Fender Heavy Metal Strat

[ryansean]

Are the Fender HM Strats any good? They look really sweet and I have 3 in my area I could buy.

[Accept2]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

Some are good, some are bad. Like any Fender you have to try them out. I had one with a satin finish neck that was great, and one with a gloss finish neck that blew chunks. They both had identical hardware, but one just blew for some reason............

[Jim Shine]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

I sold these at the end of their run (when they came with real Floyds). From all sources I have spoken to, these guitars were made in much the same way as todays Highway 1 series where the guitar is a composite of USA and import parts. I believe that the neck and pickups are made by Fender, the body was imported finished with the pots, switch, and jack all wired, then the guitar was final assembled and tested in the USA.

[jjw]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

yeahh they rock mate,hot rodded strats of the 80's..even the pink greg howe one is cool.

i know a geezer who has loads and i mean loads of GREAT axes,from custom esp's,RR's,ernie's,Custom strats,n2's/n4's(get the picture he has loads...and can play them too)

and his main WMD is one of his many modded HM's

if its in good condition,get it!!!

[ChickenScratch]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

I think they are remarkable guitars (and my hero Greg Howe seems to think so to). Go try them out man, see if they catch your fancy.

[RacerX]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

Originally posted by justin j wakely:

and his main WMD is one of his many modded HM's

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Weapon of Mass Distortion?

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[jjw]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

ha ha yeahh thats the boy [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[MountainDog]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

I also highly recommend the HM. What is interesting about them (and it doesn't seem like common knowledge to most people) is that they have 25.0" scale necks. Not 25.5" like other Fenders, not 24.75" like Gibsons, but 25.0" (like PRS). I think this adds to their playability. Here's a link explaining the Japan made ones, but the USA are similar:
http://freespace.virgin.net/john.blackman4/hm.htm

[jjw]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

http://electricguitar.50megs.com/hm.htm

Thats the USA axe's..and its a pink greg howe one!!!not bad at all (i liked gilberts shocking pink axe too)

lots of good info here [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[khabibissell]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

Yep! I had one too, and they rock!

[Jim Shine]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

That second site is off. The late 80's HM guitars have USA necks on import bodies. This is why they are basswood and have import pots, switch, jack, and finish. Regardless of the era, they have USA on all the neckplates. Fully made in USA models have alder bodies.

[jjw]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

thats Greg Howes signature model listed in the the USA link,i would have thought that might be diferent being top of the range

i am sure cheap HM strats might have import bodies.Like other cheap guitars from other companies,they would cut corners on the beginers
section.

still great axes

[Accept2]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

Dont trust anything you read in the 50megs site, its a little........well......kinda like ed romans site............

[ChickenScratch]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

Originally posted by justin j wakely:
thats Greg Howes signature model listed in the the USA link,i would have thought that might be diferent being top of the range

i am sure cheap HM strats might have import bodies.Like other cheap guitars from other companies,they would cut corners on the beginers
section.

still great axes

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Dude, Greg Howe does not have a sig model. He never did. He's currently working with ESP to get one out by the end f the year I belive though.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Fender Heavy Metal Strat

Cheap HM's? That was the Squier. The lowest price Fender (not Squier) HM listed for $799 in '89 and went up each year after. This may not sound like much now, but an American Standard Strat of the same year listed for only $689. The next step up on HM's was the Ultra which had a flame maple top body and ebony board. These were made entirely in the USA and listed for $1449.99. There was a reason why they cost almost double what the standard HM cost beyond the nicer woods used. These did not come in solid colors.