[first bass] advice on things to check when buying second hand.

[arakiri]

hii its me again. so finally i have decided on a SX PJB poison series (the one with the scorpions) and im probably meetin the seller next weekend. so, i know some members already gave me advice abt this on the other thread, but as i didnt find an specific thread about this i thought it might be useful to others too for future reference and to get all the useful advice in one place.
well im pretty nervous about the whole deal and tried to mental checklist on what to consider when tryin out the bass:

-check for cracks, specially in the neck, headstock, fretboard and in the body, specially around the neckplate/ where the neck meets the body and bridge
-check that tuners turn freely
-play all frets and look for dead spots or buzzing
-check the neck relief and see if its warped (actually this really concerns me, so if any of you have your own way of checking please share)
-check pickups and knobs (circuit)

im not worryin too much about intonation or bridge action, as i plan on setting it up anyways, should i be more concerned about this? also im not sure i'll get the chance to plug the bass to check pickups/knobs properly (we havent decided where to meet yet as they live pretty far), but im plannin on takin a small 9v guitar amp with me to check roughly if everythin works, i guess i wont be able to check the real sound of it but at least to check if the pickup works at least.

anyways thats it, please share your experience if you feel like it xoxo

 

[bholder]

check the truss rod, if possible, make sure it turns

 

[arakiri]

check the truss rod, if possible, make sure it turns

mm im not sure if i would go on turnin the truss rod, but i saw a video (for guitar tho) and the guy lightly hit the back of the neck with his palm to check if the truss rod was loose, bc if its loose itll make a rattle sound or somethin. do you think that could be enough?? or other ways on checkin the truss rod that arent turning it? (i also dont have a hex key)

 

[arakiri]

also if you have favorite videos on bass setup please post them!

 

[CallMeAl]

Yup that's pretty thorough !

check the truss rod, if possible, make sure it turns

This was my first thought too. Take allan Keys, probably metric, all you need is to turn 1/4 turn to both right and left

check the neck relief and see if its warped

If the action is really high or there's terrible buzz, those would be red flags

bridge action,

I would check it, as it would present red flags elsewhere in the bass. If you can get it down to ~2mm that should be good, with some play up and down. If you dont have a string ruler yet, a nickel is 1.95 mm thick. (If you're in the US of course!) Or you can use the allan keys to measure, if they are properly labeled! Another, smaller allan key should give you access, but I'd pack a tiny screwdriver just in case.


And good luck! Let us know....

 

[CallMeAl]

also if you have favorite videos on bass setup please post them!

This is my fav. Part 1 of 4

 

[arakiri]

Yup that's pretty thorough !


This was my first thought too. Take allan Keys, probably metric, all you need is to turn 1/4 turn to both right and left


If the action is really high or there's terrible buzz, those would be red flags


I would check it, as it would present red flags elsewhere in the bass. If you can get it down to ~2mm that should be good, with some play up and down. If you dont have a string ruler yet, a nickel is 1.95 mm thick. (If you're in the US of course!) Or you can use the allan keys to measure, if they are properly labeled! Another, smaller allan key should give you access, but I'd pack a tiny screwdriver just in case.


And good luck! Let us know....

thanks for the video.
yea the thing is i dont feel overly confortable gettin out some keys and start messin up with the bass in front of the seller, i know it may sound stupid but im a rather shy person. anyways i'll try and get some allen keys anyways to check it. when you say that really hi action, terrible buzz and bridge actions can be red flags, what are you talking about, red flags of what? i thought that hi action, buzz were things that could be corrected (or in this case they could be simptoms of neck warp) and about the bridge thing, correct me if i didnt get you correctly, but you say try and lower it to check it'll go all the way down correctly??
thanx 4 your responde and yeah im pretty excited so i'll surely post abt it when/if i get it xoxo

 

[MD]

If you know anyone who has experience buying used electric basses/guitars, ask them to accompany you to assess the instrument.
Good luck, you're ahead of me and I've been playing for over 45 years.

 

[CallMeAl]

thanks for the video.
yea the thing is i dont feel overly confortable gettin out some keys and start messin up with the bass in front of the seller, i know it may sound stupid but im a rather shy person. anyways i'll try and get some allen keys anyways to check it. when you say that really hi action, terrible buzz and bridge actions can be red flags, what are you talking about, red flags of what? i thought that hi action, buzz were things that could be corrected (or in this case they could be simptoms of neck warp) and about the bridge thing, correct me if i didnt get you correctly, but you say try and lower it to check it'll go all the way down correctly??
thanx 4 your responde and yeah im pretty excited so i'll surely post abt it when/if i get it xoxo

Red flags that it may be an impossible or expensive repair. Yes, it may also be correctable, but a bass that needs that kind of adjustment on the spot indicates the seller hasn't been taking care of it or doesn't know what they are doing.

No, I wouldn't say take the bridge all the way down, just make sure you can get it to +/- 2mm.

In all likelihood it's just fine, and if it plays ok on the spot, minor adjustment shouldn't be a hassle later. If it's all dusty, rusty, beat up or really scratched- again an indicator it hasn't been taken care of. But for a first bass that sounds like a headache and you might want to wait for something in better shape.

 

[CallMeAl]

correct me if i didnt get you correctly, but you say try and lower it to check it'll go all the way down correctly??

You are correct to correct me, as you have heard me incorrectly.

 

[arakiri]

Red flags that it may be an impossible or expensive repair. Yes, it may also be correctable, but a bass that needs that kind of adjustment on the spot indicates the seller hasn't been taking care of it or doesn't know what they are doing.

No, I wouldn't say take the bridge all the way down, just make sure you can get it to +/- 2mm.

In all likelihood it's just fine, and if it plays ok on the spot, minor adjustment shouldn't be a hassle later. If it's all dusty, rusty, beat up or really scratched- again an indicator it hasn't been taken care of. But for a first bass that sounds like a headache and you might want to wait for something in better shape.

yeah i mean the reason im askin this its bc the guy is selling around 100 usd cheaper than, say, an used instrument store that sells the same bass but set up correctly. so while its a nice deal, it got me worried as to in what conditions it could be. well i'll leave some pics

 

[arakiri]

You are correct to correct me, as you have heard me incorrectly.

sorryy english my second language so it gets in that weirs mess sometimes lmao

 

[arakiri]

If you know anyone who has experience buying used electric basses/guitars, ask them to accompany you to assess the instrument.
Good luck, you're ahead of me and I've been playing for over 45 years.

unfortunately i dont know anyone who could help me on that so im tryin to get as informed as i can.

 

[CallMeAl]

than, say, an used instrument store that sells the same bass but set up correctly.

yeah I see that too, wide range of prices for the same instrument. Trust your gut! From the few pics, it looks to be in good shape.

Ps, have you tried the properly set up one at the music store? That would give you a good bassline (pun intended ) of what it should feel like.

 

[arakiri]

yeah I see that too, wide range of prices for the same instrument. Trust your gut! From the few pics, it looks to be in good shape.

Ps, have you tried the properly set up one at the music store? That would give you a good bassline (pun intended ) of what it should feel like.

wow thats some good advice i didnt think of. i might, i think its a little far from home (i looked it up on the internet) but it could de possible.

 

[One_Dude]

You may not want to hear this, but I buy most of my gear used so here are my thoughts.

First off, if I were the seller I would not appreciate a potential buyer who may or may not be qualified making adjustments on MY bass. There is always an element of risk when buying used and more so from a private owner than from a store. But unless you are buying something that is really expensive, in which case you should have an expert check it out, you should check the neck to verify that it is not warped or twisted, check for worn frets, test the electronics, and check the overall physical condition. Also check for any signs of abuse or lack of care. None of these actions require any adjustments and therefore will not offend the seller.

I love SX instruments, but they were not expensive when new so I have to believe a used unit will also not be expensive. If you are still uncomfortable buying from a private seller, I suggest you buy from a store that offers some type of warranty or has a good return policy.

Good luck in your search and decision.

Thump on,

One_Dude

 

[arakiri]

You may not want to hear this, but I buy most of my gear used so here are my thoughts.

First off, if I were the seller I would not appreciate a potential buyer who may or may not be qualified making adjustments on MY bass. There is always an element of risk when buying used and more so from a private owner than from a store. But unless you are buying something that is really expensive, in which case you should have an expert check it out, you should check the neck to verify that it is not warped or twisted, check for worn frets, test the electronics, and check the overall physical condition. Also check for any signs of abuse or lack of care. None of these actions require any adjustments and therefore will not offend the seller.

I love SX instruments, but they were not expensive when new so I have to believe a used unit will also not be expensive. If you are still uncomfortable buying from a private seller, I suggest you buy from a store that offers some type of warranty or has a good return policy.

Good luck in your search and decision.

Thump on,

One_Dude

thx for your message. im not uncomfortable buyin used, actually i prefer it (and i can afford it lmao) i just wanted to make an informed choice, but you raise some good points. i feel what u say, its what i imagined the seller would feel like too. like i dont rly feel comfortable to meet up and start making adjustments, so you are on point about this, like i said im rather shy so dont wanna make anyone feel uncomfortable. worn frets!! really that is really important and didnt think abt it. two questions: what would be, to you, the more critical signs of abuse? also, what would you reccomend i do to check if the neck is warped?.

believe it or not a response like yours was actually what i wanted to hear!!

 

[IamGroot]

Some very thorough ideas on things to check.

But #1 on my list is the tone of the instrument played through the amp it will be paired with.

 

[arakiri]

Some very thorough ideas on things to check.

But #1 on my list is the tone of the instrument played through the amp it will be paired with.

yeah i know, but i dont have my own amp and even if i did, the seller lives pretty far from where i live. i ve been usin the one in our rehearse room and it isnt really good either. i plan on using the bass to practice at home unplugged or with headphones thru a virtual amp on my laptop, and i'll be caaryying my laptop but dont have an interface yet

 

[One_Dude]

two questions: what would be, to you, the more critical signs of abuse? also, what would you reccomend i do to check if the neck is warped?.

Signs of abuse or neglect could be rust or corrosion around any jacks, screws, or hardware, or an overall dirty appearance with numerous finish dings or dents. Also. check the string wrapping at the tuning pegs to see if it looks like the person installing the strings was careful in their installation, or just slapped them on. To check for a warped neck I sight down the neck from each end, both the head end and the body end. If the neck appears to have noticeable high and low spots along its length (kind of looks wave-like) it could mean the truss rod has been over tightened in an attempt to straighten a warped neck. You can also see a twisted neck using the same method. Both of those conditions would stop me from buying unless the price was low enough to warrant replacing the neck.

Thump on,

One_Dude