Hagsgtrom Coronado IV Odd Question

[MARICOPAA]

Question: Did any Hagstrom Coronado IV basses have TWO truss rod adjustment locations? One at the heel and one at the nut?

I am looking at a Hagstrom Coronado IV that appears to have the standard heel adjustment location but has one just beyond the nut with a Hagstrom "Crown" metal truss rod cover.

Can you help me understand what I'm seeing.

I've inlcuded a few pictures of the bass...they are not all that clear but you get the idea of what I'm saying. You can see he truss rod adjustment on the peghead AND another on the heel.

Very interesting because the work appears clean. The finish on the neck and body appear the same unless someone went to a great deal of trouble to match the finish. The "Coronado IV" decal is gone which supports repair/refinish. Maybe just the face of the peghead?

 

[Bevo1995]

Fellow TB'er Thornton Davis could probably tell you.

 

[bassalo]

Fellow TB'er Thornton Davis could probably tell you.

+1

 

[Thornton Davis]

Their were 2 versions of the Coronado IV and both had the same truss rod adjustment location, which was at the bottom of the fretboard at the body, not in the headstock.

All Swedish made Hagstrom's had the truss rod ("H-Expander") adjustment located at the bottom of the neck, not the top.

It would appear that someone has modified the bass in the photos above.

TD

 

[GlennW]

I've seen that metal thing on the backs of early '60s Hagstrom headstocks. I think it says "King's Neck". Can't recall seeing one on the front.

Edit: Pic.

 

[Thornton Davis]

I've seen that metal thing on the backs of early '60s Hagstrom headstocks. I think it says "King's Neck". Can't recall seeing one on the front.

Edit: Pic.

Glenn, that's a stick on foil decal that was applied at the factory. You'll find it located mainly on the back of the headstock (like the one in your photo) but many of the early 60's model guitars had it located right where a truss rod cover would go (if there was one) on the front of the headstock.

TD

 

[GlennW]

Thanks, TD. 99% of the Hags I've looked at are basses. Some had a similar thing which looks more like a metal T.

 

[cdef]

There is an offhand reference to this puzzling feature in a discussion on Manfred Graeder's page at http://www.hagstrom.org.uk/manfredgraeder2.htm#Coronadomech

"It's interesting there are some differences - such as the Kings Head Logo position on the back of the neck on this later batch... the king's head logo is a plate on mine that exposes the workings of the truss rod at both ends. ..."

They're talking about the Coronado VI, but some of the IVs do seem to have it as well. It's clearly not a sticker, but a thin metal plate held down by one screw. There's no explanation of the reason for this, but from the pics I have, the truss rod rout plus badge is found on the earlier Coronados that don't have a headstock decal, as well as on all the "Futurama"-branded instruments that Hagstrom made for Selmer UK in about 1964. It's not there on the later basses that do have a Coronado IV headstock decal. Those only have the sticker on the back.

 

[GlennW]

Nice stuff, cdef. If you need prodding to show the whole basses consider it done.

Is your Futurama pre-'64? I ask because I have what I think is a '63 Futurama neck on a Hag parts bass ('67 Viking body, string retainer and logo in pic).

The headstock had no logo, no signs of a decal, and no string retainer. From what little I could find I think the retainer and sticker were added in '64. Mine had black plastic glued to all of the wood on the neck (except the fretboard). I peeled it off and put the piece back on the headstock. The neck profile is completely different from the later HIIB's.

EDit: LOL I just noticed I haven't put the string retainer on yet.

 

[Thornton Davis]

Here's a couple of photos of my Coronado IV's headstock. It was made during the 3rd Coronado IV production run (589). The bass in question here was made in the 2nd production run of Coronado IV's (566).

You can clearly see there's no plastic or metal "Kings Neck" truss cover located on the front of the headstock. However, there is the standard foil sticker "Kings Neck" attached to the back of the headstock.

FYI, only 1010 Coranado IV's were made.

TD

 

[MARICOPAA]

Here's a scan of the Coronado IV page from a Hagstrom Catalog that clearly shows the 'Crown' shaped truss rod cover above the nut on the front of the peghead...just to add to the fun.

 

[MARICOPAA]

Looks to me like the 'Crown' shaped metal truss rod cover on the front of the peghead has a traditional 'Kings Neck' metallic sticker stuck to it.

The bass in question here has the 'Crown' shaped truss rod cover but not sticker...worn off...taken off...???

What ever the case...looks like the same sticker as we see on the back of the neck of most Coronado IV's...just moved to the truss rod cover that happens to be in the same shape as the sticker.