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HM Strat Re-Release 2020

Hey HM Strat Fans! If you’re already an owner and would love a brand new model, or someone who always wanted to own one but never had the chance – you’re in luck! Fender is re-issuing this classic guitar this year! Retaling for $1,200.00, it’s pretty faithful to the original, and made in the original, legendary Fujigen factory to boot!.Fujigen is where Ibanez Team J-Craft guitars are built, and is considered one of the absolute best guitar factories in the world.

The original HM Strat was Fender’s answer to the Superstrat craze. The Limited Edition HM Strat is a re-creation of this coveted model. It all starts with a basswood body — the tonewood of choice for ‘80s-era shredders, thanks to its warm, growling sound with mix-piercing mids. Plug into a British stack (or into your favorite refrigerator-sized rack), and you’ll experience hard-hitting rock tones, courtesy of a versatile HSS pickup configuration. The Limited Edition HM Strat’s comfortable Thin “C”-shaped maple neck boasts a unique 25.1" scale and easy-playing 17"-radius fingerboard that simply begs for rapid-fire 2-handed tapping. You also get a Floyd Rose Special tremolo. After all, whammy bar abuse is a requisite for glam metal-style shredding. A stylized ‘80s-era STRAT silk headstock logo and molded “F” logo knobs complete the package. The Fender Limited Edition HM Strat is a must-have electric guitar for glam metal aficionados. It’s being offered in Bright White, Ice Blue, Flash Pink and Frozen Yellow.

Red-hot HSS pickup configuration
The Limited Edition HM Strat is primed for hard-hitting rock tones, thanks to its red-hot HSS pickup configuration. The bridge humbucker boasts an aggressive tone and impressive output, but still manages to maintain a Stratocaster-like vibe. The middle and neck single-coils deliver vintage-style Strat tones — chimey and glassy — and can tackle cleans and bluesy crunch like a champ. To top it off, the bridge humbucker can be split via a 2-position toggle for traditional Strat sounds. While the Limited Edition HM Strat is aimed at heavy metal guitarists (hence the “HM” designation), it also performs admirably for jazz fusion (just ask Greg Howe — he rocked one for the better part of a decade).

Fast-playing Thin "C" maple neck
Just like the original, the Fender Limited Edition HM Strat sports a comfortable Thin “C”-shaped maple neck with a unique 25.1" scale. Its easy-playing 17"-radius fingerboard boasts 24 medium-jumbo frets for effortless bends and scorching-hot fretboard pyrotechnics. This ultra-comfortable neck is finished with a slick satin urethane for a sleek, low-drag feel. An offset neck plate ensures painless access to the guitar’s upper frets. Gotoh tuners supply rock-solid tuning stability. A stylized ‘80s-era STRAT silk headstock logo completes this spot-on re-creation of a glam metal-era classic.

Rock-solid Floyd Rose tremolo system
The original HM Strat featured a Kahler Spyder, which was a Floyd Rose-licensed tremolo system. While the Spyder was a popular trem back in the day, it was discontinued in the early 1990s. That’s why the Limited Edition HM Strat eschews the Kahler for a modern Floyd Rose Special. This double-locking tremolo system nets you the buttery-smooth bending action only a real Floyd can deliver, all with the peace of mind that comes from virtually never having to worry about your strings pulling out of tune. You’ll find nary a shredder here at Sweetwater that doesn’t rely on a Floyd Rose — they’re as bulletproof as a floating trem can be.

Fender Limited Edition HM Strat Features:

 

Tech Specs

First introduced in 1988, Fender’s HM Strat represented a bold direction for their iconic instrument. Built to shred-friendly specs, the HM Strat found itself going up against the “Super Strat” models of the day from the likes of Jackson, Charvel and others.
For Winter NAMM 2020, Fender has announced a limited edition re-issue of the HM Strat, available with rosewood or maple fingerboard. To get the inside scoop on this eye-catching guitar, we caught up with Fender’s Vice President of Electric Guitars, Basses and Amplifiers, Max Gutnik. 

The HUB: Can you tell us the “radical” history of how the original Fender HM Strat came to be?
Max Gutnik: The HM Strat was the successor to the Contemporary Strat of the mid-‘80s. They were designed for players looking for a modern, high-performance instrument that could keep up with the increasingly fast and technical music being played at the time. At this point in Fender history, production of US-made guitars was mostly halted as the company transitioned from the original Fullerton factory to the current Corona location. During the interim, several models were built in Japan and imported to the US – including most of the original HM Strats.
The HUB: Why now? What made you think the time is right for these models to be re-issued?
MG: Well, '80s culture is having a sort of renaissance right now, and a lot of people who maybe didn’t live through it the first time are discovering all the great music, movies, and style from that era for the first time and really loving it. Visually, it’s such a rich era – dayglo colors and hyper-stylized designs abound. And, of course it was a great time for electric guitar music.
The HUB: In recent years we've seen many builders hearkening back to the late 80's era "super-Strat." What advantages do you think players are rediscovering about this style and configuration of guitar?
MG: The super-Strat is a performance first approach to instrument design – you have a highly versatile pickup configuration, a locking tremolo that keeps you perfectly in tune, strap locks installed for security, and a fast, comfortable neck that makes it easy for you to play your best. There’s nothing inessential, everything included serves a purpose. It’s the kind of guitar that can get you through just about any situation you might find yourself in.
The HUB: Can you describe what the neck feels like? What type of advantages does the thin "C" with a 17" radius offer? 
MG: The thin “C” neck shape has long been a favorite for its low profile and comfortable shape. It’s easy to move up and down the neck quickly and accurately, and it’s comfortable in almost any fretting position. The 17” radius is super flat compared to most Fender fingerboards, which means the guitar can be setup with less relief and lower action – making the it easier to play and allowing nearly effortless bends.
The HUB: Why the unique 25.1” scale-length? Is that for feel? Is it linked to the Floyd Rose trem?
MG: The slightly shorter scale-length was originally designed with Shred in mind, hitting a sweet spot between long-scale and short-scale that makes bending easier and chords and scales less of a stretch.



The HUB: Are there any challenges or design tweaks necessary for fitting the Floyd into the body of the Strat?
MG: The original Floyd Rose was designed to replace a Strat tremolo, so fitting them into a Strat body is a natural. Of course, there are some adjustments from stock, but nothing good Fender design work can’t accomplish.
The HUB: Tell us about the pickup development process.
MG: We worked closely with the team at FujiGen to ensure that the new HM pickups live up to the legacy of the original HM Strat. The bridge pickup is a high-gain model wound to 16k DCR, much like the Hot-Rodded humbuckers used heavily in the late ‘70s and through the ‘80s. The neck and middle are slightly over-wound single-coils that pair well with the bridge and deliver classic Strat sounds.
The HUB: What types of amps and/or pedals were you plugging into as you tested the voicing?
MG: The Fender Bassbreaker 30R was our primary listening amp, but we also listened through a Blackface Twin, Hot Rod Deluxe, and an old master volume Marshall that belongs to our VP of products.
The HUB: Let’s talk about that headstock logo. How do people react when seeing it for the first time? Any chance we’ll see it on other instruments in the future?
MG: It’s definitely a statement! People seem to have a pretty strong reaction to it, but I think most people are loving it. You never know, it could get used again – if it feels right.



The HUB: Which players do you think this guitar will connect with?
MG: Anyone looking for a high-performance guitar that will make a bold statement will probably dig the HM. Fender fans who remember the original or may have missed it the first time around – ‘80s shred fans for sure!

Brasilian guitarist Lari Basilio demonstrating one of the new HM models
   

 

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