the only reason I bought my Godin SD. Sure it's their cheapo model but it played better, looked better, soundded better, and felt better than any guitar in the store. (this perticular one, I'm not saying that all Godin SD are great, because there not)

Edited February 16, 2006 by Godin SD

[sepultura999]

I don't think it's true that it's easier to find a good affordable acoustic than an electric. I think Godin is the only electric company that I've tried and liked their cheaper range. Acoustic I havn't liked anything i've played except two diffrent larviees and one old martin.

Every single acoustic I've picked up has not done it for me tone wise, fit and finish, and fretwork (even the two larviees and the martin had horriable fretwire and fit and finish). Granted I've never tried any customs such as Myka (im sure his would be killer)

I played an epiphone acoustic in wine red a few months ago and it sounded pretty damn good, and the price was even better - 150 bucks.

Were they new Larrivee's? I hear the new Larrivee's are garbage. There was an awesome Martin I played a few months ago where the neck and perhaps back/sides of the body was a non-wood non-graphite material. It sounded really strong. The problem with acoustics I find is I have to use my ear more lol.

I haven't tried cheaper Godins, but I have tried a La Patrie classical guitar and it was so far the best classical I've ever tried. One problem I find with classicals is they tend to sound like a guitar with the tone set to zero. This wasn't the case but you could still tell it was a classical. Definitly a good guitar. Forget the price though. Under 600 I'm sure.

-Jamie

[Mattia]

I've yet to meet a budget acoustic that I really like; the ones above the 900 dollar mark (Taylor, Larrivee, the occasional Martin) do it for me, most others...not 'smuch. THey're often lacking a certain something...

[Supernova9]

I don't think it's true that it's easier to find a good affordable acoustic than an electric. I think Godin is the only electric company that I've tried and liked their cheaper range. Acoustic I havn't liked anything i've played except two diffrent larviees and one old martin.

Every single acoustic I've picked up has not done it for me tone wise, fit and finish, and fretwork (even the two larviees and the martin had horriable fretwire and fit and finish). Granted I've never tried any customs such as Myka (im sure his would be killer)

I played an epiphone acoustic in wine red a few months ago and it sounded pretty damn good, and the price was even better - 150 bucks.

Were they new Larrivee's? I hear the new Larrivee's are garbage. There was an awesome Martin I played a few months ago where the neck and perhaps back/sides of the body was a non-wood non-graphite material. It sounded really strong. The problem with acoustics I find is I have to use my ear more lol.

I haven't tried cheaper Godins, but I have tried a La Patrie classical guitar and it was so far the best classical I've ever tried. One problem I find with classicals is they tend to sound like a guitar with the tone set to zero. This wasn't the case but you could still tell it was a classical. Definitly a good guitar. Forget the price though. Under 600 I'm sure.

-Jamie

As the owner of an 05 Larrivee, I can safely say they aren't garbage. Quite frankly, I find statements like that ridiculous... "I Played a Les Paul with bad fretwork once, therefore all new Gibsons are garbage!!". Mine has flawless fit and finish, and one of the best tones I've ever heard. Of course, I'm willing to accept there may be bad apples in the bunch though.