NGsD: On the hunt for another semi.

grayn

Having sorted all the Xmas presents out, last weekend, I had an urge for another semi.
So I went to my favourite guitar shop, Sound Affects.
Sat in their PRS room and played a ton of guitars, through a Suhr amp and cab.
I have to say, I didn't play one dud.
From a Korean Epiphone Sheraton, to 3 Yamaha SA2200s, to a Custom Hofner President, a Hagstrom Viking and a couple of Japanese Gretsches.
I even went on to solids, playing a couple of very nice, preowned PRS's, an American Guild and some Gordon Smiths.
Had a great morning playing and talking to fellow guitar shoppers.

In the end I came away with a semi and a solid.
The semi was a Hagstrom Viking, in Miami blue.
For rediculously little money, you get a really well made semi, that plays so well and comes with a stylish, hard case.
Mainly made of maple, with lovely low action, yet a lot of vibrant tone, both acoustically and with the humbuckers.
I like the fact that Hagstrom pretty much do all the hardware themselves.
Keeping the price down by having them made in China.
But as many will know, Chinese stuff is getting very good and this Hagstrom proves that.
Loosely based on a 335, it very much has it's own character.
With a stylish headstock and tail peice, you even get the Hagstrom H, on the pickup selector.
The build and finish is really good.
Those HBs hold their own, too.
Nice definition and bite, with a strong, fairly rich, darkish tone.

The solid was a pre-owned Gordon Smith Graduate.
Apparently this black and gold, LP style guitar was designed for Stormbringer's guitarist, Dom Wallace.
Glued in mahogany neck with bound ebony fingerboard. 24.625 inch scale length, carved Spruce top, Maple cap, a full gloss finish to front, satin to back, sides and neck.
There's 2, coil tapped Humbucker pickups, both made by Gordon Smith and some very nice, gold hardware and locking tuners too.
I really liked the overall look of this guitar.
But it was the neck that sold it.
The Evo gold frets are thin and tallish, somehow making accurate playing a doddle.
And despite the model being for a metal player, it has plenty of warmth and character, for clean tones and overdrive.

grayn

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Fuengi

Very nice mornings work! I have had fleeting interactions with both Hagstrom and Gordon Smith guitars but never tried either plugged in. 

Can I ask how much your shopping trip cost you? 

grungebob

They both look great. 

John_P

They both look great but especially the GS.  

Phil_aka_Pip

I like the idea of a son-of-335 but with the pickup switch in the Lester position

grayn

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I like the idea of a son-of-335 but with the pickup switch in the Lester position

Excuse my ignorance but does the Lester position mean on the lower horn or near the control knobs?

skullfunkerry

grayn said:

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I like the idea of a son-of-335 but with the pickup switch in the Lester position

Excuse my ignorance but does the Lester position mean on the lower horn or near the control knobs?

I assume it means on the upper horn, where it is on your Hagstrom.

Congrats on the guitars - they both look great

grayn

Mini Update:

I've had these 2 at home for the weekend now and had time to really play and tweak them.
The G.S. Graduate needed no tweaking at all, as the Sound Affects' tech had set it up beautifully.
On clean sounds, The bridge pickup up is a tad bright but a very small roll off on it's tone contol, got it to my taste.
The neck pick is really nice, with plenty of body and warmth, yet still very well defined.
Both pickups together is very sweet.
You can coil tap the HBs but though they sound OKish, I much prefer the HB sound, as coil taps never sound like s true single coil pickup, to my ears.
For heavy crunch/overdrive, the pickups sound great and that extra bit of bite from the neck pickup sounds just right, pushing things along brilliantly.
The neck and overall balance on the Graduate is just so good.
It really is a massive buzz to play.

I haven't had quite so much time with the Viking.
Fortunately it balances really well, with a strap, as I like to play standing up, mostly.
And it's nowhere near as heavy as the the Gibbo 335 I had, a couple of years back.
It came with 10s on it and I'm definitely moving it up to 11s.
I guess I want it more for jazz and rockabilly style.
It's a nice player and the pickups have a natural, balanced tone.
It sounds good clean and with effects.
I had to put the action up a tad, as it was set for shredding, rather surprisingly.
But feel the 11s will put it just where I want it, adding a little tension and body.

Overall massively pleased with both.
Already getting some compositional inspiration off them, which is always a good sign.
And to my eyes, they are real lookers.

Phil_aka_Pip

grayn said:

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I like the idea of a son-of-335 but with the pickup switch in the Lester position

Excuse my ignorance but does the Lester position mean on the lower horn or near the control knobs?

No - on the bass side up near where the neck joins on. Upper (bass side) horn if you like. Although the LP doesn't so much have a horn as a shoulder.

HTH

Nitefly

@grayn that second shot of the Hagstrom needs to go in the calendar thread, please!

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/145549/tfb-2019-calendar-photo-gathering-thread#latest

Both good-looking guitars, BTW...

NorthernPaul

That Hagstrom is lush

rossi

A G

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I like the idea of a son-of-335 but with the pickup switch in the Lester position

Gibson Midtown does that .I love mine .

Sporky

The Hagstrom is a saucy minx. 

Phil_aka_Pip

rossi said:

A G

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I like the idea of a son-of-335 but with the pickup switch in the Lester position

Another on the GAS list then

Gibson Midtown does that .I love mine .

Not. The pickup switch is in the 335/SG position ie where you fumble for it. That Hagstrom has got it right.

NelsonP

Hey @grayn , have you still for the Hagstrom? I just bought one, enjoying so far, looks fabulous and plays nicely but it's a bit neck divey. Did you have any issues with that?