Fender HM Strat White 1988-1989 w/gig bag

No sales tax for US customers outside California.

The Fender HM Strat — Heavy Metal Strat — was Fender's late-1980s answer to the shred era, built between 1988 and 1990 when players were gravitating toward superstrats with faster necks, extended ranges, and aggressive hardware. This is one of those 1988–89 examples, and it represents the original production run before Fender revised the line. The HM Strat was made in Japan, engineered specifically around the demands of high-gain playing: a 24-fret rosewood board, a 17" radius that all but eliminates fretting out during bends, a Floyd Rose Special double-locking recessed tremolo, and a neck profile thin enough to satisfy anyone coming from Ibanez or Kramer territory. That .79" thickness at the 1st fret and .803" at the 12th tells you everything — this is a genuinely fast neck, not a marketing claim.

The basswood body keeps the weight honest at 7 lbs 0.5 oz, which matters on a guitar designed for extended playing sessions. The pickup configuration is HSS with the original HM-spec bridge humbucker reading a healthy 12.76k — enough output to push any amp into grind territory without an overdrive pedal — and two single-coils at neck and middle measuring 5.96k and 5.97k respectively, well-matched to each other. A 5-position blade handles the standard combinations, while a dedicated 2-position toggle engages coil-splitting on the bridge humbucker, which meaningfully expands the tonal palette beyond pure high-output territory. All pickups, pots, and knobs are original to the guitar. Hardware is black throughout, and the Floyd Rose Special holds tune reliably. The guitar is white, and the black hardware reads sharply against it. Action is set at 2/32" on both the 1st and 6th strings at the 12th fret — low and even, ready to play. Frets are original and in good shape. Includes a gig bag.

Original late-80s HM Strats are increasingly hard to find in this condition with all-original electronics and hardware. These guitars were built to a genuine performance spec — the 17" radius, the true 24-fret layout, and the recessed Floyd are not compromises — and they hold up as serious working instruments, not just curiosities. If you've been looking for a period-correct shred platform that isn't a boutique price, this one is worth your attention.

Specifications:

• Brand: Fender
• Model: HM Strat
• Year/Version: 1988–89
• Color: White
• Weight: 7 lbs 0.5 oz
• Body: Basswood
• Neck: Maple
• Neck Profile: Thin C
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Inlays: Dot
• Frets: Original
• Fret Count: 24
• Nut: Floyd Rose Special Locking
• Radius: 17"
• Scale: 25.5"
• Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .79"
• Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .803"
• Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Overall Length: 38-3/8"
• Lower Bout: 12-1/2"
• Waist: 9"
• Upper Bout: 11"
• Body Depth/Thickness Outside Edge: 1-3/4"
• String Gauge: 10–46
• Hardware Color: Black
• Bridge Pickup: HM Humbucking — 12.76k — Original
• Middle Pickup: HM Single-Coil — 5.96k — Original
• Neck Pickup: HM Single-Coil — 5.97k — Original
• Bridge: Floyd Rose Special Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed)
• Tuners: Original
• Knobs: Original
• Switch: 5-Position Blade, 2-Position Toggle (Coil Split)
• Pots: Original
• Includes: Gig Bag

Excerpts from real online end-user reviews:

"Plays and sounds great. It is unreasonably low-priced indicating that it is simply out of fashion. The neck is extremely fast and long and not as fat as in the conventional Strat." - Audiofanzine
"I own a 1989 HM Strat and I absolutely love it. I bought it for 500 at a random guitar shop and it's such a fun guitar to play!" - Reddit / r/fender
"A go-faster Strat with a finish so loud it's visible from space. What's not to like?" - Guitar Player
"An improved reissue with enhanced pickups and a Floyd Rose Special double-locking tremolo, eclipsing the original as a superior shred-worthy guitar." - Guitar World

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