Northern Ash HM Strat project

[mightymike]

Jimi and I are both having custom bodies made. He's sending a HM Strat to our guy so he can copy the HM Strat Body, fit it to our HM necks, setup install our upgraded bridges, and we can do the rest. He's getting different body wood. I'm going with Northern Ash/ Rosewood Neck

HM Strats are different than other strats. They are 24 fret, and 25.15 scale. ( Smack dab in the middle between a Les Paul and Strat)
They came with a recessed Khaler Spyder Locking Trem, and the controls are rear routed. No pickguard.
( Like the Bumble Bee route except most were HSS) I bought my first one new in 89, and Jimi in 88.
The upgraded locking trems are Gotoh 1996T bridges, with 36mm brass blocks, and no slop in the arm . They are not cast metal on the bridges, and the sustain blocks are the icing on the cake. For more info on the bridge see Jimi's no slop factor thread. http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=39695" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He actually got us a Metroamp Member Discount.. I paid $137, and that included shipping..

I don't want to tell the name of the builder till everything is done. I might end up getting a Mahogany/ Maple top like Jimi if this one turns out.

Pickup will be a MCP Blackbelt 2 in the bridge, Woodward3 in the neck.

I really like Garbaej's roasted body look on his KNE Franky body. I wish I could do that and clear coat it. Otherwise I will stain it.

[garbeaj]

The roasting process on mine cost an additional $150 (it was actually a Musikraft and not a KNE...)

http://www.musikraft.com/product-info.php?pid622.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The look of the roasted body did come out nice, but I got the roasting process done to try to remove moisture from the blank and hopefully make it a tad lighter. Who knows if I'll be able to tell a difference? I've never had a Northern Ash guitar before so I really don't have anything to compare it to?

But I say go for the roasting process...if nothing else it looks cool!

[Tone Slinger]

I think its awesome that you guy's are getting this done. I actually think that the Fender 'HM' strat is one of the coolest looking strat style body around. I also checked them out (as well as the red knob 'Dual Showmans') in around '88-'89 due to Greg Howe's endorsement of them. I loved them except the neck was SO wide, and the bridge wasnt as high quality as the floyd stuff. Other than that it would have been a God send for me at the time. Still wish I had bought one. The upgrades that you guy's are getting should make these new HM builds something I would be interested in for sure .

[stef]

[mightymike]

Once these are done. He will have a template for you. I picked up a Hm for $400 yesterday and that price included the OHSC.



It was listed for $499, but I got him to take 100 off. These one Humvucker models are called EVH models by the HM guys. 400 with the case for an American made 24 fret Strat with case is a good deal.

TOOT TOOT... My horn lol

[Lefty Lou]

My lefty 1980 Fender Squire Strat had a heavy northern ash body, and was made very well for a Squire Strat. The 80's era of Fender Squires are supposedly sought after mostly for the northern ash bodies. I found that since northern ash is hard, heavy, and dense that the Squire Strat preferred pickups with alnico II magnets (over alnico V magnets) to sweeten the sound noticeably.

[mightymike]

Interesting.. There is Squire Hm on Ebay http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem ... cmd=VISPEC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
wonder if they were NA. Don't know if that's legit.

What pickup will sound right with a NA body will be a fun search. I have a Darkburst, and different magnets. ( a4 and a5), and an old SH5 from JIMI. Others that have swayed me to try with the new body are Bmf5150s Black Belt 2 Clips, and of course Mark's Super Distortion Clips.

[Lefty Lou]

Hey Mike, even slightly demagnetized A5 (to simulate A2) should do the job with NA. If it's possible to swap out your SH-5's ceramic magnet, I'd try the A4 magnet combo. That ceramic magnet in the SH-5 is gonna make for some "BITE" especially with a NA body.

[mightymike]

I think the Sh5 will sound like VH2.. Some of the different Seymour Duncan models are the same pickup with just a different magnets.

[vanhalen5150]

Those Gotoh bridges have a slightly bigger body bushing than a standard Floyd. I put one on a KNE that had pre Floyd's drilled. I had to plug and redrill.

[mightymike]

our builder knows this, has installed these before, and is going to install and set up the bridge and neck to avoid pluging

[Lefty Lou]

I think the Sh5 will sound like VH2.. Some of the different Seymour Duncan models are the same pickup with just a different magnets.

Mike, if you can stand the brightness from the NA body and high(er) output "edgy" ceramic pups then I say more power to you buddy.

[JimiJames]

This is in a Basswood body plugged straight in w reverb in effects loop:
(Amp was previously dialed in with a vintage DSD)
http://soundcloud.com/user5906127/sh-5-demo

[Lefty Lou]

My bad JJ, I caught the intro by MM but missed the fact that your body is Basswood.

[mightymike]

I'll cross the brightness bridge when I get to it, but BMF5150 Stan has some of the best clips with a Northern Ash Body and MCP Black Belt 2. about as close to VH1 I've heard. I already ordered the Black Belt 2. The Rosewood neck should warm things a little too, as does the 2" Ot, and I could go down a list of things to warm things up if needed.

My goal is the thickness of Pasadena 77/VH1 with the edge VH2. IMO EVh had the Rosewood neck at Passadena and recording of VH1, and put the maple neck on the Black and White before the VH1 Album pic, and then used that setup for VH2. I'm not alone in this opinion.

In the end my preference might be Alder or even Mahogany/Maple top I'm try it all.

I still have more pickups to try as well. An old SH5, and Super Distortion


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