Haven't read every post, so maybe this was addresses.

Have you sanded it back to see if the effect is reduced?

Are we talking about those lines that go end to end? I'm guessing not but I'm not sure.

No that's just in the wood, those lines are. In my mind though I can't help but think that has something to do with it. The wood is torrified, it's cooked, and it's almost like this particular piece is susceptible to wicking. IDK how to say it.

What I am taking about is if you look at the rosette like a clock and 12 o'clock is at the center seam toward the tail block as pictured you can see staining at 2,4,8, and 10 o'clock. Pretty much just adjacent to the long natural lines which is why I got to thinking.

In fact the other guitar was the same top, it had the same line markings on it but since it's a small guitar I placed them outside the profile.

I’ll just say what I think, and hope it doesn’t come off as harsh. Please know that I don’t intend it as a criticism; it’s just what I see when I look at this guitar.

I think worrying about that little amount of staining on a top that looks like this is the same as the Elephant Man worrying about a pimple. The eye of the casual viewer is not drawn to the rosette stains; it is drawn to the huge streaks that make this top look like reclaimed decking. I think you should embrace the staining as part of the torrified wood look, which is already very prominent on this top.

So, I wouldn’t do anything drastic on this guitar to fix the staining. I would probably develop a well-deserved aversion to using CA anywhere near spruce in the future, but I already have that.

I don't see anything. They both look cool. I would have thought that CA would act more like a HHG ghost, and prevent the stain or shellac or varnish from coloring the wood. Are you saying that it makes the wood darker? A couple tiny areas around the rosette? Looks like the rest of the wood. The wood looks amazing. I used Red Spruce once on a violin, but I threw it away. The wood looked really nice, but the belly kept splitting with the grain. Over and over again. Bad luck I guess, but I haven't gone back to it.

John, so you are saying that before using CA on in a channel, or maybe anywhere else, the area has to be sealed first? Maybe especially on very dry, or torrefied wood?

Ok a couple of new posts.

Fish glue doesn't create ghosts? I don't know. I know even regular wood glue will. I don't know of any way to get away from them besides gluing first, trying to wipe up with hot water, and then crape or sand down.