Paul and other woodworkers might find this interesting…
I have spent a lot of time around fine classical guitars and builders, and tight-grain German Spruce tops accounts for lasting, ethereal sounding guitars as well. They can take years to mature, but last longer. The guitars by Hermann Hauser that Segovia played in early years are examples. Though cedar is very popular, Spruce is the long term aesthetic choice imho.
that is indeed interesting. We think of the growth of wood as being something rather constant, but this is not the case. I have some fascinating “salvage timber” Birdseye Maple which was obtained from logs sitting submerged deep in the Great Lakes for over 100 years. At those depths, there is little or no free oxygen and the logs did not deteriorate at all. What is special about the wood is that it is from old growth forests where the wood grew more slowly and the resulting wood is denser than it’s more modern counterparts. Guitar and fiddle makers are starting to use this stuff for it’s superior acoustic properties. Some gorgeous graining too. I am not sure if those acoustic properties will come into play in a whistle, but I really love the looks of it and it does seem harder than other maple I’ve tinkered with.