Hagström Jimmy

Hagström Jimmy
Manufacturer Hagström
Period 1969- 1979
Construction
Body type Hollowbody
Neck joint Set neck H-Expander truss rod
Scale 24.75"
Woods
Body Laminated birch
Neck Birch / mahogany
Fretboard Rosewood
Hardware
Bridge Trapeze tail piece with optional Bigsby vibrato
Pickup(s) One or two humbucker pickups
Colors available
Blond, white, cherry, sunburst and golden sunburst

The Hagström Jimmy is archtop jazz guitar built by Hagström in partnership with the American guitar luthier Jimmy D'Aquisto (1925–1995).

Original run 1969 to 1979

The Jimmy debuted in 1969 as a downsized archtop with 16" body that was narrower and thinner than an average sized jazz guitar. It had an arched laminated spruce top, two unbound f-holes, birch body and neck, and bound rosewood fretboard. It also was the first Hagstöm to featured the asymmetrical D'Aquisto-style headstock that later became the standard on almost all Hagström guitars. The headstock had large pearl inlays. The guitar came equipped with two humbucking pickups. Four-hundred and eighty Jimmys were produced in the initial run, they were more or less prototypes because Hagström intended to outsource the production of the Jimmy to the Swedish Bjärton factory, but before this could happen Bjärton closed its doors for good.

In 1976, D'Aquisto's was once again called for by Hagström to help make a few improvements and get the line back in production. Hagström reintroduced the original Jimmy, with a slightly more conventional pickguard and pearl block inlays. Bodies were laminated birch, with a two piece birch neck flanking a mahogany strip and Grover Imperial tuners. And the D'Aquisto headstock now had a "Designed by Jimmy D'Aquisto" inlay. In 1977 Hagstöm launched another version of the Jimmy, this time with a single round soundhole and a single humbucking pickup. Until 1979, when the Jimmy was discontinued, 1207 Jimmys with f-holes were made (including those 480 in the initial 1969 batch), and about 356 with the round soundhole.

HJ-500 NAT, HJ-600 VSB
Manufacturer Hagström
Period 2004- present
Construction
Body type Hollowbody
Neck joint Set neck H-Expander truss rod
Scale 24.75"
Woods
Body Maple, spruce
Neck Maple
Fretboard Hagström resinator fretboard
Hardware
Bridge Trapeze tail piece
Pickup(s) Two HJ-50 humbuckers
Colors available
Blond, Black gloss and vintage sunburst

Re-Issue 2004 to present

In 2004 the Hagström line of guitars was resurrected under new ownership and a re-issue of the original Jimmy was launched under the name HJ-500 NAT and HJ-600 VSB with certain liberties taken by the new manufacturer. The new guitars are being produced in a dedicated Hagström plant in China and unlike the original guitars they are made out of maple instead of birch and the lacks the "Designed by Jimmy D'Aquisto" inlay on the headstock.

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References