Hagstrom H8-II 8-String Bass (new version 2018)

Karli

Karli

Jul 21, 2017
269
334
371
Bielefeld, Germany
www.mightymartens.de
#1
Hey 8-String-Folks here at talkbass,

I was looking for some expiriences and reviews of the new (2017/18) HAGSTROM H8-II 8-String-Bass. The one which is a lot closer - from the looks - to the original one from the late 60s. Yes, the one Hendrix/Noel and Lemmy used to play ;)

Link to Hagstrom Web-Site

Does anybody has the new one and can say something about it? How's the intonation (still one saddle per two strings?)? How is the pickup-configuration and the four knobs?

Thnaks and Cheers from Germany
KARLI
 
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#3
There was another thread recently where they were talking about the differences between that vintage reissue and the more modern one - might be worth searching for...
 
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#4
JohnArnson said:
I'd love to have one.

Also you linked to their German page, here it is in English, probably more people here who will be able to understand that:
H8-II by Hagstrom Guitars of Sweden
Click to expand...

Thanks!!! Was not aware of the german-link! Thank you

bholder said:
There was another thread recently where they were talking about the differences between that vintage reissue and the more modern one - might be worth searching for...
Click to expand...

I did not find theat thread! Do you have a link?

Cheers
KARLI
 
#5
bholder said:
There was another thread recently where they were talking about the differences between that vintage reissue and the more modern one - might be worth searching for...
Click to expand...
Karli said:
I did not find theat thread! Do you have a link?

Cheers
KARLI
Click to expand...
Here it is, a side chat within one more chapter of the eternal argument about how many strings are too many (even if you're not the one actually playing them... ; )
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
 
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#6
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#7
HaphAsSard said:
Here it is, a side chat within one more chapter of the eternal argument about how many strings are too many (even if you're not the one actually playing them... ; )
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
Who really plays anything over 10 strings!?
Click to expand...

Thanks!!!

I did a little research here on TB again, but found no new infos on the new re-issue of the Hagstrom H8-II.

So, if anyone has one and can tell some more about it, please do ;)

Cheers
KARLI
 
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#9
Karli said:
Hey 8-String-Folks here at talkbass,

I was looking for some expiriences and reviews of the new (2017/18) HAGSTROM H8-II 8-String-Bass. The one which is a lot closer - from the looks - to the original one from the late 60s. Yes, the one Hendrix/Noel and Lemmy used to play ;)

Link to Hagstrom Web-Site

Does anybody has the new one and can say something about it? How's the intonation (still one saddle per two strings?)? How is the pickup-configuration and the four knobs?

Thnaks and Cheers from Germany
KARLI
Click to expand...
I’d say stop in here and ask. :)
the official 8-String (octave courses) bass club
 
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#10
I just got one of these about 2 months ago. It's a cool sounding instrument, especially for psychedelic and hard rock/metal. Intonation seems to be fine even with the shared saddles. It stays in tune ok. The 30" scale length is very playable.
The electronics are a bit of a mixed bag. There's a switch that kills both pickups on the upper horn. It works, but I'm not sure why it's there. The four lower switches turn on/off the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, a treble cut, and a mid/treble cut. The only combination I dislike is having both tone cuts on, it turns the sound into dampened fluff. The pickups are great in humbucker mode, but hum like crazy in single-coil mode, even with one pickup switched off.
It's also a fairly heavy instrument.
 
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#11
My only question is: Why did they stop short of a full reissue of the 1967 H8? The neck, pickguard and (to a great extent) body are pretty much the same as a late '60s model. It's well known that one of these, in good condition, will fetch a fairly handsome sum.

But the reissue does not feature the classic Hagstrom p'ups that, in 1967, were redesigned for the original H8 with wide polepieces. If you've played a late 60's H8 or an HIIB, you know that the classic Hag sound came from those single-coils. I gig with several HIIB's from '66 through '69, and will never go back to my Fenders or Gibsons.

A minor point, granted, but the neckplate is a four-point mount as opposed to the orginal 3-point and the tailpiece/bridge is a total redesign. Hey, the old model was good enough for Hendrix, Redding, Zappa, etc., etc.

While some of the reissue changes might be considered an improvement, there are a few of us old, grey throwbacks who would like to see a true RE-issue. I'd shuck out the cash for that. But don't expect to Hagstrom to hear any of this; they don't answer emails and don't provide a customer service number.
 
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