The PHILCO Phorum

What type of wood is under the photo finish? Is it suitable for staining or is a veneer required?

Thank you

It depends on the year and model, and where the faux finish is. Usually what you will find is a cheap species of hardwood like tulip poplar, beech, maple, alder, gum, or something similar, that is tight grained with next to no figuring. basically what they would call "paint grade" now. Philco used a lot of it in the front panels of their lower end models from 1937-38, especially the 1937s, and used a version of it called "Philcote" right into the late 1940s on some sets. Veneer will work well on a flat panel, but is a lot more difficult on a molding with a tight radius, like a grill bar, there you would have to replicate the grain in some way either with paint or a decal. Brand Z is the worst offender for faux finishes, the entire front on many of their consoles was nothing but a faux finish, even into the early 1950s. 
Regards
Arran

Thanks Arran, that's what I guessed.

About the only thing that will colour the wood under that faux finish is some sort of wood dye, oil stain won't do much of anything. I guess I'm lucky in that most Canadian built radios, other then some Philco models, used real veneer, the exceptions being things like grill bars, or trim work, that was impractical to cover with veneer.
Regards
Arran