Hi,
I’m new to bass and I heard the height of the strings to the fretboard are very important. I’m currently interested in a second-handed bass and I wonder whether the strings aren’t too high? Can anyone help me out.
Thanks in advance!
Bass needs a setup.
Most do.
Pretty much any new bass you will buy will need one.
That said, it could mean the truss rod isn’t working which can be checked by bringing some Allen wrenches with you and watching a few videos or ask the seller to show you that it works.
So, could be nothing, could be a bigger problem.
2 Likes
Have the owner tune it up to standard tuning and then re-check.
You can use a credit card or coins to check the E string at the 12 fret for about 2 to 3/32" ~ 1.75 to 3 mm
Edit: The strings are also rusty, which means the bass probably hasn’t been played recently and is not the greatest buy.
Also, check out this thread for setup info:
2 Likes
fret wires look pretty grungy too and the fretboard itself - from that angle - looks super dry. This bass does not look like it has seen attention in a really long time. Probably best to keep looking.
This thread confuses me……
1 Like
I’m with you, man.
1 Like
Pretty simple actually - new player asks question about a bass they are interested in, we notice a bunch of other red flags in the picture
Looks ok it looks like it has flat wound.
What’s wrong with it?
What’s a flat wound?
1 Like
For the first bass, faults I saw in that picture: fret wires look tarnished/gunked, and the fretboard itself looks very dry. Along with the rusted strings this adds up to a red flag for me that the thing has been neglected and may have other issues. Since you are new I would avoid it.
Are we talking about the first (black/white) bass or the second (red/white) bass?
I was talking about the first, sorry. No opinion about the second, not enough info
Ah oké, so the second one is a Harley Benton JB-20 CA standard edition. Owner claims to have not played it that much
And another question now that you’re here 
do you know whether it’s possible to plug the second bass into a Harley Benton HB-20R?
No, that’s a guitar amp. In general, you can plug guitars into bass combos, but not the other way around.
And to better help you, what’s your budget? Do you have a (bass) guitar store around? If not, it might be best to just buy a decent starter pack.
I want to buy everything second handed. I have a deal for the second bass for 75,-
Which (cheap) amp would be usable for the second bass?
1 Like
Anything that says bass amp on it. More than with instruments I’d try before I buy used. Good luck! 