Posted this on the Fender forum - HM strat info?

[Carbuff]

Yeah, I hear ya on the color, but I got over that a long time ago. I was actually gonna buy a white hm body off of ebay a few months back and transfer it all over but decided not to mess with a good thing. Does your headstock say Strat in silver with the pink stripe under it or is it just white lettering?

[Accept2]

Ive had a bunch of those. The US made ones are easy to spot, but I think they are rare. They have the standard Fender logo then "Strat" on the headstock, and under the word Strat, it will say Made in USA...........

[DonP]

Does your headstock say Strat in silver with the pink stripe under it or is it just white lettering?

"Strat" in silver with the pink stripe under it. "By Fender" in small writing also on the headstock.

[DonP]

Ive had a bunch of those. The US made ones are easy to spot, but I think they are rare. They have the standard Fender logo then "Strat" on the headstock, and under the word Strat, it will say Made in USA...........

Can you post a photo of one of these, from 1988? I know they changed things so much, I just want to know if the Made in USA was done on "E8" HM Strats.

[Accept2]

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/[email protected]/detail?.dir=f4f7re2&.dnm=ea13re2.jpg

The other USAs I have seen had the serial number on the headstock.........

[DonP]

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/acc...nm=ea13re2.jpg

The other USAs I have seen had the serial number on the headstock.........

Interesting. What year is it? My headstock is like Carbuff's up above. The serial number is on the base of the neck right before the neck pocket.

Does Fender have a website/search engine for checking serial numbers?

LOL! and we thought we had it tough telling USA Jacksons from MIJ Jacksons (of the Professional era).

[pro-fusion]

I had an HM Strat in the early '90s (bought it used) that was a shredding mofo of a guitar. One of the nicest necks I've ever played. Funny though, when I run into them now, I never seem to like the necks--they always seem thicker and less shredworthy than I remember my old HM being.

[Econ]

I find it hard to believe that mine hasn't sell yet.

[jjw]

keep it then,great axe

[Econ]

I would, but I have the chance of getting back one of my GMWs, so I definitely need the money.

[charvelguy]

I wouldn't say no one expressed interest in it tho..maybe not for the terms stated.

[Econ]

Well, the guitar is still available and hopefully I'll be able to sell it soon.

[ronnierogers]

Love a pink guitar. I'm going to have to find one of these.

[fuel0707]

From what research I've done, it looks like not having "Made in Japan" on the guitar does NOT indicate where it was made. I have a black/rosewood HM and mine is definitely MIJ. For what it's worth, a few of the books on Fender Strats state that the early HM's were made in Japan. After a few years, production shifted to the USA.

I have heard that the color of the swoosh under the "Strat" logo on the headstock (either pink or light blue) is supposed to delineate the country of origin but I've not noticed that to be the case.

As for controls, both tone controls on my guitar are TBX's and all pots have the "F" cap.

[DonP]

From what research I've done, it looks like not having "Made in Japan" on the guitar does NOT indicate where it was made. I have a black/rosewood HM and mine is definitely MIJ. For what it's worth, a few of the books on Fender Strats state that the early HM's were made in Japan. After a few years, production shifted to the USA.

I have heard that the color of the swoosh under the HM on the headstock (either pink or light blue) is supposed to delineate the country of origin but I've not noticed that to be the case.

As for controls, both tone controls on my guitar are TBX's and all pots have the "F" cap.

Mine has the pick swoosh under the word "Strat". Does that help ID it? Mine has the F capped knobs as well, but one of the F's is missing from the knob cap.