Hagstrom Super Swede Fall Sky Gloss

Hagstrom Super Swede Fall Sky Gloss review

The Hagstrom Super Swede Fall Sky Gloss made a strong impression on a player who tried roughly 30 to 40 guitars during a visit to a music store. After a short playing session, the sound and handling stood out enough to prompt a purchase. At home, the guitar continued to satisfy, with the owner praising its finish, playability and range of tones. One hardware detail drew criticism: the control knobs could not be aligned straight on their shafts when tightened.

That account gives a useful frame for this model. The Super Swede combines a mahogany body with a 3/4-inch maple top and a high-grade flamed maple veneer. Its Fall Sky Gloss finish gives the figured top a prominent visual role, while a three-ply black, white and black pickguard adds contrast. The supplied C-51 case is included, a welcome part of the package at a listed price of 915.

Construction and playing feel

The neck is mahogany and set into the body. Hagstrom specifies a thickness of 20 mm at the first fret and 21.5 mm at the 12th, with a 43 mm nut width. The 648 mm scale is equivalent to 25.5 inches, a familiar length for an electric guitar. A 14.4-inch fretboard radius and 22 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets complete the playing surface.

The fingerboard is made from Resinator, with ivoroid Hagstrom Crest inlays and the brand's lion symbols at the 12th fret. A Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL nut sits at the headstock. The owner described the guitar as easy to play and reported that its overall workmanship looked excellent on closer inspection. That is a favorable field impression, though the misaligned knobs show that small assembly details can still fall short.

Stainless steel frets are a notable specification, and the medium-jumbo size offers a clear point of reference for players assessing fret feel. The neck's measured thickness increases gradually from the first fret to the 12th. Those figures describe the profile without making assumptions about whether it will suit every hand. Trying the guitar in person remains the best way to judge its fit.

Pickups and controls

The Super Swede uses two Lundgren Design Alnico 2 humbuckers. The neck position has the No. 2 model, while the bridge position uses the No. 5. The player's comments distinguish the guitar's full humbucker sound as powerful and balanced, and call the coil-split tones particularly impressive. That makes the switching system central to the instrument's appeal, rather than a feature that exists only on the specification sheet.

Each pickup has its own volume control with R/C switching, and both tone controls have push-pull coil-split functions. A three-way toggle selects between the neck pickup, bridge pickup and their combined setting. This arrangement provides access to the humbuckers' fuller output as well as split-coil sounds, giving the player a broader range of available textures from the guitar's onboard controls.

There is one practical caveat. The owner found that the barrel-shaped brass knobs, which are knurled and chrome-plated, sat at an angle when their side screws were tightened. The issue did not affect the sound or handling, but it was a visible finishing flaw on a guitar otherwise described as well made. Buyers should check that the knobs sit evenly and turn as expected on the specific instrument they receive.

Hardware and final assessment

Bridge hardware consists of a Long Travel Tune-O-Matic, with Hagstrom locking machine heads at the headstock. A dual-action H-Expander truss rod provides neck adjustment. There is no tremolo system. The listed strings are D'Addario.010 to.046, and the guitar comes with the C-51 hard case rather than a gig bag.

The owner's comparison shopping is part of the story: despite trying many instruments, they kept returning to the Super Swede. After buying it, they remained pleased with the sound and build, particularly the coil-split options and the comfortable playing feel. A separate buyer also praised the guitar's appearance, sound and workmanship after comparing it with several other instruments, and chose to keep the Hagstrom.

At 915, the Super Swede Fall Sky Gloss presents a detailed specification set, distinctive maple figuring, a hard case and versatile pickup switching. The available feedback is notably positive, with the control-knob alignment serving as the clearest reported drawback. For players who want a set-neck mahogany guitar with dual humbuckers and push-pull coil splitting, this Hagstrom merits a close look. Check the control knobs during inspection, then judge the neck and split sounds with your own hands and amplifier.