Yea- im gettin better with the bandsaw thing
I usually prefer alcohol based stain as it seems to stick in the grain better and has more vibrant color.
I wouldn't use laquer during any stage of staining. The whole point of multiple colors is to get them to blend and create a mid point. I think sealing a layer would only make it more difficult.
To get the exact color, if you choose to sand it out instead of scrubbing the top with alcohol or water, you will need to restain the brown a bit. Take about a 50% mix of your original brown and make a pass to add some brown back into the main part of the curl, then do the yellow. Then you can add light diluted wash coats to get the exact shade you want.
Good luck and i can't wait to see how you do