some plants just don't show much amber.. i've seen it 1 time, so i don't think it is common. You leave it too long it will die on the stem and start rotting from inside-out.
if the pistils are fully coiled up (even if they retain the white color) and density is good, i'd consider taking it down. if it feels like ther's a lot of ripening left, stick it out.
Your sugar leaves arent' all dead, so that's a good sign as far as anything nasty lurking underneath the buds.
Based on last picture, i'd say you have some 'newer' growth pistils and a little foxtail going on... i would focus on the older growth and not the few newly formed pistils/calyxes.