I've been using passive medium scale basses for years, one with flats on but I have a major itch for an active Dingwall, so I don't think it's an age thing, I think ones taste changes from time to time.
I plug directly into the interface's instrument input, I think most of them have this option, I'm not sure a DI into a mic input would make any difference, unless you bought an expensive DI box I guess.
I know nothing about Rickenbackers apart from you can't sell them on BC but nearly £22k for a 1991 CS model seems an insane price.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164548021929?hash=item264fd38ea9:g:jAkAAOSw21pfw~v-
Interesting 🤔 I have kept the neck and hardware with the view to one day getting a rear routed body with belly and forearm cuts made for me, back to Strats for now though.