ok, I found some gloss laquer in an aerosal spray can on stewmac.com so, I think what I might do is get some wood stain, stain the wood the color I like, then spray that over top to get a gloss, throw some fine sanding between layers, and voila! a paint job under $50... think it'll work?
(when I get this baby, hopefully ordering her either by the end of this week or by the beginning of next week, then I'll be sure to include some pictures along the way!)