[Phlogiston]

I need honest opinions.... 

I just toned and cleared the A52CK... I am feeling like the trim is too dark...
It was dark as far as I can tell from original photos but please help me out here...

Is it wrong? Does it look bad? It is not black, it is ex dk walnut and you can see grains through it a little..

Thoughts?

Me

Kirk, It looks good.

Knowing when to stop with the toner is a real challenge. Most people over-do it. The top and bottom trim are often too dark. Most radios of this period had a dark brown trim color that allowed a hint of the wood to show through AND was often a bit uneven. I think that most mistakes are made in an attempt to cover the trim completely and evenly resulting in a stark - and dark - trim color. There are exceptions, say Zeniths of the time. Their bases were very dark AND dark blue at that!