What is your bass litmus test?

[Frenchy-Lefty]

What is your main deciding factor when assessing whether a bass is a dud or a champ?

This is mine:
- I play it unplugged and it must be loud, resonnant, bright sounding and the neck should be thick and feel comfortable.

I always assume I could replace the electronics and improve the set up myself so I do abstraction of that.
I like bright sounding instrument as you can easily dim them if needed. I feel that dark sounding basses are duds.
After owning a dozen basses I recently stumbled into the most incredible bass. I knew it was a champ as soon as I played a few unplugged notes in the store.

 

[taylor16]

Even tone throughout neck. No "muddy-ness" to upper register. Ease of play with variable action with the ability to get super-low. Great passive tone.

 

[fjadams]

The neck and the feel. Everything else can be changed to what you want.

 

[TechJunky]

Pick it up and play it. If it plays well, I plug it in and listen to it. If it both plays the way I want and sounds the way I want/I enjoy the tone it produces and find it useable for my needs, it's a champ. If it doesn't, I move on.

 

[Frenchy-Lefty]

When trying it, it is not always easy to do abstraction of the potential bad strings or bad set up.
My test #2 is recording the bass. If it already sounds great with no EQ, I know it is a good one.

 

[radioface]

A comfortable neck and body, great sound (to me), good looks (to me) perfect balance (no neck divers), and a price I can afford.

 

[lz4005]

Anymore it's 90% about the feel of the neck for me.
I got to try out a Cabronita P bass last week and even though I like how it looks and sounds, the neck just didn't do it for me at all. Way too baseball-bat-ish.
A lot of other P bass necks, on the other hand, feel perfect.

 

[rtav]

String spacing (very tight) and neck (narrow and fast). I play 6's and i the spacing is too far apart or the neck too wide it is unplayable (to me),

 

[pklima]

I'm not very demanding - low-end beginner basses have all the tone and playablity I need. So, my main litmus test is "will it make women think I'm old".

 

[Frenchy-Lefty]

There was an interesting thread about basses that sound great when played alone and would get buried in the mix but I feel that it is something that may be fixed with a different pickups/preamp. Personally, I have established a long time ago that I was a 100% passive basses guy but that is a different debate which I'd rather stay away from, knowing the controversy it usually generates.

 

[B Major]

I usually gravitate toward basses that have a W on the headstock...

 

[BlueTalon]

Mine would be the feel of the bass -- neck, balance, ergonomics. There are other determining factors, of course, but that is first and most important to me.

 

[Bassist4Eris]

Once I've checked it over for problems, I simply want the one I can't put down.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Mine would be the feel of the bass -- neck, balance, ergonomics (including weight). There are other determining factors, of course, but that is first and most important to me.

Embellished by me for emphasis. Any deficit along these lines (IMO) = irreparable defect....I don't care how many thick padded straps you buy.

Riis

 

[BlueTalon]

I didn't include weight because it's just not as important to me, but you are absolutely correct, it is an inherent part of the feel of a bass.

(The bass in my avatar is pretty heavy, but it is so effortless to play in other ways that it doesn't bother me or tire me out as much as I might have otherwise expected.)

 

[el murdoque]

Step one: Looks. Do i dig it? (this can be of less importance if steps 2-6 are passed with flying colours but it could be possible i never picked up a real champ because it's ugly)
Step two: The feel. Are both hands comfortable while playing?
Step three: Passive sound. Does it sound alright playing without an amp
Step four: Electronics - can i handle the gimmicks without too much hassle? I passed on a super nice Marleaux bass once because it had too many knobs that did too much stuff.
Step five: Sound through an amp. Can it deliver the low end with clarity? Does it push in the middle and sing on the top end?
Step six: In the mix - add a guitar and drums and see if it still delivers.

 

[Ladyland]

When trying it, it is not always easy to do abstraction of the potential bad strings or bad set up.
My test #2 is recording the bass. If it already sounds great with no EQ, I know it is a good one.

+1
Exactly! Record or play direct, that's the way I know the true sound of the bass.

 

[Frenchy-Lefty]

It is a little shallow but I agree, once It passes my #1 and 2 steps a great looking bass will make me bond with it. Playing on stage with a cool looking bass gives you confidence.

 

[zontar]

For guitar or bass I have to like the way it feels when I hold it--especially the neck--before I even play it.
Then I play it unplugged--If I like that then I might plug it in.

Then other factors, such as price, condition, and so on...

 

[J Posega]

It says 'Dingwall' on the headstock.