[floydmoline]

were you refering to me sandman? lol i was a bass player and yeah i treat a guitar like a tool not like a trophey, the more dings it has and the more wear it shows the more character it has....... even when buying a guitar i don't look at the finish, i'd buy a used guitar that had the hell beat out of it just the same as a guitar that looked brand new, when you buy and sell for a living i suppose it matters what it looks like but i typically stick with a guitar for a good long time if i like it, when it leaves my hands it is normally completely customised, well used and loved, and probly near the end of it's useful life lol.....

as far as strings go, i'm not a firm believer in fresh strings, i like they way they sound, but i also like the way old strings sound...... i only change strings when they start to rust, or break which ever comes first, i never clean them, to me guitars are alot like life, no reason to try to stay young forever, as you grow old be proud your body is wearing out, it shows you have character, and that you haven't spent your who life worrying about what is inevitable..... same with guitars and strings..... the buckle rash, chips, dings, and rust all shows my guitars have served me well, and the long they stand up to my abuse the prouder of them i am and the more respect i have toward their maker