For me, I much prefer a satin body and neck finish.
Satin finished necks feel great and don't have the tendency for your hand to stick or drag on the surface.
Satin finished bodies just look a whole lot classier to me. They don't show fingerprints, smudges, or surface wear the way a gloss finish does. I really appreciated how much a satin finish contributed to the look of a guitar after I purchased my first Lowden with wood bindings; you could look INTO it rather than look AT it.
If you perform (or watch performances) stage lighting is just plain cruel to the audience as it reflects off the face of a gloss-finished guitar.
From a builder's perspective it's often easier to produce a thin finish using satin finishes and that translates into a more open and transparent sound. Those gorgeous mirror-like finishes reflect more than lots of light; it translates into lots of labor, and that spills over into the cost of a custom instrument. My appreciation is mostly what's under the hood, not the finish.
I can appreciate the amount of effort that goes into a well done gloss finish, but it always reminds me of the cheap imports that have the thick U.V. cured polyester finishes that look like they were dipped in a vat to apply the finish.
Gloss finishes aren't something I would ever seek out, but obviously this is a matter of personal preference for the most part.
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