Ring around the Speaker

[Blueprint12]

Need some speaker refinishing help/advice? Has anyone ever run across a speaker cabinet with a stain like this? Is there anything that can lighten the stain, or remove it?
Afraid to sand the veneer too much other than hand sanding with steel wool or maybe 400 grit. Also open to going a darker color

81145

[SEAWOLF97]

typical planter stain. Try scrubbing with toothpaste.

[rdgrimes]

That veneer is thicker than you might think. Start with a light 220 grit sanding just to see what you get.