Finish is a necessary evil. The wood needs to be protected against dirt and grease and moisture, but any finish adds weight and stiffness, which cuts down on sound. Less is generally better. Some finishes also add damping, and you especially want to avoid too much of that. In short, there is no 'good' finish, in the sense of making an unfinished guitar 'better', but some are less bad than others. Makers choose the finish that gives them features that they need or want, and has the smallest number of drawbacks from their point of view. Note that what's best for a large factory may be quite different from what's best for a small shop or individual, and what's best for the guitar in terms of sound, durability, and so on, could be quite another thing. That's why there are so many different finishes in use. Personally, I think nitro is one of the worst, but I can understand why factories stuck with it for so long.
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