Bingo as well. I do find the comment about vintage instruments being better than new instruments because they've been tested, so to speak, interesting. I've never bought a brand new bass thinking, "This thing rocks! Geez, I hope that it rocks just as much in twenty years." I always buy an instrument hoping that it will hold up quality-wise - the neck doesn't bow, the tuners don't wear out in a year, the pots don't come loose. However, I never buy a new instrument as a "tone investment."
It's reasonable to believe that a bass is going to go through chemical changes during its lifetime. Most basses are made of wood, which is organic and...well...changes. Whether this physical change translates into tonal change - and more importantly, noticable tonal change - is seriously up for debate. Many people claim that it does, but this is often based upon their experience. Such a question requires an empirical study done by someone who understands scientific research. While many techs and luthiers are bright and knowledgable people, I'd venture to guess that most don't have graduate level educations in physics and chemistry and are trained in empirical research.
