Bass advice

Reposted from imageboard because it keeps getting knocked off the front page.

I got this AXL Marquee bass (see image) for what seemed to be a decent price - it, a 20 watts amp, and a gig set cost me roughly 360 USD (as of 05/02 rates) - it sounds nice enough, though perhaps not perfect, but since this is my first bass and the bass seemed to be pretty much fresh out of the box I'm not complaining. Generally I'm pretty satisfied with the purchase, but in hindsight I wonder if I could have gotten something better for the same amount of money.

Anyhoo, when I've gotten good enough to warrant it (and I've got the money) I want to buy a better bass. Anyone got any tips when it comes to upgrading, i.e. used vs. new, recommended models?

When did you get the first one? Did you have any experience playing an instrument before you got this first bass? My suggestion is to spend a year (or six months or etc) learning to play before worrying about upgrading and replacing your current bass, unless your current bass turns out to be so bad that you can't stand it.

Myself, I bought a really cheap "Benson" bass guitar from ebay as my first bass. A year later, I've tried various other basses and for some reason I still prefer this "Benson" bass over all the others. Crazy.
So an instrument being more expensive doesn't necessarily mean that it's better.

So only you can really say what instrument is right for you. Once you've been playing for a while and you've developed your playing style and skills, I'd suggest that you go to a music shop and try out the various basses that they have on display. Then once you've tried out a few, you might find one which you prefer the feel and the sound of.

This is my advice, but I'm quite new to the bass myself (I have only been playing for a year) so you should wait for more advice before making a decision.

Good luck.