I played bass in the first band I was in. I've since switched to guitar b/c I began writing songs and singing.. Still love to pick up a bass and play ocationally for my church or wherever. IMHO you can really beat good Fender J bass through an Ampeg SVT 810. Although I do love a nice old Rickenbacker 4003.. especially the old ones with checkerboard binding and crushed ablone inlays.. Beautiful basses. A buddy of mine has an old one in fire-glo. The nitro laquer has yellowed over the decades and the whole guitar is now a really great orange. I love that bass.