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Average Price: $994
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Description
The Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar is a true icon in the world of bass guitars, offering a distinctive sound that has captivated legendary musicians from Jimi Hendrix to Lemmy Kilmister. Originally introduced in 1967, this first serially produced 8-string bass has made a lasting impact on the music industry. With its rich history, the H8 continues to inspire bassists with its unique tonal palette and robust design.
Crafted with a double cutaway mahogany body, the H8 delivers both aesthetic appeal and ergonomic comfort, allowing for effortless playability. The Canadian Maple neck is bolstered by Hagstrom’s signature H-Expander truss-rod, ensuring precise neck stability and sustain. The short 30.75 in. scale length adds to its playability, making it a versatile choice for both studio sessions and live performances.
A standout feature of the H8 is its DynaRail Humbuckers with coil-split capability, offering endless tonal possibilities. The push/pull switch built into the volume control allows you to seamlessly toggle between powerful humbucking tones and bright single-coil sounds. Whether you're layering intricate bass lines or driving the rhythm section forward, the H8 ensures every note resonates with clarity and depth.
Key Features:
- Double cutaway mahogany body with Canadian Maple neck
- H-Expander truss-rod for enhanced neck stability
- Short 30.75 in. (781mm) scale length
- Dot-inlaid Resinator fingerboard
- DynaRail Humbuckers with coil-split capability via push/pull switch
Product specs
| Shape | Info not available |
| Wood | Maple |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on |
| Scale length | 30.75 in. |
| Truss rod | Standard |
| Active or passive pickups | Passive |
| Pickup configuration | HH |
| Neck | DynaRail Humbucker |
| Middle | Not applicable |
| Bridge | DynaRail Humbucker |
| Brand | Info not available |
| Series or parallel | Info not available |
| Active preamp | Not applicable |
| Special electronics | Not applicable |
| Material | Rosewood |
| Radius | Info not available |
| Fret size | Info not available |
| Number of frets | Info not available |
| Inlays | Not applicable |
| Nut material | Info not available |
| Nut width | 1.75 in. (44.5 mm) |
| Neck width at 12 fret | Info not available |
| Cutaway | Double cutaway |
| Construction | Solidbody |
| Body wood | Mahogany |
| Top wood | Not applicable |
| Body finish | Info not available |
| Orientation | Right handed |
| Control layout | Info not available |
| Pickup switch | No |
| Coil tap or split | No |
| Tone switching | Yes |
| Special switching | Yes |
| Bridge type | Fixed |
| Bridge design | Standard |
| Tailpiece | Not applicable |
| Tuning machines | Die-cast |
| Number of strings | 8 |
| Pickguard | No |
| Special features | Not applicable |
| Case | Sold separately |
| Accessories | Info not available |
| Country of origin | Info not available |
FAQs
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What makes the Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar unique compared to a standard bass?
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The Hagström H8 features eight strings paired in octaves, creating a rich, natural chorus effect that enhances the bass's tonal depth and complexity, unlike the four-string standard bass.
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Is the Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar suitable for beginners?
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While the Hagström H8 offers unique tonal possibilities, its eight-string configuration may be challenging for beginners. It's better suited for experienced players looking to explore complex soundscapes.
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What type of pickups does the Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar use?
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The Hagström H8 is equipped with DynaRail Humbucker pickups, which are passive and provide a powerful, punchy sound ideal for diverse musical genres.
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How does the short scale length of the Hagström H8 affect playability?
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With a 30.75-inch scale length, the Hagström H8 offers a slightly shorter reach, which can enhance playability and comfort, especially for players with smaller hands.
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Can the Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar produce a natural chorus effect?
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Yes, the Hagström H8's octave-paired strings naturally create a chorus effect, adding richness and depth to the sound, which is a hallmark of this unique instrument.
Reviews
Artist usage
Add artist
Hagstrom writes in this article from their official site "There are very few instruments which have influenced classic rock music quite like the Hagstrom eight string bass. The bass was famously used by such players such as Jimi Hendrix and Noel Redding."
In the Reverb News article titled "New Reverb Shop Will Let You Own a Piece of Billy Corgan," the second image in the gallery shows Billy Corgan with a Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar.
In this video on Dee Dee Ramone, a photo of Lee is shown at 5:00, and to the far left of the shot we can see a Red Hagström 8-String Bass.
In this video you can see lemmy using a Hagström 8-string bass.
Lemmy said it was given to him by Jimi Hendrix when he was his roadie, this was confirmed in this interview with Lemmy's roadie.
"I have an old German upright, a Fender 5-string, a Hagstrom 8-string, and the Precision."
Canaan Dove Amber is seen using the Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar in an Instagram post by __canaan, captioned "helvetia+duster💖🖕."
Marty Willson-Piper used a Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar, specifically a 1968 model with two pickups, on the track "The Mermaid," as detailed on his official website.
Album Usage
The Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Hagström H8 8-String Bass Guitar, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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