Finally! Finally, I have found a blotch control product that works. I thought I had tried em all, but not so. I bought a bunch of Hard Maple to make a toy box for a favorite Niece, and I hadn't used Hard Maple before. Blotches like crazy. Dang! I was using a dark Walnut and dark Cherry stain and the result was beyond ugly. It was as bad as an old gunstock I tried to stain a few years back. Hopeless. So...a bit of research on a woodworking forum I frequent, and it was suggested that I buy the liquid blotch controller sold by Charles Neil. So I did. Wasn't getting anywhere with anything I had tried so far. I even read the directions and applied it as outlined. And it works. I had to blend the stain darker, since the blotch controller does lessen dye penetration.

Just thought I'd share this info with you.

What's the exact product name? I do some woodworking and this would help a lot.

Pretty sure it's Charles Neil's Pre-Color Conditioner. I use it with water based dye only, though I'm sure it would work with other types of coloration. Still, I think a dye is your best choice, whether alcohol based or water based.