I don't get it. You have to be a special kind of spazz to scratch up a bass with a pick. It's not like you're playing Richie-Havens-at-Woodstock style (unless, you're that special kind of spazz).
Anyway, on a slightly related note, I had an experience at a local shop that left a bad taste in my mouth. I was trying out one of the Pawn Shop Bass VIs right after it came out. Honestly, I wasn't going to buy it, but how often had I gotten a chance to play a Bass VI before then? Never! (I'm not going to mess with a Custom Shop or vintage instrument just for kicks.)
Anyway, the guy working at the shop came up to me and literally took it out of my hands as I was playing it because he said he had another guy who wanted to buy it. ***? I wasn't being the slightest bit loud or rough, I'd only had it for a few minutes, and if he'd asked I would have gladly handed it over. Instead he pulled that jerk move. This was just a case of strange social skills in that particular dude, though. I still like the shop, and I still buy stuff there, but I was pissed for a few weeks after that.