[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1487151776' post='3237466']
Relicing aside, how do these basses get in such a state anyway?
Up until I sold it last year, one of my main basses was an Overwater Original made in the mid 80s. From when I bought it in the early 90s until I bought my first Gus some 15 years ago it was getting played at least a hour every day, taken to rehearsals twice a week and gigged every other week. I was careful with it, but never precious. I'm also a pretty "physical" player and energetic performer on stage. It might have picked up a ding or two on the way, but nothing noticeable without a close inspection. In fact the most significant wear was that the chrome plating had started to come off a couple of the machine heads. That's for a bass that was over 30 years old and had been well used for the majority of those years.
[/quote]
I guess a few things could cause wear, extream weather conditions for example, here winter time the weather can be as low as -25, stick your bass in the van outside for a few hours traveling back and forth to gigs, get in there and it gets sweaty hot, I used to have a 70's P that the paint would flake off in the case from I guess extream heat woukd do the same.
But I'm with you, I had a Warwick Streamer that I gigged and was my only bass for over 20 years and apart from a few knocks it was a s good as new, saying that it was a natural finish and had no paint on it.