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Hagstrom XL-5
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Hagstrom XL-5

Other Shape Guitar from Hagstrom belonging to the XL series

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Burned Out syn Burned Out syn

«  Wonderful »

Published on 08/11/12 at 08:16
Basswood body, 24 frets
Thickness of body: 48mm
Flamed maple top
In neck Maple
Profile of the handle: Ultra fine
Touch wood composite
H-adjusting rod Expander
Hagstrom Vibrato FCS-2
Scale length: 648mm
2 Custom 52 humbuckers
1 single coil pickup HS1
5 position selector micro
Toggle Switch

UTILIZATION

So to start the biggest surprise is the fineness of the handle, a highway, no problem on that side access to the treble is really simple. It is not too heavy and you can play both sitting and standing, it does not lean. The setting's many. A big advantage for the switch that lets split the pickups. This generates some noise but instead we get more fenderisé sounds, the microphone of the media is a little too "invisible" for my taste, I used almost no sound is too "bland".

SOUNDS

I mostly play hard rock, sometimes of metal, blues, and sometimes I used during clean acoustic session.
To start, the clean is beautiful for me even a combination of low quality Fender amp. You can get a very clean bright lens, while a clean round warm. Lack can be a bit low for my taste, but I think it's my amp which should be changed!
I distortion in its combination with a multi effect before, and it was the road to the metal without problem. But one day I was kindly offered a distortion pedal (Boss MegaDist) and there I rediscovered my guitar, its possibilities even greater and more especially pretty. The sound can be lack of sustain for my taste but I think the adjustment is required.

OVERALL OPINION

It's been 4 years that I have it good enough for me. I have the opportunity to play regularly on the Super Swede (hagstrom yet) Ltd and an F-50. For me the clean sound is more than beautiful, in its metal compared to the LTD is less punchy (logic) but it holds up. I think a change of microphone can be useful depending on the taste of some.
What I appreciate most is that it is very versatile, very thin and also all my friends who tested it love it.

However the black dot, the vibrato, I is not at all. But the bracket screw vibrato is really not strong and unscrews regularly (although I do not touch it. A certain place finish is not on top (even if it stays clean seen outside). price / quality ratio, I'm not too well placed to judge, but I've seen more expensive guitars that did not happen at the ankle is on.

If I have to redo this choice, I say a big YES!! My first electric guitar and I never will sell it.