Fender's Follow-ups to the HM Strat

[heem6]

Fender tried several times to market a Floyd Rose equipped shred guitar, but never met with the success they hoped for.

Some of the follow up attempts were:

- The Squier Stagemaster (Made by Cort Guitar Manufacturers, the Deluxe featured neck-through body contruction)

- The Squier Showmaster (24 frets, FR, reverse headstock)

- The Fender Highway 1 Showmaster (Made in Corona, HH, Floyd Rose, 24 frets)

Stagemaster


Showmaster



The Highway 1 Showmaster could be called a follow-up to the HM Strat, but beware - it's not the same guitar. As you'll see by the specs below, it's more like a traditional strat with an extra two frets and a Floyd. What made the HM's special is their dream necks with a 17" radius and a back contour that loves your hand like Pam Anderson after 5 Tequila-Tini's. This neck is C-shaped and the fretboard radius is only 12". In addition, it's made out of Alder and not Basswood. Still, made in Corona, California, I'm sure they're wonderful guitars.

Fender Highway 1 Showmaster Specs
BODY Alder, Sleek Showmaster Body
NECK Maple, Modern "C" Shape,(Polyurethane Finish)
MACHINE HEADS Fender/Ping Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
FINGERBOARD Rosewood, 12" Radius (305 mm)
NO. OF FRETS 24 Dunlop® 6100 Jumbo Frets (Wide)
PICKUPS 2 EnforcerTM Humbuckers
CONTROLS Volume (Neck Pickup), Volume (Bridge Pickup)
BRIDGE Floyd Rose® Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo
PICKUP SWITCHING 3-Position Blade, Special Switching:
Position 1. Full Bridge Humbucker (Coils in Series)
Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickup (Pickups in Series)
Position 3. Full Neck Humbucker (Coils in Series)
HARDWARE Chrome
STRINGS Fender Super 250R, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046),
p/n 073-0250-006
CASE Deluxe Gig Bag
PICKGUARD None
SCALE LENGTH 25.5" (648 mm)
WIDTH AT NUT 1.700"
UNIQUE FEATURES Satin Urethane Finish,
Black Plastic Parts,
"Sleek" Showmaster Body Shape,
12" Fingerboard Radius,
White Dot Position Inlays
ACCESSORIES Deluxe Gig Bag

[89hm]

Link for the Pic of the Showmaster Highway 1 is gone.

Here's a Pic I found of it.

Body looks almost identical to the HM's Body.

I still don't understand why Fender didn't try harder in re-issuing some sort of Metal type axe to compete with the Ibanez type shred guitars, with the resurgence of Metal in general the past 5 years.

[heem6]

Hey, thanks for reposting that picture, 89hm!

My thought is that Fender realized that a Fender Shredder was not gonna be popular, and instead bought Jackson and Charvel to get a piece of that market.

[nickwellings]

I still think the Hwy 1 Showmaster is my ultimate strat...Floyd rose, normal-ish fender neck, close 12 fret dots, 24 frets HSS. Every box ticked! I really have to hunt one down.

[bloomz]

They come up on ebay often - just watch for the QMT Quilted Maple Top or Bubinga ones - incredibly beautiful wood.

Great players - but mine does not have a Floyd - and I wish it did

Mine is HH

[bloomz]

Something the Showmaster has that exceeds the HM (I have both)

The pickup switching totally rocks - here's what my HH Showmaster does

Pickup Switching 5-Position Blade, Special Switching:
Position 1. Full Bridge Humbucker (Coils in Series)
Position 2. Both Inside Single Coils (Coils in Series)
Position 3. Both Full Humbuckers
Position 4. Full Neck Humbucker (Coils in Parallel)
Position 5. Full Neck Humbucker (Coils in Series)

Still love that flat(ter) radius on the HM tho - wish I could shred but my fingers won't move as fast as my brain any more. And - I prefer the D shape of the HM - yet I find myself playing the Showmaster more.

My HM is that turquoise and mint condition and I do agree that it *should* get its due and be worth some decent coin if my son hangs onto it.

I still watch both on ebay daily, don't ask me why cuz I have perfect examples of both.

I've had this desire for a maple board HM - but 95% of them I see are all discolored - and I like pristine gits.

Here's my Showmaster

[The Guitar]

Theres also the Prodigy that came with the Spyder and 22 frets. Offset body compared to the traditional shape and I dropped a Super Distortion in favor of the stock pickup.

[normj]

May 26, 2014 9:18:24 GMT -5 The Guitar said:

Theres also the Prodigy that came with the Spyder and 22 frets. Offset body compared to the traditional shape and I dropped a Super Distortion in favor of the stock pickup.

Nice looking guitar. What is the neck like on a Prodigy? I have never played one and I am curious about them.
Talk to you later,
Norm

[The Guitar]

Its a nice profile neck, though I don't think its as flat as a HM's. Its at my folk's while we wait to get moved, so its been some time since I played on it. Theres also the first run with a classic synchronized trem, then the second has the Spyder. We were on vacation in Sevierville county Tennessee(Pigeon Forge) and made a stop at The Music Outlet. I was browsing their electrics when a Fender head with a lock nut caught my eye. Slapped it on lay-away and had it sent.

[bradley]

lets not forget the fender heartfield that Vinnie Moore endorsed, very close to a ibanez with a genuine floyd rose trem some had 22 frets while others had 24 frets and various pick up combinations

Attachments:

[bradley]

Jul 14, 2009 1:12:28 GMT -5 heem6 said:

Fender tried several times to market a Floyd Rose equipped shred guitar, but never met with the success they hoped for.

Some of the follow up attempts were:

- The Squier Stagemaster (Made by Cort Guitar Manufacturers, the Deluxe featured neck-through body contruction)

- The Squier Showmaster (24 frets, FR, reverse headstock)

- The Fender Highway 1 Showmaster (Made in Corona, HH, Floyd Rose, 24 frets)

Stagemaster


Showmaster



The Highway 1 Showmaster could be called a follow-up to the HM Strat, but beware - it's not the same guitar. As you'll see by the specs below, it's more like a traditional strat with an extra two frets and a Floyd. What made the HM's special is their dream necks with a 17" radius and a back contour that loves your hand like Pam Anderson after 5 Tequila-Tini's. This neck is C-shaped and the fretboard radius is only 12". In addition, it's made out of Alder and not Basswood. Still, made in Corona, California, I'm sure they're wonderful guitars.

Fender Highway 1 Showmaster Specs
BODY Alder, Sleek Showmaster Body
NECK Maple, Modern "C" Shape,(Polyurethane Finish)
MACHINE HEADS Fender/Ping Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
FINGERBOARD Rosewood, 12" Radius (305 mm)
NO. OF FRETS 24 Dunlop® 6100 Jumbo Frets (Wide)
PICKUPS 2 EnforcerTM Humbuckers
CONTROLS Volume (Neck Pickup), Volume (Bridge Pickup)
BRIDGE Floyd Rose® Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo
PICKUP SWITCHING 3-Position Blade, Special Switching:
Position 1. Full Bridge Humbucker (Coils in Series)
Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickup (Pickups in Series)
Position 3. Full Neck Humbucker (Coils in Series)
HARDWARE Chrome
STRINGS Fender Super 250R, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046),
p/n 073-0250-006
CASE Deluxe Gig Bag
PICKGUARD None
SCALE LENGTH 25.5" (648 mm)
WIDTH AT NUT 1.700"
UNIQUE FEATURES Satin Urethane Finish,
Black Plastic Parts,
"Sleek" Showmaster Body Shape,
12" Fingerboard Radius,
White Dot Position Inlays
ACCESSORIES Deluxe Gig Bag

that comment about the HM neck in the showmaster description had me in stitches but a great description

[handtrix]

.

[antonio trisolini]

Hi, my fender Strat is White, tele p/g, 24 frets, 1 H and 1 lace sensor, the number is F008699. I'd like to know other features. Thanks