I recently purchased off of eBay what was said to be an HM Strat Ultra. I knew there was much about the guitar that was non-original prior to buying but have since concluded that only the neck is from an Ultra. The body is a mystery. It resembles the Squier HM3 in regards to shape, however, those guitars typically had the offset neck plate and contoured heal. This body has the standard four bolt pattern. Additionally, while the pots and toggle are located in a similar location as the HM3, there appears to be some slight differences. The pots are located in a line parallel to a line through the center whereas on the HM3, they are on a slight angle. Someone on the HM Strat forum indicated that the body was the same as a guitar he has which is said to be some kind of Budweiser promo HM stlyle Strat.

Here is the "mystery" body in question:



This is said to be a (refinished) Fender Budweiser promo guitar:



Here is an HM Strat Ultra:



They body that I am trying to identify is identical to the so called "Budweiser" guitar. Same shape, same switch and pot location, and has the standard four bolt pattern whereas many other similar Fenders had the offset plate and contoured heal. It also has the same cavities and covers in the back. What I'm trying to do is restore the HM Ultra and am looking for an HM body of that era (90-92). But I would also like to know what this body was and if it was just specific to a "one off" Budweiser guitar.

There is a thread discussing this issue on the HM Strat forum as well (with more info and pics):

http://www.heavymetalstrat.proboards.co ... =84&page=1

i dont know alot about strat ultras but to me that guitar just flat out looks like an ibanez.

Looks odd. Not like an HM really. Looks like a copy body.

The HM Ultra or the body in question? All I know is that it was said to be a Fender Budweiser promo guitar (the white one) that was stripped and refinished. The one that I have that looks just like it that came with the Fender HM Ultra neck on it (the gray one) has also been refinished.

There is reference to the "Budweiser" guitar on the HM Strat forum (link earlier in this thread) and also at the old, defunct HM Strat forum that was on a Yuku board. Note the newer active forum is a Proboard forum and the old forum on Yuku is no longer in use (but people don't know it and post sometimes). The old forum and the "Budweiser" guitar:

http://heavymetalstrat.yuku.com/topic/8 ... my-HM.html

Jim Shine is a straight shooter and I tend to agree with him.

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I'm not following you. I've swapped emails with Jim before. Did he post in this thread but I don't know his user name? I did reference his website in the other thread on the HM Strat forum, but in regards to markings on the neck and made in Japan Fenders. On the old HM (yuku) forum, there is a reference to Jim having said he sold the Budweiser guitars and that they were a "mess."

The link in your last post mentions what he said (yes, yuku). As for me, this is the only Bud Promo Strat that I've seen :




That looks like an Ibanez or Charvel?

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!