Very old 4 string Hagstrom

[Dodgeviperracer]

Just wanted to know if any one might know anything about this type of bass.

 

[Nev375]

Yes. What would you like to know?

 

[BillyIVbass]

Sure. Usually are light and have a thin neck. Probably the most popular is the 8-string models which are similar to a 12-string guitar.

 

[Dodgeviperracer]

Is this a rare brand of bass? I'll try to get some pics up of it tomorrow. It has a chrome bridge cover with two I guess you would call them monarch lions on the cover. Looks like mahogany body and neck with a rosewood or wenge fretboard. Is this a foreign bass? Where does it come from?

 

[Dodgeviperracer]

My dads almost 70 and he has had it for I know at least 33 years.

 

[Nev375]

I would not call them rare. Uncommon perhaps, not rare. They are made in Sweden.

Perhaps you should start here:

Hagström - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[BillyIVbass]

That would make it an original Hagstrom, probably made in Sweden. They made basses from '61-'80.

Is it hollowbody or a solidbody?

 

[Dodgeviperracer]

It's a solid body. And it is very lite. It was the first bass I ever played. Still sounds good to this day.

 

[Nev375]

I have the 8-string. 1967 model. They are very light, almost feeling like a cheap toy. But they sound great and mine has held up very well over the years. The neck is still unbelievably straight considering the extra string tension and ultra-thin neck.

 

[b_carville]

I would have to see a photo. I couldn't tell you the model name or number but Hagstrom basses were quite popular my wayin the 60's.
I remember several models. The bottom of the line was a solid body that was kind of Fender looking. It had two pickups ( neck & bridge) with a white pickguars with what looked like gold foil between them.Had one volume knob & three black plastic switches. Wooden bridge too I think.They came in bright colors, the most common being red, & had bolts through the body. A lot of beginning players had these mainly cause they were cheap. Great thin necks with a 10 year guarantee. They played great . Another kind of looked like a Gibson SG. Another looked like a Gibson 335 with a Fender headstock. They had a model that was a solid body with what looked like organ stops. I remember Randy Meisner of the Eagles using that. I have an old catalog from 1967 somewhere. I'll have to dig it out. I almost forgot. Hagstrom invented the 8 string bass.
Don't see Hagstrom stuff to often anymore.

 

[Pilgrim]

I've been told by guys who know Hagstrom that some of the low end ones are not that great, and aside from visual appeal aren't worth much. As you get into better models, they're worth more and perform better.

 

[Dodgeviperracer]

I found the exact bass on Invalid Link Removed. It is a scanbass made in 1977, only 353 were made for the duration of that model. It's the same everything as the one on the site.

 

[Thornton Davis]

I found the exact bass on Invalid Link Removed. It is a scanbass made in 1977, only 353 were made for the duration of that model. It's the same everything as the one on the site.

Hagstrom originally marketed the Scanbass as the Jazzbass, but Fender came a calling and threatened them with a law suit, so the name was changed to Scanbass.

It's a combination of a Fender Jazz and a Precision, with the body and neck being almost identical to a Precision and the electronics being the same as a Jazz. Other than the Super Swede bass, this was the only long scale bass that Hagstrom ever offered.

Actually, there were 373 of these made that were "Scanbass" and another 617 that were "Jazzbass" (75 of which were Jazzbass 2000 Patch) for a grand total of 988 having been made over a period of 5 years between 1974-79.

I had one in my collection and it was definately one of the best basses that Hagstrom ever made.

TD

 

[Joe Nerve]

Not a pic of me, but the guy (tonyciv - member here) who played bass in one of my first bands (I started on geeetar). He loved this thing to death. Played it a lot in favor of an early 70s P.

 

[TonyP-]

Not a pic of me, but the guy (tonyciv - member here) who played bass in one of my first bands (I started on geeetar). He loved this thing to death. Played it a lot in favor of an early 70s P.

Interesting shot
I would have thought this was some Mediterranean European fellow playing in a basement in Germany via late 60's if you did not say anything.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Interesting shot
I would have thought this was some Mediterranean European fellow playing in a basement in Germany via late 60's if you did not say anything.

Close. NY Italian fellow, basement in Bensonhurst Bklyn, late 70s.