Review - 1988 Fender HM American Stratocaster

I constantly go through new equipment, often faster than I can review them. In these cases I will try to back track and get in a word or two about them.

The story of this strat isn't that long considering how old it really is. For those of you who remember 1988, I don't given that I was 3, it was a good amount of time ago. This guitar, at time of writing, is 22 years old. I'm not sure what most people think when you realize just what has happened in the last 22 years. Now, take into account that to keep a guitar in playable condition would take constant attention, love, and care. Or someone who just bought it and stuck it right in the case in hopes of it appreciating in value. Either way, the one I have was bought by a player. Someone who used it weekly for years, and the condition speaks for that. The body and paint is amazing, but the maple fretboard is worn, and it could use a re-fretting. The wear is natural, and maintains the tone. What has been said about these is that they are vastly underrated, and I can understand why. I will explain that in a second.

The USA HM Strat was created in 1988, and to my knowledge, was produced until about 92-93. The model was meant to be Fender's introduction into the "Super Strat" age. At the time, speed metal was all the rage (Later to come, the Ibanez SM9), and the big companies began competing for the market with Jackson, Charvel and Kramer. Fender got the newly introduced Greg Howe to play them, and he was very vocal about his love for them.

These Fender strats came in 2 version, one with the more pointed "Jackson"-style headstock (popular in Super Strat styling), and one with a smaller version of it's own signature headstock. They came with Gotoh Tuners, a coil-splitting Dimarzio pickup in the bridge, and a Khaller Spyder floating tremolo.

The guitars were (and still are) the subject of some depate. They were a much smaller size in comparison to it's standard strat, and was made of basswood. This provided more clarity and sustain, but removed alot of "tone". This was typical of the Super Strat design. The debate lies in that most "connoisseurs" of the Fender Strat expect that they maintain certain aspects of their guitars, but write this off due simply because they feel that Fender either sold-out, or that the strat could never live up to their high expectations. There is also a small debate that the earliest versions (possibly including mine) were actually made in Japan with USA parts. Even those that clearly state "made in USA" on the headstock were possibly manufactured elsewhere. I have no way of proving either way where they were made, just some things that I have read (in note of this, I encourage ANYONE to correct anything I write that is incorrect. Please have proof or at least evidence as I do my research as well as anyone, but the internet is hardly known for it's accuracy).

In regards to my specific example (no, the pic is not mine, but is the exact same, including condition, except for my fretboard wear). I got what I personally believe to be, a really good deal. I traded a worn Ibanez Artcore AG75 with no case, and $200, for the Strat. I happened to get really lucky when it turned out the guy had the original case! It happens to have all original parts, including the locking nuts. I have read that Khaller will actually still sell parts for the trems.

The neck is where most people tend to focus their appreciation (I personally like the coiltap). Very thin, and seems to be a single piece, with a 24 jumbo fret radius. The biggest comparison would be between this neck and the Wizard II neck from Ibanez. Mine is still straight as an arrow, and from the reviews I have read online, that is not rare for these models. Granted there are alot less left in the world, but there are plenty out there.

In overview, I have become a big fan of this guitar. To be fair, I like shredders. I understand that everyone has their own taste in guitars, and this type of guitar caters to a select group. I like the rarity, the fit, the finish and everything about it. I had never heard from it before I got a chance on one, but everything I read about them are good things. Sadly, I think this is one guitar that will slip through the cracks of the ages, unless die-hards try to keep them kicking, which I don't see enough support to believe will happen. However, I will be loving this one for a long time to come.

First Review - Digitech JamMan

I guess as I go along I will frequent this blog with updates that apply to my guitar rig. I have recently come into a Digitech JamMan that I traded a Digitech DigiDelay, DOD FX-25, and a Boss DS-2. A quite fair trade I might say indeed :)

I have been looking for a looper for a good amount of time. I have been tossing between Boss and Digitech as I am most familiar with them and (depending on the sound I want) I can gauge what to expect. Boss tends to be best, but for the price, Digitech won out. In the single pedal alone the Boss could hold up to 11 minutes, while the Digitech Solo could hold 35 minutes! I went with the bigger daddy and it can hold up to 6.5 hours after adding a 2gig compact flash for under $20!

Being that I am mostly a "jam" musician, meaning that I play based on what is around me. Since I mostly play on my own, I needed to be able to loop a second line to play against. Though guitar is glorious in its own right, a single guitar track can make things pretty boring (esp. on an electric). My main purpose for this pedal was to be able to record between 8-10 seconds (the DigiDelay would loop 4 seconds). Let's just say the JamMan was fully able to do this :)

The reason I decided to go with Digitech was because I have no intention to mod this pedal. Boss builds their pedals on perfboard and use true capacitors and diodes. Digitech builds their circuit boards with chips running most of the operation. This makes them much more solid in their electronics, but notoriously difficult to mod. I have owned several and tried to generate a proper mod and have been entirely unsuccessful. The only mod for Digitech that I am aware of is the Bad Monkey Mod, and that mod is different from the ones I usually perform. The concept for this pedal is simply to repeat whatever I dump into the input. This made the Digitech the ideal choice.

What I found that impressed me most was the features I get to enjoy. Auto-Record is a true blessing (push the pedal and it won't begin to record until you begin playing). I use this primarily because I will write a loop that I want to continuously repeat, and any pause or break before the loop begins is a major problem for me. It can store up to 99 loops, of any length, or until the 6.5 hours is reached. I like this because I often will write a great song in 5 minutes, and forget it the next day. The rhythm is often off, and with this pedal I no longer have to worry!

I have not yet been able to fully tap into everything. It has a USB that allows you to import your loops onto your computer, and in turn put loops onto the pedal from your computer. This pedal was slated to be a "band in box". The ability to run a drum loop and bass loop, while you play over top is seems slightly grandiose. You would have to be able to mass produce before hand, and the foot sensors do not seem to hit for me 100%. That prevents me from having confidence in playing it live, but then again I don't play live very often. DigiTech also decided to switch from their traditional stomp-box design to the old (I call them true-bypass because they are most often used for that now) Electro Harmonix style switches in the newer model. These seem like they would be more dependable.

In all I was impressed with the JamMan, but I got a good deal and I am prone to using a looper. I would suggest looking at what you need in a looper (time, effects, inputs, etc.) and what you are willing to spend, and go from there. If your needs are similar to mine, I would recommend this pedal.

If you would like to comment on this review, or any others in the future please feel free. Please keep in mind there is a difference between constructive criticism and destructive criticism.

Shall we begin?

Webster's defines an addiction as "compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance". I believe this is the most accurate description of my feelings in regards to me and my love of guitar. Oftentimes I wonder what I would do if I didn't play. I imagine the extreme boredom, which is enough to be glad I have my six-stringed babies, but then it drifts into the other things I would miss. To truly understand what guitar means to me, you would need to know a little about me. I guess this is our introduction.

I am 25, and have a wonderful career. I am a lover of cars, technology, my dog and music. I am the most fortunate person I know. I was able to go to school, and experience the 4 years of "adult freedom" that college offered that is so often portrayed on television. Through all of that there was one constant...my guitar. Sure, I didn't play as seriously as I do now, and I didn't have access to the same resources, but it was always there in the corner.

As I've aged I have learned more and more about myself. Trying to be a realistic person, and honest with myself, I have come to grips with certain things. I have high anxiety and depression problems, and to a small degree, ADD and OCD. I don't believe it will or could rule my life, but it is ever present and is much easier to deal with realizing it is there.

My medicine is music. My home is layered with instruments of every variety. There are trumpets, ukuleles, basses, amps, backpackers, drum machines and a keyboard. Cd's line the shelves, and bookcases hold the vinyl. My roommate is an amateur DJ, and has his own collection of musical gear.

I use guitar to speak. Many people write, sing, discuss, or use blogs and forums to speak their minds. It's a form of meditation to want to blow off steam using expression. My guitar is a voice box to my soul. Everything that I am unable to say because I don't write, I don't sing, and I rarely want to try and explain it. Guitar equals the exact emotion I am going for. I can make my guitar say anything I want. Out of tune doesn't matter.

This blog is not for me to bitch and rant. In fact, very little after this point will be about me. I simply wanted those who choose to explore this to know a little about the person who wrote it. I know when I search for things along these lines, I always appreciate it.

This blog is to show the things that I use to play guitar. I am fortunate enough to be able to experience many different aspects of guitar equipment. And this is an ode to them...