What should I look for when trying a second hand bass?

[drivingatspeed]

I'm checking out a bass at the weekend - an MIM Fender Jazz. I'll obviously see if the neck is straight, if there's any buzzes and dead spots, but is there anything else I should look for?

Any info. much appreciated...

[Norris]

Worn frets. Noisy electrics. Mashed heads on bridge adjuster screws.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1412777270' post='2571927']
Worn frets. Noisy electrics. Mashed heads on bridge adjuster screws.
[/quote]

Why would he want any of those things?

Edited October 8, 2014 by CamdenRob

[Skol303]

Other than the above, I'd want to know...

Truss rod - does it turn?

Neck - doesn't have to be perfectly straight (in fact a [i]very slight[/i] upwards bow is what I'd usually want), but importantly make sure it doesn't have any twists - ie. does the nut sit parallel with the bridge when you look down the neck from tail to top?

Tuners - do they turn evenly without any significant tightness or looseness?

Bear in mind that fret buzz is a PITA but can be fixed by a good fret dress and set up, so it's not the end of the world if the rest of the instrument ticks all the right boxes.