| Here is a little something I wrote one day when asked how to shop for a vintage Kay bass.
This was my reply:
If you are looking to buy vintage American made plywood bass you need to have a checklist of what to look for and what to avoid. As we have become collector’s we have developed a mental checklist we go through when auditioning a bass. I’ll take a stab at recording our check list of what to look for when we look at a vintage American made plywood bass.
This maybe a little more specific to the classified ad or pawn shop buyer who in looking for a good bass at a reasonable price. If you are going the Craigslist route please be very careful and have lots of communication with the seller before you drive to look at the bass. Always take someone with you and let your family or a friend know where you are going. This maybe overkill, we live in a world where you can never be too safe.
If you have an established relationship with a bass luthier asks if the bass can be inspected by them. If you don’t have a luthier consider how much potential work the bass may require and if you want to invest your money in a “potential” playable bass verse buying a 100% gig ready player.
1.When you see the bass for the very first time does it give you that “ooh-ah” feeling? Your first visual impression is the same first impression you will give at every jam or gig you play. If you are a perfectionist that needs every thing to be pristine and perfect, the bass needs that same look. If you are going for the vintage mojo vibe and you want the bass to have visual character, it should look that way right now. Also be prepared for comments on the appearance of your bass. My favorite player, my 1941 Epiphone B-1 is worn and looks like a rat chewed on it. Are you thick skinned enough to handle the comments whether they be kind or degrading when you play the bass in public. May sound silly but I have seen players get offended at off the wall comments about their “vintage mojo bass”.
2.Grab the bass and feel the neck. Do you like the neck profile and over stand? Does the bass feel good from the first note? Can you get around the upper bouts in different playing positions? Is the rib thickness comfortable for your playing style? If you play sitting down take your stool along and try the bass from that position. If you play arco take your bow along and put the bass through its paces.
3.How does the bass sound right now? Is the set up suited to your style of playing or will you need to put some money in set up and strings ($200-$800)? If you have a sound in your head and the bass is not even close, be realistic that strings and set up can only do so much. Are there buzzing sounds or any odd noise coming from the bass. Can you locate the source of the noise?
4.Play the bass and listen to it from your playing position. Have someone else play the bass for you. Stand out in front at 5 feet and then 20 feet and listen to the bass. Does the sound of the bass bloom from a distance.
5.Once you like the looks and the sound of the bass and feel it is worthy of an inspection take your time and carefully look at the bass. Take along a bright flash light and long handled mirror (if possible) for a good look at the inside of the bass.
•Start at the scroll and go down the bass looking over every inch in a “check list” like fashion.
•Is the scroll original, does it have any repairs? Are the volutes in tack or replaced?
•Are the tuner plates secure?
•Are there any loose vibrating tuner screws or tuner keys?
•Is the nut in good shape; are the slots the correct size for the strings?
•Is the neck and fingerboard comfortable? Has it been shaved down or can it be re-dressed many times? Is the fingerboard making full contact with the neck (source for a vibration) is there any buzzing from the fingerboard in different octaves. There may be high spots on the fingerboard that cause annoying buzzing in only certain open notes.
•Has the neck been broken? If it has, was it repaired properly or does it have wood screws and dowel rods. There is nothing wrong with a quality repair if the bass plays well. However, if the repairs are not proper and the neck breaks again, there is potential for costly repairs down the road. Many of the vintage basses will require a neck reset during its life time. It is to be expected as the hide glue they are assembled with deteriorates over time with use, heat and improper care.
•Look at the top of the bass. Has the top plate begun to sink? Is the bridge tall enough for a comfortable string height? Look in the FF holes for the sound post position and bass bar. Look for signs of interior delaminating of the plywood. Does it look like the bass has been in water or smells of mildew? Tap on the front of the bass over the bass bar, does it sound solid from top to bottom. If you hear a vibration and can press down the top plate of the bass over the bass bar area and quiet the vibration? It maybe a sign the bass bar is coming loose (potential costly back off repair).
•Is the bridge in the proper position and center aligned with notches in the FF holes? Has the bridge been shimmed to raise the string height or compensate for a sinking top?
•Is the tail piece in the correct position? It’s the plastic rib in good condition (the plastic rib can deteriorate over time) is the tail wire or tail cord in good condition and lying correctly over the saddle.
•Does the end pin work properly and free of rattling. Pull the end pin out to different heights and play the bass. A rattle can develop when the rod is completely collapsed.
•Look at the back of the bass to see if the sound post has created a dome on the back of the bass. If the sound post is too long it can push through the back or out the top of the bass. The domed back around a sound post is common in an early vintage plywood bass. There may be nothing wrong and many times this “character mark” can not be altered or repaired.
•Check the all the seams around the out side edge of the bass. Open seams are an easy fix but a source of annoying vibrations. If you can shine the flash light inside the bass and see light through and open seam it needs to be fixed as you are loosing tone and volume.
If you have given the bass a through test drive for tone and playability AND a complete health inspection AND you still love it for all its quirks and maladies…put it on your list of possibilities. Then go through this same check list as many times as it takes to find the bass that suits your playing style, your pocket book and your musical desire.
If you are not a risk taker to deal with strangers like Craigslist or skilled in making assessments about the condition of a bass you should consider a 100% gig ready bass that has been restored or has survived in good condition. When buying a completely restored bass you will know exactly how it sounds, plays and is in good health for many years to come with proper care and safe playing. There is a price for peace of mind. Good luck and enjoy the journey…it is half the fun of finding the right musical partner to express yourself. | 
