Unfinished alder/ash?

[tmac]

Hi!

Apart from esthetics, what are the reasons to finish an alder or ash solid body?

I have an old solid body that has been lying around for more than 10 years. I think it is either alder or ash. It seems to be in perfect shape. Will an unfinished alder solid body warp and create a problem?

 

[Cagey]

If it was going to warp, curl or twist, it would have by now. But, even though it's technically a hardwood, it's fairly soft, so it dents easily. It also takes stain very easily, which means it can get ugly in a hurry with handling and exposure the the world at large if the surface isn't protected. You almost have to treat it as if it was a harder version of balsa, which incidentally is also a hardwood.