[OldRestorer]

I tried Ron..

 I taped off the top and used Van Dyke but the wood kept reddening it bad. It was so uneven and splotchy I could not keep it lighter... I may have to veneer the top in Walnut because the pine is killing me....

I mean, it is a touch lighter but not much.. I am hoping that when I get the parts all back on it will look good...

Is the top supposed to be that much lighter? The original pics dont look that way but 70 years of age can do that.. 

I pulled the chassis out of its box today so while the cabinet dried I can dismantle the motor, clean it and rebuild it. Then take the chassis and do a recap and resistor change. Lastly I will try to rebuild the cartridge...
I rebuilt a few for Sam but they didnt have the right volume. I realized the plastic I was using was not hard enough so hopefully I didn't just waste 3 crystals and can dismantle them and rebuild them again...