Hi Dave. The Pipettes have alder fronts and sapele ply sides, so they are indeed different species of wood and will look different with the same stain applied. You could reach out to Matt Jabloner (
[email protected]) and see what he recommends. Otherwise you could test the stain on an inconspicuous place - like the inside of the panels or on the bottom - to see how it looks.
I think most owners have been leaving them unfinished. I can’t recall, but I might have put a clear oil finish on if I did anything at all.