1968 HAGSTROM H-8 / F-800 8-STRING BASS!!

ORIGINAL CHIPBOARD CASE INCLUDED!!

THE FIRST PRODUCTION 8-STRING BASS!!

The H8 was the first eight string bass, and quickly spawned many multi-stringed bass rivals it was only manufactured for a brief period in the late 1960s. The strings were set in pairs, each tuned an octave apart, so it was played like a four string. It is of course possible to tune in 5ths or any other interval. The pole pieces are wider than those on previous Hagstrom bass pickups, to allow for the additional string. In total 2,249 were made, in seven batches of between 100 and 600 instruments between 1967 and 1969.

Few instruments are as steeped in rock and roll folklore as the Eight string basses used by Jimi Hendrix and Noel Redding of the Hendrix Experience. The story goes that their bass (or possibly basses) was purchased in America in 1967 whilst the band was on tour. Noel used it on the 1967 album 'Axis Bold as Love' on the tracks Spanish Castle Magic, You've got me Floating and Little miss Lover.

Then came Jimi's turn. After quitting a tour with the Monkees the Experience had a few weeks to kill, so Jimi decided to hang out with his old band Curtis Knight and the Squires. Needless to say, they jammed and recorded some great, and some not so great tracks. The better tracks feature Jimi on guitar with some blinding wah-wah fuelled psychedelia, but he also plays 8-string bass on some tracks (along with some very funky 4 string bass played by the bands regular bassist - Ed 'Bugs' Gregory). Jimi's sound is slightly distorted, and in many ways he fills the role of rhythm guitarist rather than bassist - these tracks can be heard on 'The Summer of Love Sessions. Another album to feature the H-8 was the outstanding 1998 compilation of BBC sessions. It can be clearly heard on the tracks taken from the Alexis Korner 'Rhythm and Blues' show, and is in fact mentioned on the program. The outstanding Hoochie Coochie Man(also featuring Alexis Korner on slide guitar) really benefits from the 8 strings heaviness, and can really be heard in the breakdown just after half way through.

• Jimi Hendrix - Owned the sixth one ever made in 1967 and used it in jams later entitled "Get that Feeling", "Odd Ball", "Love Love", "Hush Now" and a jam based on The Beatles "Day Tripper". It is currently in the Hendrix collection at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, WA.
• Noel Redding - Was approached by a Hagström representative when The Jimi Hendrix Experience was on tour in Sweden and used it later on "Spanish Castle Magic", "You've got me Floating" and "Little Miss Lover"
• Mike Rutherford - Bassplayer of Genesis used a Hagström H8 on the song "One for the Vine" from the 1976 album "Wind & Wuthering".
  
• Danny McCulloch - Bassplayer of The Animals was listed as a Hagström H8 user in promotional material from Hagström Guitars.
• Andy Kulberg - Bassist of the short-lived psychedelic rock band Blues Project used a H8 and was also used in Hagström's promotional material.
• Lemmy Kilmister - Bassplayer of Motörhead used one on the BBC Top Of The Pops video for Bomber (which he claims to have received during his time working as a roadie for Hendrix's band).