Hagstrom Viking Bass, yay or nay?

[neil___lien]

Dear Fellaz & Fellazettes !

 

I have been G.A.S.ing really bad for a Rockbass Starbass... but prices both new & second hand are ruling out that option & i started looking for other cheaper options. Then i found this on the second hane market here in Spain. The asking price is 350€ with HSC.

BUT there is a massive problem: looks like the fingerboard is coming off the neck, no?

In the add, seller says that he has sent pics to a luthier, & that luthier said that it was fine, that all he had to do is file it down so he wouldn't feel it while playing. 

And this is why i am writing here today: what do U all think? Buy or pass? Is easily fixable?? 

 

Also, can anyone decypher the serial number for me? Is that a 2013 bass??

[LeftyJ]

It's difficult to tell from these pictures if it's the entire fingerboard, or if it's just the binding that's coming loose. It does look like the neck has a bit of a bow whereas the fingerboard has not. These basses have a very rigid "resinator" fingerboard (50/50 wood fibres and resin) that may make the neck harder to adjust. Could be an easy fix. 

 

I've always find these basses intriguing, I like the pickup switching options on these. 

[fretmeister]

that's a nice looking thing.

 

Don't think I've seen one before.

[Maude]

It just looks like the edge of the lacquer flaking back from the join between neck and binding to me. 

 

But, it's a big gamble to take going on photos., unless you are able to reglue the fretboard if needed and the price reflects this. 

If the price is top money then I wouldn't take the risk. 

[jay bass]

I have owned a Hagstrom Viking and 2 warwick star basses in the past

both are excellent instruments,and i would recomend either if you are looking for a semi 

im currently using a Chowny 30" short scale semi which is great and these basses are good value for money

and worth considering along with the Hagstrom and warwick basses

i would be dubious about buying the Hagstrom with a damaged neck.

it may turn out out to be ok ,but its a big gamble.

[neil___lien]

8 hours ago, LeftyJ said:

It's difficult to tell from these pictures if it's the entire fingerboard, or if it's just the binding that's coming loose. It does look like the neck has a bit of a bow whereas the fingerboard has not. These basses have a very rigid "resinator" fingerboard (50/50 wood fibres and resin) that may make the neck harder to adjust. Could be an easy fix. 

 

I've always find these basses intriguing, I like the pickup switching options on these. 

 

Yeah... i might ask for more pics.. the bass is in Bilbao and i am near Seville... didn't know about "resinator" fingerboards!! Thanks for the info!

 

 

4 hours ago, Maude said:

It just looks like the edge of the lacquer flaking back from the join between neck and binding to me. 

 

But, it's a big gamble to take going on photos., unless you are able to reglue the fretboard if needed and the price reflects this. 

If the price is top money then I wouldn't take the risk. 

 

The asking price is 350€.. which is the cheapest i have ever seen any of those.. and i would have to sell my CV Mustang for this bass...

 

 

4 hours ago, jay bass said:

I have owned a Hagstrom Viking and 2 warwick star basses in the past

both are excellent instruments,and i would recomend either if you are looking for a semi 

im currently using a Chowny 30" short scale semi which is great and these basses are good value for money

and worth considering along with the Hagstrom and warwick basses

i would be dubious about buying the Hagstrom with a damaged neck.

it may turn out out to be ok ,but its a big gamble.

 

One thing that i noticed is that last week that bass was marked as "reserved" which would mean that someone already went there, tried it & didn't buy, or someone bought it and shipped it back... which is something you can do through the second hand app that's popular here, as long as it is within 48 hrs of recieving the parcel..

The fact that is was "reserved" for a few days, & then back on the market doesn't look good, does it? Mmmmh... 😔

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

350€ seems like a good price for the bass and case, however I am surprised that a luthier would be able to state that the issue was not structural purely from photos - ie without the bass in their hands.

 

Saying that, the 'crack' is very likely to be due to the wood of the neck expanding/shrinking with temperature/humidity changes and the fingerboard & binding not being affected by temperature/humidity. I had a Fender bass which had a similar appearance, but between the walnut skunk stripe and the maple of the neck. Very fine wet & dry paper smoothed it out. The 'crack' disappeared and could no longer be felt in the hand.

 

If it is such a minor issue on the hagstrom which can be as easily fixed, I would be asking why the seller has not fixed it or had the luthier fix it?

[Bassassin]

I've seen plenty of necks with cracking like that & I'm confident it's had a knock to the headstock, maybe even a drop, which had caused the glue joint between neck & fretboard to separate. If I'm correct a fix would involve simply easing the gap open sufficiently to get adhesive into the crack & then clamping.

 

There's no way on earth anyone could know from the pics that it's not structural. Cracking like that doesn't just happen, in fact it appears to be gaping fractionally at the nut, which is likely truss rod tension pulling it open a little.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by Bassassin