Hagstrom - Fantomen - Black Gloss

Hagstrom Fantomen

A collaboration between the design team at Hagstrom and the Swedish band Ghost, Fantomen (Swedish for The Phantom) transports Hagstroms legendary playability and technical excellence into a new, edgier realm. We started with an elegantly asymmetrical solid-mahogany body to which we have joined a mahogany neck using our classic mortise-and-tenon neck joint system. Of course, since its a Hagstrom, the Fantomen uses our H-Expander® truss rod and Resinator® fingerboard, providing the ultimate in playing surface stability and optimal tonal enhancement. Together these components create an incredibly stable, resonant and responsive sonic foundation.

Sharp attack and more sustain

With a relatively thin 1¼ (3.5 cm) body, the Fantomen is beautifully balanced and surprisingly lightweight. A 25.5 (648 mm) scale provides a slightly sharper attack and more sustain than classic 24.75 scale guitars. A neck joint design that provides total, unrestricted access to all 22 frets will meet the needs of even the most virtuosic player.

Immense expressive range

Our goal was to equip the Fantomen with electronics that would allow for a varied tonal palette ranging from classic, vintage colors to screaming metallic brilliance. We worked with Swedish pickup guru Johan Lundgren, designer of pickups used by artists such as Meshuggahs Martin Hagström (no relation!). Lundgren recommended two different humbucker designs: No. 2 in the neck position and No. 5 in the bridge position. The result covers an immense expressive range; from smooth, warm tones to the kind of attack and intense dynamic output that would satisfy the demands of even the most extreme musical styles. Each pickup can be split to single-coil mode by means of push/pull switches incorporated into the tone controls for even more sonic flexibility. This guitar speaks with many distinct voices.

H-Expander

All Hagstrom electric guitars and basses include our patented H-Expander truss rod. Providing tension at both ends and running the entire length of the neck, the rigid yet light-weight alloy truss rod allows for a very low action and thin neck, two factors that were instrumental in earning Hagstrom its reputation as the worlds fastest playing guitar. The H-Expander truss rod not only provides ultimate neck stability, but it also contributes to Hagstroms unique tone. Longer sustain and a round attack are some of the sonic characteristics the H-Expander adds to the tonal essence of Hagstrom.

Hagstrom Machine Heads

Hagstrom models use 18:1 or 15:1 gear ratio machine heads based on our own designs to insure accurate tuning. Viking® and HB series basses feature machine heads with a 17:1 gear ratio.

Resinator Wood

Resinator wood is a wood composite material that is both more uniform in density and more stable than any standard wood product. These characteristics eliminate dead spots or wolf tones sometimes associated with conventional wood fingerboards. Resinator wood has an articulate sound similar to high quality ebony, but without any of the problems associated with ebony. It provides a stable and clear tone, and also adds higher overtones and harmonics which uniquely detail each note. Like our H-Expander truss rod, Resinator wood is a major contributor to the distinctive Hagstrom tone.

Lundgren Pickups

We worked with Swedish pickup guru Johan Lundgren, designer of pickups used by artists such as Ghost or Meshuggahs Martin Hagström (no relation!). His pickups cover an immense expressive range; from smooth, warm tones to the kind of attack and intense dynamic output that would satisfy the demands of even the most extreme musical styles.

Set Neck

Hagstrom uses a variety of different neck joints throughout our range. Our set-neck recipe is the classic and time-tested Mortise and Tenon joint, a design that most efficiently transfers string energy from neck to body, and can often only be found on more expensive custom-built guitars. A team of experienced and dedicated craftsmen hand carves every neck joint, insuring perfect execution of this traditional technique preferred by luthiers for generations.