Originally Posted by
sgosnell
Start visiting pawn shops and trying out basses. Most have at least one or a few, larger ones often have many. You should be able to find one you like, but it could take several visits.
The number of pots depends on the number of pickups and how they're set up. You'll usually find one tone and one volume pot per pickup, so for two pickups the usual setup is 4 pots. It's possible to have only two or three, though, depending on a number of things. Some pots can have two functions, by pulling them up or pushing them down. I prefer one tone and one volume per pickup, but I've built a few instruments with only a volume control, and a couple with no controls at all. I did find that a volume control, or at least a kill switch, is almost a necessity. I tend to run the volume full open, as well as the tone, controlling things with the amp or other devices, but if you put the instrument down, you want to be able to kill the volume, or else you can get sudden feedback. It's possible to pull the cord, but that's far from optimal, since it makes noise going in and coming out, and can cause noise just lying on the floor.
Try out some instruments in music stores and pawn shops, and buy what works best for you. There is no one right instrument, it's a very subjective thing and everyone has a different need.
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