What are you most picky about?

[Doner Designs]

Absence of paint. I spend more time looking at beautiful wood grain than actually playing.

 

[5StringBlues]

Years ago I'd have said neck width but that was before upright bass and 5 string. now ld say weight.

 

[Pilgrim]

I'm picky about taking care of my instruments. I treat them like valuable thigs. My goal is" no nicks, no dings, no scratches. Every bass goes in a case when it leaves the house. Always use a stand, never lean a bass on anything.

 

[jd56hawk]

Unfinished headstocks.
If I see one hanging up, no need to even take it down and plug it in.

 

[Winton]

Balance

It can be 10-11 lb. but if the body is well-balanced, it's so much more comfortable to play than those top heavy Stingrays. The Fender Ultra V jazz bass I played recently not only sounded amazing, it was so well-balanced that it didn't hurt my shoulder using one of them cheap straps.

 

[xn34]

Playability. When I try a bass:

1. Color: No red, no tort. There's a thing in my brain that causes nails on a chalkboard on red and tort basses.
2. Weight and ease of play off the shelf.
3. Sound plugged in.

 

[40Hz]

I don’t like overly narrow string spacing. The further you go below 18mm spacing, the less I like it.

And while I’m perfectly ok with honest road wear on vintage instruments, I don’t not like “reliced” or other artificially distressed finishes.

 

[Loudart]

I am absolutely most picky about the upper horn strap placement on a bass. I don’t have long arms, so a 12th fret-aligned strap button is ideal.

In hindsight, this is why I have never been able to settle on a Spector or Warwick.

My other thing I’m picky about is a non-intonable bridge/saddle. This is why it was so hard for me to find an acoustic bass guitar. However I lucked out in a Washburn a year or two ago.

Come on man say what model washburn that is!!! Ditto the on the upper horn too. You leave the lower horn off it for my taste

 

[Loudart]

I don’t like overly narrow string spacing. The further you go below 18mm spacing, the less I like it.

Woow interesting I wish they make narrower neck heels with narrower spacing. we all want something different

 

[Pops OB]

The friends I choose.

 

[40Hz]

Woow interesting I wish they make narrower neck heels with narrower spacing. we all want something different

Yep! And that’s the beauty of guitars and basses. Whatever you want, you can bet somebody’s probably building it.

 

[Bruiser Stone]

1. 1 5/8” nut
2. Roundwounds that feel bouncy but taut and have lots of sustain and longevity after broken in
3. Little to no hum from the pickups

 

[Winton]

I don’t like overly narrow string spacing. The further you go below 18mm spacing, the less I like it.

That's definitely me as well. I have big-ish hands. I really liked my Carvin SB5000's 19mm spacing. But recently, I bought an Ibanez bass with 33" neck and 17mm spacing and, to my surprise, I actually like it. Even stranger, I can slap with it easier than wider spacing Who woulda thunk.

Fender Ultra V's 17.5mm spacing felt really nice, too.

 

[shadven]

Medium action, not too low. I like to dig in and work at it a little bit. James Jamerson and Macca play (played) with pretty high action. It just records better. I am partial to to telecaster basses and 1950’s Precisions. Blonde is best. A nice fat 1954 neck is perfect.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

Weight, balance, comfort, tone, tonal variety, overall build quality.
Name on the head stock, not so much.
The thing is that I am not dedicated to chasing just one sound.
Home base is a P with LaBella med flats and foam rubber rolled up under the strings in front of the bridge.
The perfect way to get that ' P with flats ' sound.
As great as it is, I still want more.
A little heavier and bigger neck and I have a PV Cirrus V with rounds.
Does a better Smith imitation than Fender, I have that cover already.
Thanks the the adjustable nut, I have the same string spacing at the bridge as my Fender and my Squier J 5.
If that isn't punchy enough I have an SD Curlee. Maple board and maple neck that extends all the way back to the bridge.
HOT patent pending DeMarzios, very low action and Roto Swingbass 66 stainless round wounds.
That one kinda likes a stiff flat pick.
So I guess I am particular, but not way focused.
Since I mostly finger pick I like a solid thumb rest to anchor to.
I've made three.

 

[DrayMiles]

Drummers.

 

[GreyBeard]

5 string
11" radius
1 3/4" at the nut
17.5 mm string spacing at the bridge
Back in 1995 I bought a brand new white on white SR5 from Sam Ash for $800.00 Since then I've bought an sold at least 10 5 string basses, one of them a SR5 HH but, never even considered selling or trading the white SR5 H.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

Low action.
No neck dive.
All my basses are strung with TI Flats or Thomastick SuperAlloys, so the tension is low.
All my nutwidths are on the larger size, so I'll say that I don't like super skinny necks or super tight string spacing.
I don't have an "any color you like as long as it's black" rule, but all my basses must be in "appropriate" colors. I'm a sideman, so I'm skipping the Electric Blue or Neon Green. I've got 2 black & maples, 1 Shell Pink, a natural, and an Olympic White on the way. All my straps are subdued paisley.
I'm not an absolutest on any of these things, but I know what I like, and I like my general vibe as is.

 

[DJ Bebop]

A weak E string (on a 4-string). To me, that lowest string sets the whole tone of the bass and HAS to be just perfect.

But to your point, Jimmy, I'd rather have higher action than any possibility of fret buzz. I love note clarity, and tend to dig in a bit on certain songs.

I'm with you!

 

[JimmyM]

I’m surprised the first answer wasn’t weight.

I didn't list my choices in order of what's most to least important. They're all equally important.