Fake speed neck?

[Bazz Jass]

My Eastman MD515v, like this example from Reverb, has a pale section on the neck - blonde wood.

This is how speed necks present whenever I see photos of them. But on the Eastman (and I see this on new violins, double basses too) this area is just varnished like the rest of the instrument. Not sanded and oiled, or not oiled as some folks like it.

So is it just to give the appearance of a speed neck, with none of the actual benefits?

Can't figure it....

[John Bertotti]

Some used to do a burst on the neck, I think, and some saded them down to make them feel nice, others just wore off that way etc. Why did Eastman do it that way? Might just have to send them an email and ask. I would think it was to copy one of the reasons but which? I have no idea.

[sunburst]

According to lore, the varnish quickly wore off of early violin necks (makes sense since old violin varnishes are generally pretty soft) so makers simply gave up and quit varnishing the neck. The color on violins is in the varnish, rather than being applied to the wood beneath the varnish, so the absence of varnish on the neck meant the absence of added color on the neck. In other words, it looked like what would later come to be known a speed neck.
The look of a colorless neck is still used on violins even though they are often covered by a clear finish. Eastman is a violin company. It seems to me that they are simply applying the violin look to the mandolin neck.

[John Bertotti]

I thought I had seen some builder stain their necks that way. Is that a newer development 1900’s+

[Bazz Jass]

Well, fake or not, I just made it real with some sandpaper and steel wool. (Just did the blonde area)

100% better!