Hagstrom - Megin Aged Sky Blue

The Hagstrom Megin Aged Sky Blue has that certain something that catches the eye even before the amp is switched on. Its slightly faded blue colour, black pickguard and double-cutaway silhouette give it a personality all of its own. You rest it on your lap to try out a couple of chords, then plug it into the amp ‘just to see’. A few minutes later, you’re still there, trying out a riff, tweaking the settings, revisiting a melody that’s been niggling at the back of your mind. It’s exactly the sort of guitar that can easily become the one you reach for without a second thought when you simply fancy a bit of playing.

The mahogany body provides a full-bodied tone, with plenty of substance for both rhythm and melody. The two Custom 62 humbuckers then offer two very distinct characters. At the neck, the Medium Output pickup maintains a round, pleasant response when playing chords or more melodic phrases. Switch to the High Output bridge pick-up and the character changes: the attack becomes crisper, riffs gain impact and the distortion can take on a distinctly more aggressive edge. With the three-position selector switch, you can switch between them in a single movement and further fine-tune the sound using the volume and tone controls.

The glued-in mahogany neck features a mortise-and-tenon joint and is fitted with 22 medium-jumbo frets on a Resinator™ fingerboard. The 25.5" scale length provides that particularly satisfying sense of precision when playing riffs, working on your articulation or dropping the tuning. The Megin thus maintains a crisp response under your fingers, without the notes sounding muddled as you move down the neck.

Then there’s the Wrap-Around bridge, which contributes to the instrument’s very direct character by transmitting the vibrations of the strings to the body. Add the H-Expander™, which stabilises the neck and enhances sustain, and you have a guitar that doesn’t require any complicated set-up: you pick it up, plug it into the amp and simply let the ideas flow.