Hagstrom - Viking Bass Wild Cherry Transparent

Hagstrom presents the Viking Bass Wild Cherry Transparent, a 4-string semi-hollow bass guitar that wasn’t designed to sit discreetly at the back of the stage. Its silhouette, elegant lines and Wild Cherry Transparent finish place it firmly in the grand tradition of instruments that catch the eye even before the first song begins. Its history dates back to 1965, when Hagstrom introduced the Concord Bass. Since then, the Viking has retained that very distinctive character: a bass that proudly embodies the style of a bygone era without ever feeling like it’s playing a role.

For the bassist, this character is most evident in the way the instrument can shift between different tones. The two Dyna-Rail pickups are paired with a rotary selector switch offering six options, in either single-coil or humbucking mode. All you need to do is turn the selector to switch from a more open and incisive response to a thicker, more enveloping sound, or blend the two pickups to find a tone that suits the track. It’s the sort of setup that makes you want to play around with the settings, searching for the sound that will really bring out a bass line rather than simply sticking to the same old formula.

The short 30.75" (781 mm) scale length further enhances this distinctive feel under the fingers. The Canadian hard maple neck, Resinator™ fingerboard and H-Expander™ are all part of the choices that have shaped the signature sound of Hagstrom instruments. And when the Viking Bass Wild Cherry Transparent finds its way into a musician’s hands, its character ultimately becomes their own: a touch of vintage rock, a good dose of personality and enough freedom to take those four strings wherever inspiration leads.