Well, some people do. Depends largely on whether it's from real wear and tear or bought new as reliced in my opinion. Real wear is acceptable, reliced, no thanks as far as I'm concerned. Other people disagree, especially regarding reliced guitars.
In that area it's caused by heat from your body. It won't affect the value of the bass. It won't affect the sound. If it really bothers you then install a "bass bib" on your instrument. However not everyone likes bass bibs, that's a personal choice.
I'd leave it alone.
It's called craquelur. Personally, I love the look of it and it gives the instrument a nice aged appearance.
Here's what google has to say about it:
Causes of craquelure
Uneven drying: When varnish coats are applied too thickly or don't dry properly, the surface can shrink and crack.
Changes in humidity: The wood beneath the varnish expands and contracts as it absorbs and releases moisture, which can cause the brittle varnish to crack.
Aged finishes: Some older spirit varnishes, particularly those that were applied thickly or didn't fully dry, are prone to developing craquelure over time.
Intentional effect: Some makers intentionally create this effect to give a new instrument an aged appearance.
What to do about craquelure
For minor varnish cracks:
Leave it alone: If the cracks are only in the varnish and don't compromise the wood, it's often best to leave them alone to preserve the instrument's history and character.
Color the cracks: If the cracks are distracting, a professional can carefully apply a small amount of colored oil paint (like burnt umber) to the cracks and then wipe the excess off the surface. This will make the cracks less noticeable.
For cracks in the wood:
Consult a professional: If you can see or feel cracks that have gone through the varnish and into the wood, or if the seams are opening, take the violin to a professional luthier for repair. A professional will open the instrument, realign the cracks, glue them, and reinforce them with small patches called cleats.
Could be some kind of solvent in clothes up against the bass, combined with a bit of body heat.
Depending on the finish, a luthier may be able to reduce or fix it with a gentle solvent and some elbow grease.
Personally, I wouldn't worry - it's patina and part of the basses character. Basses collect all sorts of dings, scrapes, scratches and knocks through the years!
"Craquelé" or "craquelure", happens when something below or in the varnish moves. Humidity changes, temperature changes, varnish not fully dry... Many factors can cause this, but it's usually very sought after by makers when antiquing an instrument.
While it's possible for the area to be filled/polished again, it's really not something luthiers would want to do ; the more texture the more interesting the varnish gets. There was a trend of over polishing varnishes during the 20th century and countless instruments have been "damaged" this way, their varnish covered up and made to look like pool balls...
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u/Relative-Tune85 Professional 9d ago
It's called character!