I'm going to buy my second bass, what should I check for?

[Aaiieeee]

I bought my first bass 2 years ago from ebay for ~£150 with amp and bag completely on impulse (partly because guitar strings are too small and fiddley) and neverlooked back, because if this I've never had to be in a shop to choose one.

What are the basic things I should be checking for?

(My current bass is top heavy and dives for the floor if I don't hold it up so thats one thing I'm aware of).

[BillMason]

- Play it before you buy it.
- if possible try it with your amp; if not, try to EQ the amp as close to yours as possible using your old bass
- how does the weight feel, both sitting down and standing up with a strap?
- check every note on every fret, while plugged in, looking for the dead spot or spots (means the not doesn't sustain well and may also have weird ringing overtones) - having a dead spot doesn't mean it's a bad bass necessarily, you just have to be able to decide if you can live with it
- does the sound resonate *with you* - i.e. do you like it
- how does the neck feel when played
- obviously, are there any defects that you can notice - dings, scratches, broken bits (if used)

[IanStephenson]

Don't buy until you find the bass that won't let you walk out of the shop. You've got a bass and are getting by - you're not in a rush, so if it's not EXACTLY what you want don't buy it.

You don't mention budget, but my advise would be to decide what you want, THEN look at the price tag. If you can't afford it, then wait till you can. I got through a whole bunch o low end instruments because they were cheap enough I could afford them and they were kinda cool. Find "THE ONE", and find a way to buy it (though avoid credit!).

Even if you feel you're not "ready" for for a top end bass if you buy it now, you have it to use now, and you'll still have it to use when you are ready. My first expensive bass saved me a fortune - I went for 15 years without buying another bass. Even though it was more than I "should" have spent at the time it was a good investment in the long run (and it's still worth what I paid for it).

Ian