I began on alto sax, age 9, but asked for an electric bass at age 14 and started playing in a rock band, junior high, didn't really like the lead guitarist, and didn't like a lot of the songs we played, but was hooked on the notoriety and, well, perks of playing in a local band. Eventually, having grown tired of compromises, I picked up guitar (no pun intended), got into blues, learned slide, and started my own band, which was a little better than playing in someone else's band.
As I got older, I returned to the sax, tenor this time, and got into jazz, classic stuff like Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue", Dexter Gordon, standards, swing, some be-bop, had some good groups, piano, bass, drums, sax, and even had two tenors for a while, which was the most fun I ever had playing. After a while, jazz gigs were harder to find, and things dissolved. So, I decided the piano was the best way the express myself, can play a whole tune (unlike sax, which really needs a rhythm section), no compromises, play exactly what I want, how I want. And that's worked for any gigs I might pick up, agree on a duration and price, play what I want, or no gig. Simple, really. Fits my personality and my frame of mind. Should have gone this route to begin with.
I still play guitar, some classical, some electric, but the only band I have is either Band In A Box or GarageBand.