Buying a bass, sans strings question
 

I have an opportunity to purchase an older bass. It has no strings.

My concerns:
Does the trus rod work?
How bowed is the neck?

Is there anyway to verify these concerns without strings or string tension on the neck?

Is it a bass worth bringing along some old strings to put on and test with?

That might be an idea.

I just didn't know if there was a quick way to figure it out.

If the price of the bass is worth spending a few minutes stringing up... what type of bass are we talking about here?

This seems like a gamble. Just stringing it up should give you a better idea of what the wager is. But, you'll never know for sure until after you string it up, set it up and let it settle. The thing to remember is that if the truss is way out adjustment, this could take you a couple days, as you should only do 1/4 turn or so at a time and let that settle.
What kind of bass and how much?

If you are not permitted to string the guitar, walk away.

The quarter turn a day myth is just that: a myth. Turn the nut until the desired relief is achieved. If the nut is too hard to move or squeaks, stop.

Well the bass lacks tuners, so...

Somehow, the sum of the parts may not actually add up here...

Please explain?

I'm just wondering about the attraction to a stringless, tunerless bass. ;)

Pickups, electronics, a body, a neck and a bridge? Just add the tuners and he's got a fully fledged bass.
As for the truss, by just turning the nut you might find out it doesn't work. But if you want to find out whether it's not strong enough to have decent relief, the only way is putting strings on it. What kind of bass is it and how much do they want?

It's an older Gibby Ripper. Is 300 worth the gamble and parts needed?

I'd say yes, assuming the electronics are in order. You can still plug in and tap the pickups with a metal screwdriver to see if they're alive.

It lacks tuners, electronics, and pickguard.

Do you have a tester?
300$ for a vintage bass without pickguard and tuners is too much.

tester?

I am glad to see eomeone else who thinks this as well. All the basses I have had or built that was the last thing I worried about was the quarter turn thing. Nothing wrong with doing it because you are only erring on the side of caution. Look up Carl Thompson on youtube and see him torque a bass with no strings. I was cringging but nothing popped that you could hear on the video.

What is the highest I should pay to take this gamble?

Let's put it this way: what IS included for $300?

Gibson Ripper: Body (setneck), bridge, bridge cover.