exactly.

i guess it depends on the person, for me if scratches happen from playing the instrument with a lot of energy then whatever (even on my $1400 one). on the other hand if it gets dinged up because someone didn't pay attention when they put it down and it slipped and fell, then that's not cool.

either way the issue needs to be addressed at the start of any musical session. if some gear is supposed to be off limits then let everyone know before things get going. trying to address it during or after the fact is going to cause hassles.

On Conklin's website they had a guitar of the month feature. This guy spent thousands on a custom 8 string or 9 string conklin with a crazy burlwood top, and part of his SPECIFICATION for the guitar was that it had to withstand him JUMPING ON IT during his stage shows.

Itshorses for courses. If I buy a completely custom guitar to my exact specs, its around 5 grand or more from most makers. THing is, I'm still speccing it for my playing style and tone. I'm not speccing it out to baby it and never use it, so eventually that guitar is going to be a little scuffed and scratched. It may even suffer a fall or something if for example a straplock fails. At the end of the day, those things happen to working instruments.

THe only instrument thats going to be in perfect condition after years and years, is the one thats never ben played in its life. And who wants to do that?

Pretty sure you can play a guitar without wrecking the **** out of it - unless you make jumping on it and smashing it against things part of your playing routine.

You can play an instrument with care. I'm just saying that sometimes people spend a lot of money on their guitars and so they want to look after them. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Personally, I agree in that an instrument should be played and not babied. I was just pointing out that it is understandable that guitarists would want to keep their instruments in good nick.

Good nick is fine, but you're never gonna stop damage or scratching and stuff. **** happens. Stuff gets knocked by accident. Rigns and bracelets make tiny dents over time.

Only way you're gonna stop it entirely and still manage to play, is if you play like a robot. No dynamics, because if you hit the strings harder, you might scratch it with the pick. No moving around onstage because you might tap a mic stand or something. No stage clothes unless they're made of super soft fabrics and contain no hard pieces, even plastic ends on boxer short laces.

Its just not practical, and you're never going to put on a show for anyone in the world that they'll enjoy seeing, if you're that ridiculous about your gear.

Hell, the act of putting your guitar in the case means the gloss finish brushes against the fibers of the inside. Thats gonna cause small scratches unless your case is lined with some kind of super-fiber.

AAARRGGHHHH my damned piano has fingerprints on the keys, someone keeps smacking my drums and people keep shouting at my microphone!!!!!!!!

And my violin has rosin on the fingerboard!

There's a difference between being afraid of a fingerprint on a fretboard and just wanting to keep your gear looking clean and sharp.

I don't polish my strat everyday, but I do avoid wearing bracelets on my right hand to keep it looking neat. I don't view that as obsessive or robotic. I just view it as loving my instruments and respecting them enough to take good care of them.

seems to me there are two views on expensive instruments.

is it the purchase of a quality instrument?

or

is it a financial investment?

cool guys... i gues im getting over protecting my guitar...my electric is banged up and looks awesome that way! but its just with my nice acoustic maton belt scratches look awful...!

Yeah, scratches look terrible on acoustic guitars. At least with electric guitars, scratches do the whole "rugged" look...