| The HM (Heavy
Metal) Strat was Fender's answer to the 'Super Strats' produced by other
makers and marked a relatively radical departure from Leo's classic
design.
The first version appeared in 1988 and
featured:
- Black headstock with large script
style 'Strat' logo and locking nut
- 24 fret, 25 inch scale neck, either
maple or maple with rosewood fingerboard.
- 3 bolt asymetrical neckplate
- Slightly smaller body without
scratchplate.
- Locking tremelo/vibrato.
- Side mounted jack socket.
- Black hardware.
Two pickup/control configurations were
available:
- Single humbucker at bridge position
with volume, tone and coil tap.
- Two single coils and one humbucker (at
bridge position), one volume and two tone controls, five way
selector and coil tap.
In 1991 the specification of that version
was changed slightly. The large script Strat logo was replaced by a
smaller version in a stencil style font, and the only pickup/control
configuration available with that version was two single coils and one
humbucker with only one volume and one tone control and five way
selector.
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| a)
Examples of the two different HM Strat logos |
b)
Front & rear views of an 88-90 Strat- note unusual
asymmetrical 4 bolt neck plate |
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(I believe some or
all of the guitars illustrated to be US made instruments, but
they nevertheless illustrate HM features.)
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1991 also saw the introduction of another
version of the HM Strat featuring:
- 'Droopy' black headstock with large
script style 'Strat' logo and locking nut
- 22 fret, 25 inch scale neck, either
maple or maple with rosewood fingerboard.
- Slightly smaller body with black
scratchplate.
- Locking tremelo/vibrato.
- Black hardware.
- Side mounted jack socket
Only one pickup/control configuration was
available:
- Two humbuckers and one single coil (at
middle position), one volume and two tone control, and five
way selector.
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