It’s been a few weeks now I was able to unexpectedly embrace a new member of my guitar family !
Like most people here, I do a lot of research and window shopping on guitars and gear and the Ultra Max Special was one of those guitars I couldn’t get out of my mind any more. I was pretty relaxed as a new guitar should only be bought after finishing Grade 3, I wasn’t in a hurry, but at a point, I realised, that my favourite model out of the limited series was not longer built. They only make a limited number of each edition designwise and my favourite colour wasn’t available any more. So I started to watch the used market. Some of them appeared online, but not in best conditions, the only one I would have considered to buy disappeared from one day to the other and I buried my ambitions.
I went to my local store and they had an other Hagstrom model, but not my prefered one.
I tried a few Les Paul Style ES models and Telecasters during a visit in a bigger guitar store, just to get as much guitar models into my hands as possible, but didn’t find a real connection to any of the single cuts or hollow bodys they had to offer. I connected very much with a Fender Player Plus Telecaster, put it on top of my wish list, but left the shop without a guitar.
A few weeks later, suddenly the ad reappeared on the used market platform and I contacted the seller. The guitar was almost brand new, in best condition and we could negotiate a fair price.
The colour is simply amazing. Solid mahogany body and neck, flamed maple top.
Spec-wise it’s “special” as it’s the long scale 25,5’’ on a single cut, it has 2 ALNICO Humbuckers neck/bridge and a fancy Mini Humbucker (wooh, hooo, the mini is everything but mini!) in the middle. It offers 2 split options, a multi versatile guitar all over, just as I wanted. She feels and sounds great, I like the slim neck profile and she’s very well balanced. Everything on this guitar looks and feels like top quality. Extremely well crafted, I didn’t find anything to complain about.
I named her Ylvie, because she’s a Swedish girl and it’s one of the few Swedish names I know (apart from Agnetha), out of a cartoon series (Wickie) .
I have to admit, I’m a bit distracted these days exploring the new instrument, currently side tracked by diving deeper into electric techniques, improving my power chords and muting abilities and having lots of fun.
I ticked the “every girl needs to have a red guitar” box .
Ok, ok, I know the Telecaster box is still open, but that’s a different story and has to wait… promised !
EDIT:
I totally forgot to add a video how it can sound (I’m not there yet… )
An absolute beauty of a guitar, I think the color is incredibly beautiful, but also the pickups and the rest of the chrome and the neck and the headstock… very kissable
Greetings,
and this week my girl have a vacation so I’m going to take her out to dinner a guitar shop a few times
Build it up, first dinner… next day guitar shop…it will pay off ! But maybe, that isn’t necessary in your case, because your wife seems to be such a sweetheart and slresdy understood… .
Thanks, @TheMadman_tobyjenner@Libitina @franzek I read in a review, that it has about 3,5 kg. It doesn’t feel too heavy, so I believe it could very lokely be true .
I totally forgot to add a video how it sounds (if other people play ), I’ll edit this to my original post.
Congratulations Andea & Happy NGD!!!
What a Beautiful Red Guitar!!!
According to my wife, not only should you “girls” (not intended to be offensive here) have a red guitar, you should also have matching red lipstick and shoes !!!
Personally, I love my red guitar… but I NEVER wear lipstick !!!
Back to your new girl… I just watched the video! Wow! Some great Jazzy tones coming out of this solid body!!! Love the middle mini-bucker!!! Gorgeous headstock & tuning machines!!! Definitely has the looks to go with the sounds she is putting out!!!
Also, I think giving her a Swedish name was a great idea… Ylvie… she’s going to play twice as Sweet because of that!!!
Honestly said, meanwhile I’m a bit out of the “girls” league due to my age and being very tall those red shoes aren’t an option too, because then I’m at least half a head above the average man…and then the effect changes dramatically, what the red shoes should achive turns into . So I leave it at the guitar-thing !
Oh, we already had a male lingerie model here in an live stream…so, don’t worry about the lipstick…
I surely will!
@Jamolay [quote=“Jamolay, post:10, topic:332788, full:true”]
Dang! That is nice, a monster of a guitar! Goes to 11 for sure. Hope you have a big amp and good relations with the neighbors!
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It looks a lot more like a beast, than she is . She behaves very well so far, but you are right, blowing out the windows is within it’s reach… @franzek Danke Franz! @TheCluelessLuthier Thanks Mark!
Darrell!!! I KNOW THAT! I grew up with ABBA! What I was trying to say is, that I don’t know many Swedish names. Agnetha is one of them, but not so suitable for a guitar!? Ylvie was the one out of the comic !
uuuuh, I feel it! Currently trying to lift up my electric side. I was lost in acoustic for months and months… @Lisa_S Thanks for the nice words, Lisa, very appreciated! Hope everything is well on your side! @jkahn Nice to see you back on this side of the forum! And thanks for sharing my joy. Hope you’re having a great time with the BLIMMERS! @RobDickinson
As I wrote to Joshua…she looks wilder than she is…I had an eye on Hagstrom almost since the beginning of my guitar playing. They build great guitars at reasonnable price points and I love the looks. I couldn’t justify to buy a Gibson or another very expensive guitar at this point (wouldn’t make me a better player), just wanted one of good quality. @Jenndye429
Thanks, Jen!
!
and the Ultra Max Special was one of those guitars I couldn’t get out of my mind any more. I was pretty relaxed as a new guitar should only be bought after finishing Grade 3, I wasn’t in a hurry, but at a point, I realised, that my favourite model out of the limited series was not longer built. They only make a limited number of each edition designwise and my favourite colour wasn’t available any more. So I started to watch the used market. Some of them appeared online, but not in best conditions, the only one I would have considered to buy disappeared from one day to the other and I buried my ambitions.
.
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! Flamed maple top, lot’s of different tone options…
and shoes 
!!!
. So I leave it at the guitar-thing 