Yeah. I kind of look at Fender as a product line like I look at the Ford F-150 truck. It’s a solid choice, used for generations, good at what it does, with large numbers of dedicated fans, but at the same time isn’t what everyone will want to get around town in 
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I think the thing with Fender is there are a lot of very good instruments mixed in with a lot of marketing and quality ho-hum. So the ho-hum brings down the brand. That’s why I like looking for the unique Fenders, and modding the heck out of them is super easy. More aftermarket easier to fit parts available then any other brand of course. I agree most are F-150 like, but there are some jewels in there.
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I think the f150 analogy is an apt one. You don’t see radical design changes in experimentation in an f150 partially because of inertia, the it’s selling why change, and partially because the customer base wants their Granpa’s f150 in the showroom when they go shopping.
Fender did a new take on a semi hollow bass about 10 years that went nowhere. People who want new designs aren’t Fender customers, and Fender customers want classic designs. Sort of trapped by their own success.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that much of their new design work comes out of Squier, Jackson, or Charvel. All Fender products.
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Not solo- but featured: Vulfpeck has a few songs where Joe Dart is really playing the main melody as the bassist - but Vulf arrangements are sometimes pretty non-traditional. They really emphasize the role of the rhythm guitar for instance.
Deantown has a repeated 12 measure bass “solo” which is really the main melody of the song. And it’s incredible to see them perform live because it’s 12 bars of almost all 16th notes and complicated rests - and the audience sings along note for note. Seriously - Madison Square Garden, sold out, and every damn person sings the bass line note-for-note starting about 55 seconds in:
And there are solo bass artists and albums out there for sure. A guy from my city that I’ve found (and someday hope to get some lessons from) is Josh Cohen. He’s kind of taken tapping to such a high level that it’s more like he’s playing a keyboard instrument on a fretboard - check out his cover of Kiss from a Rose:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPYX83m1n_g
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Huh. I did not know that.
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Fender owns Gretsch now too.
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Damn. They’re becoming the Disney of guitars.
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Fender does not own Gretsch as far as i know. Fender has an exclusive development/manufacturing/sales deal for the Gretsch guitar brand but the Gretsch family still owns the company.
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In late 2002, Gretsch and the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation reached an agreement giving Fender control over marketing, production, and distribution of guitars, with the Gretsch family retaining ownership of the company.[21]
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So Fender in essence handles the day to day, and the Gretsch family has time for their hobbies.
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I’d say you started playing Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love (HD) - YouTube and you’re just more than fine with a solo bass… 
Whew, good news about Gretsch
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When I said solo instrument in the OP I meant the Bass was the ONLY instrument performing a complete song and not questioning whether the Bass could play solos with other band members. 
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Kiyoshi. Five albums now of just her, her Warwick, and a drummer.
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In other words, how would an absolute beginner play House of The Rising Sun as a Solo/Stand alone instrument?
This dude has you covered
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Maybe invest in some loops? This guy does some good stuff on his channel…
And this is a pretty good version of Folsom Prison Blues
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House of the Rising Sun is an old folk song of forgotten origins. Play the roots.
This version is from the 30s
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If one wants to explore Bass as the lead instrument, EDM from 2011-2014, electro, complextro, progressive house and especially BIGROOM house …. if you can get over the fact that everything is synthetic … there’re absolutely insane showcases of Bass leaden songs and it will give you a lot of ideas and inspiration
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