As a recovering guitar player turned bassist, one of the things that is beginning to intrigue me is acoustic bass, both the traditional stand up variety, and also the newer acoustic/electric bass guitars.

Does anyone here have much experience with either? I've played a couple of the acoustic bass guitars at local shops and their large bodies seem somewhat awkward to me. Has anyone got any favorites?

Ah, the standup! The sound of Charles Mingus floating through the air. How much should I spend on one of these babies as a minimum? I'm familiar with names like Fender, Gibson, Peavey, and G&L, but when it comes to the 3/4 and double bass, I am hopelessly lost. Anybody got any fresh ideas? How do various brands stack up?