|  | | 
01-08-2013, 06:47 PM
|  | Horse getter back onner | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fredericton, NB Canada | | | bass whaler and Bass Thumper
I bought a tobacco sunburst Beluga FII this Fall. bass whaler describes it to a T. The finish continues to blow me a way. After experimenting with a few different strings I have sounding fantastic. It plays so nice even unplugged (the F hole really helping this of course). It has its own tone and different from my other basses. Its such a pleasure to play it is hard to put down. No gigs with it yet, but possible jam coming up later in the week. Its not as powerful as my ATK750ka, but just different beast.
A beaut of an instrument. Picked mine up new, on sale at Morris Music in Saint John NB for a total of $450 CND with the Hag hardshell case and tax. Fantastic deal.
__________________
Chance favours the prepared mind. (Note to self: get on that preparation thing.)
Canadian Club 187 | Rickenbacker 365 | ATK 170 | Telecaster Basses 46 |
01-09-2013, 08:48 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by BackToTheGroove  bass whaler and Bass Thumper
I bought a tobacco sunburst Beluga FII this Fall. bass whaler describes it to a T. The finish continues to blow me a way. After experimenting with a few different strings I have sounding fantastic. It plays so nice even unplugged (the F hole really helping this of course). It has its own tone and different from my other basses. Its such a pleasure to play it is hard to put down. No gigs with it yet, but possible jam coming up later in the week. Its not as powerful as my ATK750ka, but just different beast.
A beaut of an instrument. Picked mine up new, on sale at Morris Music in Saint John NB for a total of $450 CND with the Hag hardshell case and tax. Fantastic deal. | May I ask what strings are you using? |
01-10-2013, 08:45 AM
| | Horse getter back onner | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fredericton, NB Canada | | | Sure.
You may already know, that to fit standard ball ends into those tiny string-through ferrules in the Beluga - you'll need to remove them and replace the ferrules with standard sized.
Stock strings were okay but a bit springy sounding.
1st try: slightly used set of SIT Silencers (sounded great on my G&L Tribute SB - sold). This set may be a bit uneven, as the E had no definition. These were through the bridge.
2nd try (present) is a set of D'Addario XL220 I bought to try on another bass and didn't like them - too thin. On the Beluga they sound good but still settling in. All through the body except the E in order to have the full winding over the nut slot.
Not used to light gauge strings, but for now they sound good and snarly in my favourite pickup selection: two clicks down from the top. Fat and snarly like an old P bass (I boost the bass and mid a touch).
I should say that I feel the electronics are probably the weakest part of Hagstrom's Beluga.
1) I took the back off and found the thick wire from the bass/treble stack had a hole drilled right through the middle of it. I fixed it myself, but what a shoddy piece of work to go by the QC inspector.
2) My pickup selector was really scratchy and even shorted out at times. A big squirt of contact cleaner improved, but it certainly isn't a quiet selector.
3) There are some of the thinnest wires in the world in there that seem to be grounds.
Like the bass though. Its quite unique.
__________________
Chance favours the prepared mind. (Note to self: get on that preparation thing.)
Canadian Club 187 | Rickenbacker 365 | ATK 170 | Telecaster Basses 46 |
01-12-2013, 06:35 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Skelmersdale | | So, my new Hagstrom Viking Bass turned up yesterday and exceeded all of my high expectations. What a bass! I can't put it down! I was up until half two this morning getting acquainted with it and picked it up again as soon as I woke up. I can't wait to get out and gig with it now. 
You know what, I think I might even round up the troops and get in the rehearsal room now. It's just too good to sit at home with! |
01-23-2013, 06:55 PM
| | Horse getter back onner | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fredericton, NB Canada | | | Beluga FII strings
Quote:
Originally Posted by makz May I ask what strings are you using? | update if interested: the D'Addario XL220 don't seem to be doing it for me. They don't tame down very quickly and are too zingy and bright.
Next up: Rotosound Monel Jazz Flats. Question: Does anyone know why Hagstrom used undersized ferrules so the ball-end of standard strings stick out above the body? Was it just to annoy customers?
__________________
Chance favours the prepared mind. (Note to self: get on that preparation thing.)
Canadian Club 187 | Rickenbacker 365 | ATK 170 | Telecaster Basses 46 |
01-23-2013, 06:56 PM
| | Horse getter back onner | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fredericton, NB Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ALadCalledAlan So, my new Hagstrom Viking Bass turned up yesterday... | Congrats, its a beaut!
__________________
Chance favours the prepared mind. (Note to self: get on that preparation thing.)
Canadian Club 187 | Rickenbacker 365 | ATK 170 | Telecaster Basses 46 |
01-30-2013, 03:12 PM
|  | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Hagstrom experts...
A friend of mine has the Swedish made Hagstrom pictured below. Any information as to its age, model name, and maybe value?    |
01-30-2013, 03:26 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | | Best I can gather so far is it's a mid-late 60's model HII-B. |
01-30-2013, 05:41 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: GTA | | | It's definately a Hagstrom IIB. If you post its serial number I'll tell you when it was made. The serial number is located on the body/neck plate.
TD |
01-30-2013, 08:05 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Thornton Davis It's definately a Hagstrom IIB. If you post its serial number I'll tell you when it was made. The serial number is located on the body/neck plate.
TD | Thanks! I'll get it! |
01-30-2013, 08:39 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Thornton Davis It's definately a Hagstrom IIB. If you post its serial number I'll tell you when it was made. The serial number is located on the body/neck plate.
TD | 678359 |
01-31-2013, 03:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: GTA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Vic 678359 | Your Hagstrom II B was made in 1966 in production run 678. It was the 359th one made in that particular run which produced a total of 1098 of them.
Enjoy
TD |
01-31-2013, 04:25 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Thornton Davis Your Hagstrom II B was made in 1966 in production run 678. It was the 359th one made in that particular run which produced a total of 1098 of them.
Enjoy
TD | Wow! Where is this decode info? Otherwise, any thoughts on value at all? |
01-31-2013, 07:23 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: State College, PA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Vic Wow! Where is this decode info? Otherwise, any thoughts on value at all? | Hagstrom sells a Blue Book that lists all the production info. Because Hagstrom still sells the book, they do a pretty good job of keeping it's content off the tubes.
That one appears original with some honest wear...missing the end cap from the volume knob.
Olivia's Vintage is selling one a lot like that (except polished up and equipped with replacement vol knob end cap) for $700. |
01-31-2013, 07:33 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyMolson Hagstrom sells a Blue Book that lists all the production info. Because Hagstrom still sells the book, they do a pretty good job of keeping it's content off the tubes.
That one appears original with some honest wear...missing the end cap from the volume knob.
Olivia's Vintage is selling one a lot like that (except polished up and equipped with replacement vol knob end cap) for $700. | Perfect. Thank you SO MUCH!  |
02-15-2013, 01:16 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | I would LOVE to join. Here's my HB-8.  |
02-15-2013, 02:23 PM
|  | keepin' the beat since the 60's | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Studio City, SoCal, USA | | [quote=Vic;13803410]Hagstrom experts...
A friend of mine has the Swedish made Hagstrom pictured below. Any information as to its age, model name, and maybe value?
That can be a gorgeous bass. I am so lucky to have TWO exactly like that - a '67 I bought new and a '68 that I bought a few years ago that came with the original hard case!!! The '67 has been extensively franken-bassed with 2 Gibson Mudbuckers and one of the oringinals (crazy powerful sound) and the '68 is nearly mint.
I hope that your friend enjoys it - these truly have the very fastest, easiest to play necks on any bass, if they are set up properly.
However - When I see a bass for sale with no strings, it makes me worry that the neck has a large bow in it and the strings were removed to not show it. I hope that your friend's cleans up OK.
__________________
You're never too old to learn something stupid.
|
02-15-2013, 02:59 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassamatic Quote:
Originally Posted by Vic Hagstrom experts...
A friend of mine has the Swedish made Hagstrom pictured below. Any information as to its age, model name, and maybe value? | That can be a gorgeous bass. I am so lucky to have TWO exactly like that - a '67 I bought new and a '68 that I bought a few years ago that came with the original hard case!!! The '67 has been extensively franken-bassed with 2 Gibson Mudbuckers and one of the oringinals (crazy powerful sound) and the '68 is nearly mint.
I hope that your friend enjoys it - these truly have the very fastest, easiest to play necks on any bass, if they are set up properly.
However - When I see a bass for sale with no strings, it makes me worry that the neck has a large bow in it and the strings were removed to not show it. I hope that your friend's cleans up OK. | Thanks! I have no idea what his plans are... I think mainly just trying to understand it's worth, as it's a family heirloom at this point. He can play bass, but he'd never call himself a bass player, though he's a great guitar player (which is what he does in our band).
Anyway, definitely appreciate the help here.
Interesting tidbit I forgot to post, I actually eventually also got an email response (with the same data stated here of course) directly from Karl E. Hagström himself as a result of sending a query to them about it. How cool is that? |
02-15-2013, 03:11 PM
| | keepin' the beat since the 60's | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Studio City, SoCal, USA | | | WOW - that is very cool.
If you were local, I would offer to clean and set it up for him. A big problem is the switches. They get dirty and do not respond to spray cleaners well. The little contact tilts back and forth inside like a teeter-totter, and so it does not self clean like a true slide switch.
Also - they are really IMPOSSIBLE to find replacements for. I think there is a Swedish site that sells some of the old stock parts, but for huge prices. There is a way I have found to mechanically clean them, but it is not too easy.
Just FYI, I paid $300 for my mint '68 with case.
__________________
You're never too old to learn something stupid.
|
02-15-2013, 04:17 PM
| | There's more music in the nuance than the notes.
Staff, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Illinois | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassamatic WOW - that is very cool.
If you were local, I would offer to clean and set it up for him. A big problem is the switches. They get dirty and do not respond to spray cleaners well. The little contact tilts back and forth inside like a teeter-totter, and so it does not self clean like a true slide switch.
Also - they are really IMPOSSIBLE to find replacements for. I think there is a Swedish site that sells some of the old stock parts, but for huge prices. There is a way I have found to mechanically clean them, but it is not too easy.
Just FYI, I paid $300 for my mint '68 with case. | Well, we could still talk... I mean I don't know how much money he'd be interested in putting into the bass right now, but if you're actually offering to do it just for the fun of it, I have a UPS account that would make shipping to/from your location pretty reasonable (which I might even make a gift to him of). If that sounds interesting to you, I can ask him if he'd like to do that.
No problem if not... just asking... if so, I'll relay to him.
Regardless, thanks for the info!! | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
