I agree, hate to see guys trash a strat so it looks "played". A cheap guitar in the right hands can be priceless.Before I started working in the music industry, I saw these guys in a small venue in Riverside, CA. I was shocked because they had a microphone duct taped to their flute. It even to this day kills me to see instruments abused. The sentiment probably comes from not being able to afford any instruments as a teen.