The Hagstrom ’67 Viking II is a hollowbody guitar made for players who want something left of center, but completely classic at the same time. Of course, Hagstrom is no hidden secret—the company has a history of impressing rock royalty, with the king of rock, dancing queens, thin white dukes and more turning to its style and sounds. We're particularly impressed by the Viking's versatile mini humbuckers, and struck by its flame maple construction. If you're jonesing for a hollowbody, or backing a second guitarist who plays a solidbody, the Viking II is a can't-miss instrument that checks many boxes.

Five-ply flame maple construction


Although Hagstrom started out in Sweden, the company turned to Canada to supply the maple for the body. Lighter color finish choices reveal the full flame, but whichever you pick, you'll hear the difference. Notes pop off the top, even when played acoustically. Body binding defines the sleek silhouette; the double-cutaway design gives fast fingers room to roam at the guitar's highest registers. The maple neck is remarkably thin, but still completely solid, making it perfect for smaller hands or precise pickers. The fretboard radius is a flat 15", so head up the neck and bend a major 3rd or more—you won't fret out.

Mini Humbuckers, Many Sounds


The H-52s spec'd in the Viking II will bring you back to the golden age of rock; they'll also nail everything from funk to punk. These pickups have that classic humbucker punch, but the new design adds coil splitting to your arsenal. Whether you play clean or crunchy, raucous or refined, there's enough sonic variation here to please everyone's ears.

Hardware That Glitters in Gold

We're suckers for the old-school trappings of a trapeze tailpiece and the wood base of a tune-o-matic bridge. Although intonating a hollowbody can sometimes be tricky, the long-throw saddles give you plenty of room to adjust the string length. Gold hardware gives the Viking II some flash that will look great under stage lights. Other features include a Resinator fingerboard with pearloid block inlays, a Graph Tech TUSQ nut and 18:1 ratio tuners. A hardshell case or gig bag is available separately.