Hagstrom Other

Hailing from Sweden, Hagstrom guitars have graced the world with their stunning instruments since the 1930s. As one of the world’s first guitar manufacturers outside the U.S., Hagstrom guitars are designed to provide you with the means to unleash your unique vision and make your mark on today’s music.  Musician’s Friend is proud to offer you a fine array at reasonable price points. From their Flagship Swede to other classic favorites, shop with confidence knowing you’re snagging an outstanding deal on an instrument built to last.
 
Founder Albin Hagstrom, started making his own accordions in 1932 after managing accordion shops in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Production continued in Sweden through the 1940s and 1950s. During this time, the company succeeded in opening a number of accordion schools, teaching well over 70,000 students how to play accordion.
 
The company’s  accordion manufacturing continued until roughly around the time of Albin’s death in 1952. The Hagstrom torch was passed to Erik Wisen who shifted the company direction away from accordion production.
 
After shops downsized, many of the employees stayed in the industry, forming two companies that still thrive to this day. One company, Musitech is Sweden’s official retailer of Aria and Guild guitars; the other company, Amtech, continues producing PA systems, computer equipment, and other electronics from their Sweden-based operations.
 
By 1958, Hagstrom had turned its focus to making electric guitars. The company is credited for producing the first guitar/synthesizer hybrid. Introduced in the 1970s, the Swede Patch 2000 incorporated Ampeg electronics to create a guitar with the ability to assign synthesized sounds to each string, making it a great tool for soloing. They were also the first company to scale up production of 8-string bass guitars.
 
Many of the Hagstrom guitars feature a semi-hollowbody design and the classic styling of time-honored instruments. You’ll find many flagship models for sale—including the Swede in addition to the Super Swede, Ultra Swede, left-handed guitars, and models from the Viking series.