Timbermate, filling holes and DT staining

[ThreeBbass]

Hi everyone,
Looking for a bit of advice ...
I have an ash body guitar that I've done some mods on, which have left a couple of cracks (in not very notable places) where I've plugged some gaps, that need to be filled before I do the final sand and finish.
Planning to do a reverse burst using DT black stump in the centre and then fade out to Outback Sunset.
The hope is that the black in the centre will hide the different grain on the wood that I've used.

The question is ... what colour timbermate should I use to make it invisible as possible?
Do I try to match the unstained wood, or do I try to match the final expected colour?
Thinking that timbermate won't take the stain in the same way, so darker would be better.

What do you think?

[Andy40]

Speaking of black stump....

This is a a jack hole i plugged in my SGD-612

The body is Basswood. I used a bit of pine for the plug and a LOT of Timbermate

I then stained with at DT burst, Black stump is on the edge. 3-4 stain coats and 3-4 intensifying coats
I cannot see the plug now...

[wokkaboy]

hey 3 bass, I'd go somewhere in between dark and the ash grain colour so maybe a walnut timbermate should work, or I still think a dark TM ebony would work well always brings out the nice ash grain !

[ThreeBbass]

Thanks for the advice guys,
love your work Andy!