Hi GUEST. I know exactly what you mean.

I only take my 'best' guitar to venues where I feel it will be 'safe'. Of course, even in the friendliest location it could still get beer spilt on it or something dropped on it, etc.

But if I have a gig in a pub I don't know, I have a couple of older guitars that I'm less worried about losing or being damaged. Some pubs I've gigged in have been a bit rough, but so far (fingers crossed) I've yet to suffer any damage to my guitars.

That said, I deliberately don't leave my 'best' guitar in its case at home - apart from anything else, I enjoy playing it more than the others, so I leave it on a stand in the corner of the room so I can grab it whenever I feel like it. If I had to get it out of the case each time, and put it back afterwards, I probably wouldn't play it much.

I'm assuming that after a while, I'll probably do something accidentally to damage the guitar, and then I'll probably care a little bit less about doing further damage. It's like when you have a new car (not that I would ever buy a brand new one) and you worry about getting a minor scratch. Then the first time that happens, you stop worrying :-)

Tell yourself that guitar's meant for playing, and get it out of its case right now! :-)