Ellery: Very cool basses!! My timing was almost identical to yours - I bought my Spoiler a few days before my 49th Bday. I, too had quit playing years before, but had gotten interested when my son started a band. Just a few opportunities to jam again and I was hooked...
Actually, when I was young, if I had consistently played with musicians with the talent and skill my son and his bandmates already have as high school juniors (No joke! They have both amazing talent and discipline.), I never would have stopped playing in the first place.
As it stands, I play a lot by myself and fairly often with friends (my own age!). I'm looking for something steady with more performance opportunities, but being pretty selective about this.
My dad, a banker, played piano all his life, belonged to the union, gigged regularly. But when he retired, he was always hooked up with at least 2-3 widely divergent performing groups. He played virtually every day. I think he was never happier. I plan to start earlier than he did. He's gone now, but I wish I could share with him my custom-built Alembic now underway and my renewed musicianship. I'm sure he'd get a kick out of it.
Of course, being a product of the depression, my Dad would dish me a lot of abuse for the amount I spend on all this. But, well...you know...
Bill
