Steve, if youre looking for really vibrant color, aniline dyes are the ticket. Some are water soluble, some are mixed with denatured alcohol. Many colors available, both in wood colors or primary colors.
If you want a painted crown dip, I quit using Bohning paints years ago. Tired of air bubbles, dip tubes etc. I tape them off, spray a coat of primer, then to coat with whatever color I want, then clear coat over top of that. Works better, far cheaper to but spray paint than Bohning paint, and you dont have to but a bunch just to fil a dip tube.
A light sanding with some steel wool in between coats smotths out any raised grain,allow a day or two to fully dry between coats. For cresting, I use Testers model paints, then clear coat over that with a coat of water based poly. Once that is dry, a couple more coats of either the Home Depot wood floor finish( cant remember the rand name of it, but its not minwax) or Ive used Minwax wipe on poly in a oil base,I think it has a better look than water based.