Hi George,

Like Brendan said Its a little difficult to know without seeing pics. Were you attempting to have the top a different colour from the sides? or were you just staining all of the body one colour?

It is true that any stain will take more (ie be darker) on the end grain rather than the top. Its like clutching a bunch of straw, it will soak up more on the end.

You can simply sand the DT away where you don't want it though.