I must say that after spending the last couple weeks on a bass my fingertips are really starting to toughen up. I am also starting to get some use out of that index finger again. Its ben almost 30 years now since I have used that finger for anything. Of coarse my accuracy with that finger is still waaaaaay off and I am constantly missing the strings with it, but its getting better. Biggest problem is I cant feel that finger, so I cant tell when I am on the string until its to late and I have already plucked a clinker. However, like I said I have improved and it has only ben a couple weeks now.
JB