| Craig,
First off, you picked a classic, great looking bass, but one that is a bit awkward to play. I have had one for years, and every time I play it, I get more respect for Sir Paul. Second, violin basses are quite often strung with LaBella 'Deep Talk'n' flats, which were a fav of Pauls, but can sound pretty muddy, especially the E & A. If you get no fret buzz, then the neck is probably ok. If you get new strings, remember that it is a 32" neck, not 30" like most 'short scale' basses, so alot of short scale strings are too short. | 
