Soon (which = next few months), I hope to be purchasing a new bass guitar.

The one I have is a an '86 Kramer. I didn't know what I was doing when I bought it oh those many years ago - liked the color - bought a piece of crap. I ended up replacing the tuners and the pickups.

Anyhoo, after playing all these years, I still don't know what to look for. I met a guy from L.A. who suggested I try and get my hands on a late 70's Fender Jazz. He said I would like the sound and it would appreciate quite a bit in a few years.

Any advice for bass purchasing out there?

I can't really give any advice, but I will say that I like the Jazz very much. It's very comfy, but I'm not usually a bass player.