My players are treated the same way as some axes that dont come out that often so every ding hurts. I try to take care of them the best I can though things are bound to happen the more it is worked. But I have seen guys have no regard and throw their gear all around.

it is cool to see some great blues guitarist with a beat up guitar
such as SRV with his number 1
but for my own guitar, I prefer it looking brand new

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http://www.youtube.com/user/eddytanhh

I don't like it dirty, but I think that a scratch here and there adds something to the character of the instrument. If it's played, it's loved! So a scratch from hard playing is a good thing! It shows your personal relationship with the instrument.

Talking about scratches made from playing, not abusing or ignorance.

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"If you're on a path that's beaten, it's not your path." Joseph Campbell

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

"All that is impossible remains to be achieved."
Jules Verne

www.stratcollector.com

I used to have an old Gibson S1 with a round crater and a kinda shatter mark on the front where my drummer threw a stick at me in a rage and it hit right under the bridge. It was going fast too. Maybe they should include some 'drummer tantrum' wear on the relics, for real authenticity.

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"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."

oh, and yeah, all my guitars are players that go out and get sweat, beer and smoke on em, and the odd scratch and ding. They show the use, but I'm not looking for any drummer help to speed up the aging process.

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"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."

I try to take good care of my guitars, but with gigging, I accept the fact of dings and scratches. I think of it as the guitars own character. I don't get payin' for the road worn, that will come on its own with serious use of the guitar. breaking in a guitar, on your own builds a bond and adds your own mojo and satisfaction to it.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

Being a wood worker, I love the beauty of the wood and take good care of mine. I sold a USA Hwy 1 a few years ago and right after the money changed hands the guy told me he was going to "beat it up" and give it to his son. Made me sick! I do have a couple of battle scars on my Yari acoustic. One I did, and one my wife did. They are very small, but look huge to me. But just like my children, they may be a little flawed, but they are mine and I love them just the same.

i guess my money doesnt come as easy as some cause i could never beat up my Fender on purpose. I paid a lot of money for a beautiful American Deluxe tobacco and i will fight to keep it that way.

how do u polish a guitar and what would you use?

i like my guitars clean and new looking. i only like relics when they are real. im not going to take a key chain and scratch up my guitar on purpose because that would be ugly. but when i dropped my strat on a maglite flashlite i looked at the natural relic mark on the back and i was like COOL

Guess a few dents n dings lowers the value - but tie it to your bumper and drag it down a gravel road for a few miles and the value goes up... I don't get it. Seems like if you are trying to sell a guitar that is a little worn you might as beat the heck out of it to make it worth more instead of less.

If I'm checking out a used guitar I DEDUCT for dings, not cheer & offer MORE money.

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Stagemaster
Roadhouse Strat
Epi Traditional Pro Les Paul
Ovation Celeb
Esteban Celestial Night(nicely tweeked)
Blackheart tube amp

Depends on the guitar. I try my very best to keep my Gibson Explorer looking brand new. I polish my guitars once in a while. My Jaguar has lots of scratches and dents. My 89 Strat plus looks pretty good for a 20+ yr old guitar. Light buckle rash from the previous owner. Come to think of it, that guitar is almost in the same condition as when I bought it on 4/23/1999. 2 little nicks on the headstock, one on the 5th fret by the low E. I have only worn off the paint of the "Fender Lace Sensor" on the middle pickup and added more pick scratches on the pg and a tiny bit on the body. My 2001 strat still looks great except for some slight discoloration on the belly contour. If I ever get a PRS or LP custom, then it has got to stay mint.

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Live guitars: 2009 LTD Truckster, 1989 Strat Plus, 2001 Am Standard Strat, 1996 MIJ Jaguar, 2007 Gibson Explorer 76 reissue, 1999 Ibanez RG7621, LTD MH-301, LTD FM400, 1999 Jackson Kelly, Mystery Les Paul, Hamer Chaparel, Fender FM 62SCE A/E Mandolin

Personally, if i'm looking to buy a new guitar, i always make sure that the guitar is very "neutral" looking. It's not that fun if you have a beautiful guitar with, let's say, golden colour or perharps with a custom paint job on it and then it starts to wear off over the years. That's just sad to see an amazing guitar turn in to an almost amazing guitar.
Then again, if you buy a normal strat that's for example white, you don't have to worry about it getting a little beaten up over the years. It will add lot's of character! A 6000 dollar strat with gold parts and mona lisa painted on it will just look ruined after 20 years.

Also i think that strats, teles and les pauls are the only guitars that looks cool when they're damaged. Just like that one guy earlier said, a beat up jackson is not really all that nice.

I have a question by the way: The american standard stratocaster has this gloss on the neck. I really like the look of a worn down fretboard. Will this gloss on the neck protect the neck so it will wear down slower or is it just there to look good?

I baby my guitars and everything else I own for that matter. That said I think there will be nothing cooler than pulling my Strat out as the years go on and seeing the wear and tear on it that I have lovingly put into it. To know that that instrument has belted out so many good songs and been with you through a big chunk of your playing career would make it like a family member. Would you rather see Clapton play "Blackie" or just some random Strat? I want to make my guitar my own version of "Blackie" down the road...although it is silver and "Silvery" just doesn't have that same effect

I cringe whenever I add a new scratch or chip--but then I move on.

It's part of the guitar playing process--I take good care of them, but stuff happens.

At least mine are banged up for real.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.