It's also cheap. Atleast in my neighborhood. I paid $24 for a piece 3/4x7x75, S4S.

I used Zinsser amber shellac diluted to a 1 Lb. cut and applied with a cotton sock balled up inside a piece of cheesecloth. The amber just slightly deepens the natural tone and makes it a bit browner and redder.

I padded on 5 coats and leveled each one with 4-0 steel wool. Then 5 more just left to dry. Finally, I wetted another pad with straight alcohol and very lightly passed it over to level the last coat. There's a natural glow you just don't get with any other finish.

I wish you all could see this base in person. My 1 meg pocket camera doesn't begin to show how the patterns and colors seem to be alive. Especially where the router bit revealed the quartered grain.

The black top plate will be recessed into the frame supported by the maple blocks. Those little black footers are Gabon Ebony without a hint of grain or other color. That's expensive! But if it's good enough for Yamamoto ....