HOT GEAR
FENDER LIMITED EDITION HM STRATOCASTER
RRP: $2,499 • fender.com
The limited-edition HM Strat sports the same unique look and specs that helped the ’88-92 models compete with the hot-rodded Strat impersonators of the day. Built in the same factory as the original, the HM (for Heavy Metal) Strat features a narrow ‘C’ neck with unique 25.1-inch scale, 17-inch radius maple or rosewood fingerboard with 24 Jumbo frets for nearly effortless bends and technical fretwork. A Floyd Rose Special recessed bridge keeps everything perfectly in-tune even after the deepest dive-bombs, and the high-gain HSS pickup configuration delivers hot humbucker tones in the bridge – which can be split for more traditional Strat sounds when combined with the single coil neck
