When I'm looking to try out a new bass, I rarely go to music shops. I buy most of my gear used from the internet, and for me it has been a great way to try out many different basses. I've probably owned over 30 throughout the past 15 years, from cheap beater basses to used high-end custom instruments. It has really helped me define what I like in a bass, but at the same time I've found that I can get along with many types of bass. Various scale lengths, all kinds of neck profiles from ultra thin to baseball bat, and many pickup configurations. I have since found several definite keepers, but the chase is still on