I have been playing guitar and bass since I was in grade school (61yo now) and wanted to try out Stand-up Bass just for something different. One of my 4 bass guitars is a Harley Benton 5 string PJ bass that I just love... quality, sound, and playability. Some of the other reviews I've read on here are borderline ridiculous! "Lack of directions!" Come on! How much directions do you really need for this?? I replace the fiberglass extension rod with an aluminum one, but that was an easy fix and was my ONLY complaint. Of course it doesn't sound like a full body acoustic double bass, but when you mic or amp them, they begin to not sound so much like a full body double bass either! I've only had this bass for a few days, but already have learned the slightly different techniques and a handful of tunes. I'm really digging this bass so far and am very pleased with my purchase!