MusicRadar Verdict
For the money, you'll struggle to find a better guitar than this. A real winner.
Pros
- +
Superb tone and true versatility.
Cons
- -
You'll need a strong back.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
It might have a chambered body, but the Hagstrom Deuce F is a monster of a guitar that tips the scales at 3.85kg. That may seem like a deal breaker, but don't be hasty: this brute might just win you over yet.
Playability is up there with the best of them. Hagstrom employs an ultra-stiff trussrod system that enables it to fit slim profile necks that don't compromise tuning stability.
"Stomp on the filth with the bridge humbucker engaged for a fantastic aggressive tone; a thrilling combination of edge and beef that kills for metal and punk."
Like all Hagstrom guitars, the Deuce F features a 'Resinator' fingerboard. This is a composite material that offers a feel and tone similar to ebony.
The 'board is studded with 22 well-seated, well-dressed frets.
The Deuce's Custom 58 humbuckers are each wired to a dedicated volume and push/pull tone control. Pull the tone knobs and each 'bucker splits for singlecoil sounds; push it to activate humbucker mode.
The only problem is with the Gibson-style 'bell' knobs: they're tough to pull.
You have to dig the meat of your fingers under the skirts of the knobs to shift them, and even our heavily calloused claws found that a bit uncomfortable after a few attempts. Fatter knobs would make coil splitting easier.
Sounds
Maybe it's the oversized headstock, the body chambers, the 10mm-thick maple top or the stiff neck, but the Deuce F pumps out an incredible amount of sustain.
It could also be the over-engineered tailpiece that sees each string threaded through its own tone block, which is then anchored to the guitar's body via a thick slab of Perspex.
It works brilliantly, even if it looks a bit bonkers. Luckily, the whole thing is covered by a chrome plate.
Plugging the Deuce F in is a revelation. Stomp on the filth with the bridge humbucker engaged for a fantastic aggressive tone; a thrilling combination of edge and beef that kills for metal and punk.
While it's less adept at bright rhythm jangle, the Deuce F still cleans up well. The neck humbucker also excels for jazz chords and weeping, bluesy lead tones.
The Hagstrom Deuce F is an unusual beast, it's a bit on the heavy side and isn't quite as well-finished as competitors such as the PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow.
However, its incredible tone and sustain mark it out as one of the best affordable rock guitars we've ever tested. If your spine can take it, give it a whirl.
“It sounds just like an original, while being simple to use, and easy to control from within your DAW”: Roland Space Echo RE-201 Plugin review
“Sometimes people need a mix engineer, or a recording engineer, or a producer, or a guitarist – or sometimes all of those things”: Amy Sergeant on her professional studio career and her approach to mix engineering in the modern industry
“Interfaces are all about connections and the more money you spend, the more options you’ll get in return”: New to audio interfaces? Start Here…
