I left one of my guitars with a local guitar shop to sell for me on consignment. I changed my mind and retrieved it 2 weeks later. The strings were gooey, no big deal. There was damage to the finish on the back, at top of lower bout. You know what? It's my own durned fault, and I can't complain. That's what happens in guitar stores. Dumb move on my part! Just a heads up. They don't watch over your babies like you would....and may even abuse 'em some. So it goes.

The big hassal isn't always the store,tho changing the strings is always a good thing,we change strings as a daily thing.My guy's hate me at times.
The big offender's are the customers who walk by and tap there fingernails on the top's{we now ask people who do this to leave or ask them were there car is parked so we can key it}
we have a rule we take down the guitars because people don't seem to care it's like I don't own what do I care if I bang it or scatch it.Well in our shop again you're asked to leave or be cut up with the chain saw I keep in the back for people like these.
Anytime a guitar hang's in a shop there's going to be ware it's just a matter of the store giving a dam.Most consigned guitar's are keeped out of reach,and you are told there my be some shop wear.

You know, unclrob....I'm sure that when you see customers being rough with the merchandise you cringe, to say the least. Like all else, there's a range between careful and being abusive....with all points in between?

Giggler, on a daily basis.We used to just kill the people and throw the body in the landlords basement.Now we strip them naked and spray paint nasties on there butt's and chase them thru town with a 1"x1"x3' piece of mahogany!!!!!! :P  

Landlord start complaining?

No but the cats hanging out back really drove me crazy

At our shop we practice the "skin-them-alive" method. As it turns out, the human epidermis makes a great sail for a yacht. Go figure.

Actually, we have instituted a "No Steely Dan" policy. I'm working on a variation of this to deal with people abusing the instruments--if you scratch, dent, ding, or otherwise mess up a guitar, and I catch you doing it, you have to play both guitar parts in the pre-solo interlude to "Reelin' in the Years". If you fail, I get to keep two of your tires.

Signin' that into law is gonna be tough....but it'll be worth it!