Just scored a Hagstrom HIIN on eBay.

[Jay]

Wish me luck that the seller doesn't change his mind...  the price was pretty low.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0172463711

[1946dodge]

Hey Jay that is a great price and a very nice looking guitar.
Are you going to keep it, mod it, or sell it?
I bet you will play it for a while. Tell us how it sounds when you get it.

[Jay]

Oh, keep it for sure.  Unless it requires a ton of repairs or something.  I've been looking for a vintage one for at least a year and have bid on at least 3-4 over that time but I never wanted to spend more then $500 total so I'm pretty happy. The only thing is it doesn't include a case it seems and I have to hope the seller doesn't pull some wacky shit.  Looks to be in good shape though. Hopefully the frets aren't a wreck.

[RumorsOFsurF]

Excellent!  I love the trem on those.  

Congratulations!  If the guy pulls some wacky shit, we'll send one of our members from the midwest to his house with a baseball bat!  Fuck him up!

[1946dodge]

You let me know Jay if the seller gives you shit.

I am Italian.

You may end up getting the guitar for much less than $325, if he doesnt cooperate.

He will be corrrrected.

[Jay]

Haha...  he emailed.  Looks like it will ship tomorrow or tuesday. 

[1946dodge]

Finding the head of your favorite amp in your bed does the trick every time.

[the older brother]

Finding the head of your favorite amp in your bed does the trick every time.

[the older brother]

Great!

Made me think of a luthier in my hometown who had a huge Hagström collection. He also collected other 50's 60's 70's oddballs. He funded his hobby by making real ugly guitars for what's called "dancebands" in Sweden - groups playing soft "danceable" music for (mostly) elder people.

Googled him and found his website - seems like he's grown since last time....no webshop, but you can get a nice look on his collection/assortment. a lot of Hagstöm, Burns and oddballs.

http://www.mabass.se/index2.html

(bought my '62 beat-up JM of him 15 years ago, wich still is in my possession BTW) No affiliates.

[chrisjedijane]

Nice score, Jay! I really want one of those!

[mynameisjonas]

man that's a great score
congrats jay!

as you know i've had a bunch of those (since i've regularly shoved that fact down yer throats  ), and they are very charming guitars. unless there's any structural damage you should be able to use it in stock condition. the neck should be straight as an arrow thanks to the "H" shaped truss rod, and i really like the sound of those humbuckers. very 'vintage' sounding, moderate output, maybe a bit microphonic, but nothing wax potting can't take care of. the trem works pretty well, although it's nowhere near a jazzmaster one.
the electronics are pretty crappy though (cheap pots, ultra thin wiring).

one thing i really like about these guitars is that all the electronics are contained on the pickguard, with no wires attached to the body in any way, which makes it really easy to perform maintenance on. and the pickguard is three ply; black-white-aluminum, so you know it's properly shielded.

[Jay]

So would it be worth upgrading all the wiring or should I leave it stock?  I hate tearing out vintage original parts but in this case, if it improves the guitar fairly dramatically I think it might be worthwhile.  Also, more good news from the seller... "it does have a case but it's an old one and looks to be the original."

[1946dodge]

I bet you can leave the wiring alone, but the switchs may need cleaning or replacement, as well as the pots.
Try spraying them out first, I would do.

You are going to get thei thing and want to play it for a few weeks anyways before you do anything like that anyway, I bet.

I would.

Nothing is like going to the mail and receiving a new guitar! It's like Christmas!

[heavenstreet]

I was in a band with a kid who owned one of these.  Fun to play, but it sounded so weak.  Really needed to be cranked to get some sort of oomph out of it.  Looks great though!

[spiffy chap]

This guitar is strangely reminiscent of the one you acquired Jay.

http://firstact.com/Products/CustomGuit ... edtop.aspx