Fender HM Bass V
Fender HM Bass V
Thursday, October 21, 2010
In the spring of 1993, I had been in search of a “serious” bass to replace the old Harmony I’d played since my Sound System days. The Harmony’s pickups were starting to fail, and the whole bass was worth less than a set of new strings, let alone new pickups. Although I didn’t have a lot of money to spend, I hoped to find a used Fender, Rickenbacker, Epiphone or something similar that would be a reliable bass for my budget.
I walked into a little second hand store on near our home, where they sold everything from tables and chairs to vacuum cleaners, lamps and sewing machines to table saws, bedframes and TVs to vintage clothing. Hanging on the wall near the home stereos was this 5-string bass. The neck was in great shape, and it sounded just fine through the practice amp they had on the sales floor. A genuine Fender 5-string bass for $225 seemed like a no-brainer.
I came to learn later that the “HM” in the name stands for “heavy metal.” This was a series of guitars and basses developed by Fender in the 1980s with a more modern look, to appeal to the metal and alternative bands of the time. The HM Basses had a smaller body than a standard Precision Bass or Jazz Bass, making them much lighter. The 5-string version or Bass V was produced in much more limited quantities and appears to be quite a rarity today.
I enjoy playing this bass, particularly when I need the extended low-end range a 5-string offers. It’s light and easy to play, particularly when standing for a long set or session.
I don’t play it as often as my other basses, though. The neck is a lot wider than on a 4-string bass. The pickups have a particularly low output, presumably because the targeted metal players would be cranking up their amps anyway. And because the 5-string headstock is considerably longer than its 4-string counterpart, it’s difficult to find a proper case to protect it on the road. I’m still using the case I used for the old Harmony bass.
Had I more to spend at the time, I’d probably have gone for a Jazz Bass. Overall, though, it’s a nice bass: looks good, plays well. And for the money I don’t regret buying it.
UPDATE: John at Crazyhorse Guitars came through for me again, and found a hardshell case that fits my HM Bass V perfectly. With a safe, reliable case to transport the bass, you might see this one play out a bit more often. Thanks again, John!
Photo by Rob Straughn