Choice of finishing - burl veneer

[Crusty]

It's hard to beat True-Oil. Many thin easy coats, followed by wet sanding using linseed oil and a thinned finish coat can make for a stunning finish that's easy to do. I've built several musical instruments using it and it's never let me down. If you're going to color the wood don't use stain because it hides the beautiful wood grain and instead use Angelus Leather Dyes (but practice first on scrap).