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Thinking specifically about the black varnish version, wondering if anyone who has one of these models (or the other 'v' finishes) can comment on how rapidly/easily the finish has aged and in what way (checking, 'show-through' spots getting larger, etc.).
I've been told (and read/seen on YT by reviewers) that this finish wears much faster than typical nitro. Some of the SB-59 V's I've seen have more or less aging/wear-through and just curious what owners might have to say about this.
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Location: Asheville, NC
I had a 2007 Collings D1A with the optional oil based varnish for a few years, I bought used...it was a very good sounding and super responsive guitar compared to the same model with lacquer, in a nutshell it sounded older. As for durability unlike lacquer and polys, builders cannot control minor imperfections such as bubbles, pin spots and luster. Varnish takes a long time to harden, but as you know it is not as protective as most all other finishes. After a couple years of playing it had spots that where almost none of the finish existed. The wood tended to turn a bit more amber on the top and it seemed you could actually see, feel the cells within the spruce. I also had a Charles Fox with a French polish (shellac) for just a year or so. It developed a lot of ridges and impressions, but it might have been more of the build structure. I an not sure what Eastman uses, because there are different varnish types and I believe Eastman uses some heat drying technique to speed up the drying process which can take weeks from start to finish. I will say my friends E20SS, looks fine and is doing great after a few years of hard playing. You would swear it looks 50 years old. And as we all know nothing take the place of the real old wood for tone, but varnish certainly helps this along.
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I own an E10SS, SB59/V, and E20ooss/v. I purchased the E10SS as a B-stock from Dave's Guitar and it came with slight hazing in the finish. I think this guitar was likely exposed to heat during shipping, got some case rash, and the finish was mostly repaired. This finish is alcohol soluble as you'd expect from shellac. The E20ooss/v was purchased in March and has seen a couple hundred hours of play time inside and outside since then. It still looks as it did when I purchased it, BUT I don't have a heavy picking hand and rarely leave pick marks on a guitar. The SB59/v also looks as it came, but gets less play than the other two. The reason for me to get the SB59/v was the upgraded pick-ups on the V version which sound fantastic, otherwise I'd have gone with nitro/trutone since I don't think thinness of finish matters much on an electric. Good luck!
ETA: The thinness of finish on the necks of all three feels incredible.
