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The only difference is the looks. When they came out a lot of people were bragging about how the sound was superior due to the "nitro" finish - then the facts surfaced that it was acrylic over poly. So it was obviously the placebo effect at work. That pretty well killed the finsih affects the tone argument. I have guitars that have been refinsihed and sound exactly like they did before the finish was changed.
On an acoustic instrument like a guitar, violin or piano, where the soundboard vibrates to produce the sound, the finish does affect the timbre and volume of the instrument. On a solidbody electric different physics are involved and the finish really doesn't matter. Each peice of wood is unique and will have its own sound.
Somebody will reply "blah blah blah let the wood breath" but after building and refinishing over the last 30 years, I've not found a difference. I even have my "goldtop" Strat that had the body and neck painted with 3 coats of bullion and 20 coats of clear - and it sounds the same today as it did when it was being played with the finish stripped in the 80's.
With the HWY1's being specifically marketed to younger players, the bodies tend to be made up of more peices than USA. I've seen some HW1's that were three piece bodies with no veneer in a sunburst. Yeouch!
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