Objects of Desire: 1968 Hagstrom Viking II - just like Elvis's

guitarz.blogspot.com:

I'm not a particular fan of Elvis Presley, but the Hagstrom Viking II in bold red finish and with the Fender-style 6-in-a-line headstock is a guitar that I would love to own; it's just one of those really iconic guitars.

Although famous as the guitar Elvis played in his '68 Comeback Special, the guitar didn't even belong to Elvis. It actually was the property of Al Casey, guitarist in the orchestra working on the TV show for N.B.C. Television, and it was chosen more or less as a prop for Presley because it looked cool.

This particular example pictured above is currently listed on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $999, although it would benefit from with some restoration as it has various cracks, and places where the binding and fingerboard position markers are missing.

G L Wilson

© 2013, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - the blog that goes all the way to 11! Please read our photo and content policy.