When I was a lot younger, I wasn't nearly as careful.
My most recent guitar is 2 years old, and has never even been bumped against anything. I even changed my picking technique, and no longer rest my fingers on the body, which would put light scratches on the finish, so now I play it a lot more than when I first got it, simply because I really wanted to keep it mint.
But my first "real" guitar, my 80 LP Silverburst, was still mint when I let a buddy use it as a backup at an outdoor party gig, and sure enough, he broke a string, used mine, and when I got up to play it, it had buckle rash. I was crushed! Especially since
I didn't do it, and even though I was still new to playing guitar, I knew to take off my belt!
But before I learned about strap locks, I once dropped it to the floor, and fortunately didn't hurt it. It wasn't until I somehow made a cymbal stand fall down, and the cymbal put a small "cut" on the edge of the fretboard, that it got its first, owner-inflicted ding. But by that time, since it already had the buckle rash, I didn't beat myself up too much about it.
But natural wear, like the wear-hole through the finish on my LP from resting my pinky on the body, I don't care about. My green Majesty has the same thing starting on the bridge PU route. (But shouldn't get any worse, since I don't do that any more.)
So I really try to keep my guitars blemish-free, because it matters to me. They're beautiful, and I want to keep them that way.
I also don't understand people who always think about resale value, where's the joy in that?
I'm the type who voids the warranty in the first day of owning the piece of gear, open it up, unsolder and drill shit.
I stupidly totally killed any resale value on my 87 PRS. I got so sick and tired of that stupid raised edge along the perimeter of the top cutting into my arm when I practiced sitting down, that I took a sander to it, and sanded it off in that area where my arm rested.
That one was intentional at the time, and I felt like, IDGAF, it's MY guitar, and I'm never selling it! But later on, I had a change of heart, and realized I really fucked up. Don't even like to think about it.
So if anyone ever wants to by an 87 PRS Std trem cheap, HMU. I don't even play it any more. My Majesties have totally taken over in the, "guitars that play like butter" department, which is why I bought it in the first place. It has the sweet switch, and that stupid 5-way rotary knob, and moon inlays. But it is very easy to play. And ergonomic!!