Visit to Sweden

Much of the town incorporates what is left of the original Hagstrom
buildings, some were pulled down, others were added to.

Visitors to the Museum can also view detailed static displays of the mineral mining and smelting history also associated with this area

You are welcomed by a picture of a guy called
Petursson who was 7'6" tall (hence he didn't fit the picture)
But Hagstrom made him a custom extra large accordion

We were able to get the background on a lot of the exhibits

Hear demonstrations of the accordions

Check the intonation of an old Prototype H8 replacement. You could say "He ain't heavy, He's my brother"
... but actually it is a very heavy instrument!!!

Was this to be a 'Scandi type' 8 string bass in solid ash?

This set of hydraulics was used to set up the neck truss rod and fretboard

The Viking jig is quite special. Notice that the sidewall of a Viking is a single piece joined together at the neck block. There is no join at the base, for extra strength and improved tone.

So where is the Jimmy jig? Apparently it is so massive it would have been a problem getting it into the museum!

Taking the variety further, here is an example of early technology in action.

Maybe the world's first Dictation machine. Using Wax cylinders, the "Ediphone" recorded from the horn mic onto a wax cylinder, this could be played back for the secretary to type up.

Finally the 'Edison shaver unit' wiped the wax recording so you could recycle or re-record... WOW!

Many items from Albin Hagström's original office are on display

Albin Hagstrom was known for finding a variety of business opportunities, even selling quality Hagstrom bicycles early on, and here's a Hagstrom Sonata Gramophone.

With the demise of the accordion craze, there was a desperate attempt to try out ideas to use the technology in other ways. This then is an accordion derived organ, even with chord section under the lift-off plate left of the keys.

The problem was it didn't have enough air power really to run more than single keys, especially if you used the chord section. It was also very noisy, purported to to be driven by a vacuum cleaner motor. Full points for trying eh?

OK, lets look at some more guitars... Anders and Chris get a demo too!

HAS THE MUSIC STOPPED? THEN CLICK ON EITHER PICTURE ABOVE TO OPEN A VIDEO...

A SuperSwede, SuperSwede Bass, and a couple of proto's one from 1981 one from... 2004.

It's the 'USA Custom' version of the new Hagstrom Deluxe. The model that was presented to Karl-Erik senior... no I don't have the special 'specs' on...

Looks nice, if much like a Godin in body style.

Next - Those fabulous accordions - complete with demonstration videos!