So this is the direction we're going. Unfortunately, my expectations usually far exceed my abilities. Nevertheless. RIT dye wine/black fading to wine fading to Colortone cherry. Plan to clear coat with Minwax Wipe-On Poly, after a thin coat of rattle-can spray poly to try to avoid smearing the dye. The neck is stained maple, then about 24 coats of TruOil. Fretboard will get lemon oil. Click image for larger version. 

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