Hagstrom Super Swede Dark Storm

Hagstrom Super Swede Dark Storm review

The Hagstrom Super Swede Dark Storm is a single-cut electric guitar with a mahogany body, a maple top, and a set-in mahogany neck. It has a 648 mm scale, 22 stainless steel frets, and a pair of Lundgren Design humbuckers. At a listed price of 849, its appeal rests on a substantial feature set and broad tonal options. Owner reports, however, vary sharply on factory setup and fretwork, so quality control deserves close attention.

Construction and hardware

The body is mahogany, topped with three-quarter-inch maple and a figured maple veneer. The neck is also mahogany and joins the body with a set-in construction. Hagstrom uses a Resinator fingerboard with ivoroid Crest inlays and lion markers at the 12th fret. The Dark Storm finish is black, complemented by a three-ply black, white, and black pickguard.

The neck measures 20 mm at the first fret and 21.5 mm at the 12th. Its 43 mm nut is made from Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL, while the fretboard carries 22 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets. A dual-action H-Expander truss rod provides neck adjustment. The hardware includes Hagstrom locking tuners and a Long Travel Tune-O-Matic bridge. There is no tremolo system.

The package includes a C-51 hard case, rather than a gig bag. Strings are listed as D'Addario.010 to.046. The model has been available since June 2023, and its item number is 564431.

Pickup and control options

The two humbuckers use Alnico 2 magnets and come from Lundgren Design. The neck pickup is the No. 2 model, while the bridge uses the No. 5. Each pickup has a dedicated volume control with R/C switching. Both tone controls have push-pull functions for coil splitting, and a three-way toggle selects the pickup combinations.

That layout gives the guitar more range than a fixed pair of humbuckers. Owners describe clear, open tones, including when using heavier distortion, and report that the split-coil settings make it practical to move between fuller humbucker sounds and leaner single-coil-style tones without changing instruments. One player found it suited styles from jazz to metal. These are subjective impressions, but they point to versatility as a core strength.

What owners report

Positive accounts praise the appearance, sound, and playing feel. One owner described the finish and fit as excellent, with a comfortable action after small personal adjustments. Another called the guitar smooth to play and highlighted the coil-split options and the included case. Several comments emphasize that the pickups retain definition under distortion, while also producing clean sounds that suit jazz and other less aggressive styles.

Other owners report serious problems with fretwork and setup. One returned an example with a visible finish flaw along the binding and an action close to 4 mm at the 12th fret. That player said lowering the strings caused severe buzzing and suspected uneven frets, along with concerns about neck relief and intonation. A separate buyer reported returning a first guitar for uneven frets, then receiving a second example that was improved but still not right. That account also raised concerns about intonation.

These experiences conflict with reports of an instrument that arrived with good action and needed only minor preference-based adjustments. The available feedback does not establish how common the problems are. It does show that buyers should inspect their individual guitar rather than assume every example will arrive ready to play.

Verdict

The Super Swede Dark Storm offers a useful combination of set-in mahogany construction, stainless steel frets, locking tuners, two distinct humbuckers, coil splitting, and a hard case. Owners who received a well-finished, well-adjusted example describe a versatile instrument with clear, full sounds and a satisfying playing feel. The pickup switching should be especially appealing to players who need both humbucker weight and brighter split-coil tones from one guitar.

Factory setup is the main reservation. Reports range from minor adjustments to substantial fret and intonation problems, and one buyer found the defects serious enough to return two examples. At this price, that inconsistency matters. Check fret level, string height, neck relief, and intonation promptly after delivery, and factor in a professional setup if needed. The model has the equipment and tonal range to make a strong case, but the owner feedback suggests that the specific guitar in hand is the deciding factor.