My strat looks just the way it did when I picked her off her hook in the music store.. I don't polish it religously but I do keep it very clean... I was told a while back that if you care for your instrument it'll care for you =)

same thing with my acoustic - prestine! just the way I bought her... but I must say, I do love the look of a WORN guitar, not beaten.... abusing your instrument is just plain stuipd..