Jim, I guess the whole Fiberglass the nose thing came from the days of the ST 60. Some people are rough on planes so they like the extra durability of the glassed nose. Longevity, and a consistent motor run too. This was going to be the first time i omitted the fiberglass, so i have no experience on planes that dont have it to compare. Actually, that phrase "Our planes are over built" was stirring up the thought of skipping the glassing of the nose.
In this case, it gives you a consistent surface to finish over, instead of the usual mix of balsa, plywood edges, maple, and a bunch of glue joints, for almost no cost in terms of weight. I am fiberglassing my electric for the same reason, it just ties everything together.
People were fiberglassing the nose long before people were using ST60s, mostly for the same reasons. It ends up being almost no weight, all you are doing is replacing the filler you would otherwise have to use to smooth it all out, and the dope or whatever to seal it.
Brett