Thanks for the welcome.
I have been sanding all day and plan to be sanding all day again tomorrow. (during my coffee breaks at work, anyway) I may as well keep sanding until the stains arrive.
I think I have watched too many crimson guitar videos because I am already changing my mind on the colour.
I was planning a kind of smokehouse burst like on the Gibson studio but been thinking today and I don't think it will look right with that white binding. I have a telecaster kit with white binding so might use that as a practice piece for the stains... a few days to consider my options.