[Dave A]

I looked at my toasted 621 tonight. I pulled the cover wood piece. It is satin coated on top. The underside is just color only. So color was sprayed on both sides while it passed on a conveyor belt and a finish was sprayed on one side.

I am suspicious that somewhere after the color spray that the color stain was patiently wiped down to a woodworkers final finish. These conveyors marched on. Woodworkers everywhere can correct me with no pain to me.

Yours looks like a color was added to the final finish to save a step and different than mine. I would like to see the underside of the top panel on yours to see the color.

I would not call these 621's blonde. Toasted may be more accurate to describe the color and make RCA marketing happy. Real toasting in an oven was not part of the finish. Blonde may be better used for Heywood Wakefield furniture pieces or a Natalie Kalmus set. They look like some semi-translucent color was added to the final finish. Mine looks to be just a lighter orange spray of some unknown dye or stain and then a finish coat. I would look at aniline dyes somewhere in the process.