This is a superb example of the legendary Hagström Swede solid-body electric guitar, built in Sweden during the 1970s. The Swede was Hagström’s flagship solid-body model and is a fascinating piece of Swedish guitar design, combining classic single-cut styling with a number of wonderfully engineered features that set it apart from its American counterparts.

This particular guitar has been used but very well cared for over the years, with just a few minor dings and areas of age-related play wear to the finish. Everything functions as it should and the guitar has a very nice, playable action. There is some minor fret wear, although the frets are nicely crowned and polished. Overall, this is a lovely-playing vintage Swede with impressive original-style electronics and plenty of character.

The Swede was produced at Hagström’s factory in Älvdalen, Sweden, and the early 1970s specification was particularly distinctive. The body is a solid mahogany construction with a bound top, paired with a bolt-on mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard with pearloid block inlays. The 22-fret neck has a 24¾" scale length, while the headstock features Hagström’s distinctive Fleur-de-Lys design. The combination of mahogany throughout the body and neck, ebony fingerboard and bound single-cut body gives these guitars a substantial feel while retaining the compact and comfortable character for which the Swede is known.

The electronics are a particularly interesting part of the Swede’s design. It features two Hagström humbucking pickups, each with its own volume and tone control, along with the two three-position switches.

The upper three-way toggle is the pickup selector:

• Up – neck pickup
• Middle – both pickups
• Down – bridge pickup

The second three-position toggle is Hagström’s distinctive tone filter, providing three different tonal characters:

• Up – brighter/normal response
• Middle – bypass/neutral position
• Down – deeper, darker filtered tone

Together, these controls give the Swede a surprisingly broad tonal palette, from clear and articulate sounds through to thicker, darker vintage tones. The original Hagström pickups are a big part of what makes these guitars so distinctive.

The hardware is equally impressive, with Hagström’s beautifully engineered bridge and tailpiece arrangement, distinctive vintage machine heads and the characteristic elevated pickguard. The attention to detail is typical of Hagström’s Swedish production of the period and gives the Swede a character all of its own.

This is a great opportunity to own a genuine 1970s Swedish-made Hagström Swede – a wonderfully individual vintage guitar with excellent build quality, distinctive looks and a sound that is very much its own.

Sold with a period-correct shaped hard-shell case, vintage grey guitar lead and leather guitar strap.

A lovely vintage Swedish guitar with plenty of character and a great piece of Hagström history.

Hagstrom Swede 1970s - Mahogany