Images taken from the 1966 and 1975 Hagstrom catalogues
Model | Hagstrom Viking V-1 |
Available | 1965-1972 |
Pickups | Two single coil |
Scale | 24 3/4" |
Body | Bound body. Dimensions: 18 1/2" X 16 1/4" X 1 3/4" |
Neck | Rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays. Fender-style headstock |
Hardware | Two volume and tone controls, pickup selector switch, chrome plated hardware |
Options | Hagstrom Bigsby vibrato (model VB-1) |
Finishes | Mahogany sunburst, Golden mahogany sunburst, cherry red |
Model | Hagstrom Viking V-2 (Deluxe) | |
Available | 1967-1968 | |
Pickups | Two single coil | |
Scale | 24 3/4" | |
Body | Bound body and f-holes. Flamed maple and spruce | |
Neck | Ebony fingerboard, block inlays. Bound neck and Fender-style headstock. | |
Hardware | Two volume and tone controls, pickup selector switch, gold plated hardware | |
Options | Hagstrom Bigsby vibrato (model VB-2) | |
Finishes | Mahogany sunburst, Golden mahogany sunburst, cherry red |
Model | Hagstrom Viking V-1N (HG802 / Scandia) |
Available | 1972-1975 |
Pickups | Two humbuckers |
Scale | 24 3/4" |
Body | Bound birch |
Neck | Birch neck with rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays. Bound, new-shape headstock with plain inlay |
Hardware | Two volume and tone controls, pickup selector switch, 3-way tone switch, chrome plated hardware. Van Ghent tuners. |
Finishes | Natural, sunburst, cherry |
The Hagstrom Viking in the 1965/66 Selmer catalogue as follows:
A new guitar from this brilliant Swedish manufacturer - designed to meet the increasing demand for the electro-acoustic sound. Two powerful, high-gain pick-ups eliminate all unwanted sounds and give exceptionally wide tonal range. Slim, fast, low action neck; head in the modern, accepted style, fitted with high-accuracy chromium plated machine heads. Bridge adjustable for height and position to permit fine tuning of individual strings. The overall high standard of finish and performance make this guitar comparable with the finest models available today. A new guitar destined to become a firm favourite.
As the name implies, the Hagstrom Viking was of Nordic (Swedish) origin, and was making it's presence strongly felt, 'invading' the UK and other parts of Europe from 1965. Initially this name does not seem to have been used in the US, where the word Viking presumably had less resonance, and it was simply designated the V-1.
It was a thinline semi-acoustic guitar, with two pickups; an instrument very much in the style of the Gibson ES335 or Guild Starfire, however structurally quite different. With its bolt-on neck, hollow body (no central block) and Fender style headstock it is actually more akin to other guitars such as the Fender Coronado or Harmony H72, both of which were launched around the same time, 1965/66.
1967 Hagstrom Viking. Image Heritage auctions
It had a companion 12-string version, produced in a single batch in 1967, and also a bass model, the Viking bass (or Concord in the US) produced between 1965 and 1971.
The late sixties saw the introduction of a short-lived deluxe model, the Viking 2 - famously played by Elvis Presley during his '68 come back performance. Functionally identical, however with finer trim; gold plated hardware, bound neck, body headstock and f-holes, ebony fingerboard with block inlays.
Shortly after the discontinuation of the V-2, the V-1 model was redesigned to have humbucker pickups, three way tone switch, and a new Hagstrom headstock. This was designated V-1N, or during Ampeg's tenure as US distributor, the Scandia or HG802.
Finally from 1978 the model reverted to its original name - simply the Viking, however it kept its humbucking pickups, but now gaining a Fleur de Lys headstock inlay, and the central maple block of the Gibson ES guitars.
Shipping data for the Hagstrom Viking is roughly as follows:
Model | Production Years | Number Produced |
Hagstrom Viking | 1965-1972 | 9241 |
Hagstrom Viking 12 string | 1967 | 651 |
Hagstrom Viking II | 1967-1968 | 1000 |
Hagstrom Viking I N | 1972-1975 | 1845 |
Hagstrom Viking | 1978-1979 | 410 |
Hagstrom guitars were available from several different distributors worldwide, including Merson, Unicord, Arc and Ampeg in the US and Canada, and Selmer in the UK and commonwealth. Have a look at the Hagstrom Viking in some of the catalogues below.
$300
$488
$449
$765
$840
$800
$1000
$750
$149
$441
$1225
$250
$190
$1000
$599
$600
$1344
$500
$1200
$800