Vintage Hagstroms

[mimaz]

Got a Hag and want to know more about it? Post your serial number and i'll tell you when your Hag was made.

I've got a couple of neat old Hagstroms.

The Hagstrom I is serial # 690004. What does that say about the date?
By the way, I know it is strung incorrectly in the photo.......since corrected.

The Swede style bass is tucked away right now, I'll have to check out the serial # later.

Thanks for any info you may have!

 

[Thornton Davis]

Serial # 690004 was made in 1966. It was the fourth Hagstrom 1-B made in production run 690. That particular production run produced 1,162 basses.

The run began in 1966 and concluded in 1967.

You'll find the serial number of your Swede located on the input jack plate.

TD

 

[Thornton Davis]

Thornton, does your information have a date for serial number 500707?

That's the number on what's left of an early left handed H-II-B.

Thanks, and Happy Holidays.

GlennW,

From what I can see, there was no run # 500. The closest was 495 in 1961. And that was a run of 150 DeLuxe basses.

The first H-II-B production run happened in 1965-66 in production run # 654.

There was a production run of 999 H-II-B's in run # 700 that began in 1966 and concluded in 67.

Are you absoutely sure that the serial number stamped on the backplate is 500707? Run # 700 would be the correct timeline for your bass and fit within the production total of run # 700 (999).

TD

PS - Hagstrom changed the shape of their pickups on their Hagstrom 1, II, III and I-B instruments to rectangular in 1966. All previous versions of these models had rounded pickups.

 

[Human Bass]

Now i see that in the past the competition was between Fender with his long scale bass against almost all other brands with shorters scales..While those bands put the money on a thumpy sound, Fender betted on a more mid-range, definied sound...

 

[Thornton Davis]

The H-1-B in the 2nd photo down in middle was mine. I rescued it from the dumpster and rebuilt it. I still have the before and after photos of it.

I sold it to Haskin about 5-6 yrs ago. It has the Concord style pickup in it rather than the traditional black/round pickup found on the other models.

Unfortunately, I sold it before I took the group photo (in my backyard). That's why you don't see it in the picture.


As for all prototype models being serial numbered 700. I wouldn't hold my breath on the accuracy of that tale.
TD

 

[X Wolf]

Hagstom 8 strings in great shape have hit as high as $1100. Swedes can go anywhere from $600-800 in good shape, and Concords a little lower. Don't know too much about the rest of the solidbodies.

I had a Hagstrom 8 string with a powder blue plastic top around 1967, it was fun but unfortunately I didn't hang on to it. I think I only used it for 1 recording session.

George

 

[Thornton Davis]

Someone at Hagstrom UK also has no information on that number. I've also sent an e-mail to the people in Sweeden.

Thornton, I forgot to ask before...did the H-I-B have the Concord pickup on it when you found it?

Yes, and it was original to the bass. My other H-1-B has the same pickup in it as well. But I did have a Deluxe version of the H-1-B that had the last style of chrome/black rectangular pickup in it.

Here's a pic of it just after I had rebuilt and repaired it along with my Sunburst one as well.

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TD

PS - This model is the real H-1-B. There were only 637 of these made in total. Most of them were shipped to Canada with a few going to Norway and England. They were made to capture the low priced entry level student market.

Many people often refer to a the Hagstrom 1B (pictured above in white) model as a H-1-B, which isn't correct.

 

[Thornton Davis]

Those are very nice. I think I read somewhere that you sold most if not all of your Hagstroms.

This is true.

I know I'm confused on the model designations. One website shows what looks like a white HIIB without a stand-by switch, but they say it's a Futurama. That's what makes it interesting.

The Futurama brand are Hagstroms that were sold exclusively in the UK by Selmer of London. Futurama was the Selmer house brand name under which Hagstrom made instruments were imported and sold into the UK. HIIB's were sold as Hagstrom's worldwide.

Hope this clears that up for you.

TD

 

[bassman10096]

Swedes can go anywhere from $600-800 in good shape, and Concords a little lower.

Man. If I could find either in those ranges, I'd grab one. I've been watching Swedes for a while and they are getting toward $1,000 more and more often. I helped a friend sell a very worn out (not relic'd, just used up, totally worn out frets, etc) Swede guitar. It went for $850. Sounds like there's a growing vintage market for Haggies.

 

[dangnewt]

Man. If I could find either in those ranges, I'd grab one. I've been watching Swedes for a while and they are getting toward $1,000 more and more often. I helped a friend sell a very worn out (not relic'd, just used up, totally worn out frets, etc) Swede guitar. It went for $850. Sounds like there's a growing vintage market for Haggies.

This dealer in upstate NY has a cool website with plenty of Hagstroms.

http://www.diamondstrings.com/inventor.htm#Basses

 

[Pegstone]

Oh man I had one of those around 67 or 8 and pulled off the plastic body cover and glued my old cut off jeans..w/ working zipper and a pocket...I also put in an EBO pickup and a thin carved walnut control cavity cover....don't remember why I gave it away...for free...I loved it. Sometimes I hate myself! Did see a used one for around $500. last year in the Boston area.

 

[Thornton Davis]

This dealer in upstate NY has a cool website with plenty of Hagstroms.

Unfortunately, they are all excessively overpriced IMO.

TD

 

[billbass1]

I won a Hagstrom bass last nite on ebay.
The only ones I know how to identify are the Swedes.
The serial # is 654392
If you wish, you can go over to ebay and type in the following
# in the search box and see it, # 130090400246
Mr. Davis, can you shed any light on my new/old bass ?
Thank you very much..........Bill

 

[Thornton Davis]

I won a Hagstrom bass last nite on ebay.
The only ones I know how to identify are the Swedes.
The serial # is 654392
If you wish, you can go over to ebay and type in the following
# in the search box and see it, # 130090400246
Mr. Davis, can you shed any light on my new/old bass ?
Thank you very much..........Bill

Done, check your private message folder.

TD

 

[ExaltBass]

Looking for Bridge pieces for my 60's 8 string - sources?

 

[Brad Johnson]

I've got a couple of neat old Hagstroms.

The Hagstrom I is serial # 690004. What does that say about the date?
By the way, I know it is strung incorrectly in the photo.......since corrected.

The Swede style bass is tucked away right now, I'll have to check out the serial # later.

Thanks for any info you may have!

Your Big Swede is identical to one I used as a main bass for a few years back in the 80's. Don't know why I sold it.

 

[Psychhobilly]

Hi, I wonder if you have any idea when this bass was made?

Hagström bass H2B, 678789?

Arild, Sweden

In a nutshell no.

But I'll tell you how the Hagstrom serial numbering system works. The first 3 represent the production run number. the last 3-4 digits is the sequence in numerical order of where the instrument was made in the production run.

For example, 701464 = production run #701
Instrument is the 464th one made in that run.

If you happen to have a copy of The Hagstrom Blue Book, then you can look up production run #701 and see that it was a run of Hagstrom II-B basses with a total of 998 being made in that particular run in 1967.

Yes, I happen to own a copy of this booklet. I've owned it for a number of years.

Got a Hag and want to know more about it? Post your serial number and i'll tell you when your Hag was made. BTW, In 1973 all Hagstrom instruments had the prefix number 53 added to the beginning of the serial number of the instrument.


TD

My Hagstrom bass collection,

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[iamthebassman]

I used to own a red Swede bass and an 8-string.

 

[Bassamatic]

My H II B is 679696 - It is the first bass I owned - should be from the 60's.

At the time, the sound was too clean for 60's and 70's music, so I installed TWO giant Gibson mudbuckers (Bridge and Neck) and left one of the stock pickups in the center - Best of all worlds and a low end that cannot be matched. Just a little of the neck humbucker dialed in adds a supper thick bottom to either of the other pickups.

The neck and action are still lightning fast, and and the Classic Rock band I play with won't let me used any of my other basses - only the Hag!

 

[Thornton Davis]

Hi, I wonder if you have any idea when this bass was made?

Hagström bass H2B, 678789?

Arild, Sweden

Your bass is a Hagstrom IIB, made in 1966. It was the 789th bass made in production run #678. That production run produced 1098 Hagstrom IIB basses.

TD