I gave my still up due to too many yuppie hikers coming up from the city (and my partner moved to S Carolina...inherited a 400ac farm with house, workshop, barn, AND a MORGAN !)...I still got the know how, and unless my daughter's interested (I disowned my son), will prolly die with me...folks got too lazy now too..."hell, cut and chop wood, fire up a kettle, pipe water from the spring ?...what fer ?... I got a liquor store just 2 blocks down..."....end of an era I guess....and now ya can buy Everclear (but aint the same)...
And ya...the harder/denser the wood the better...teak would be the best, but when working it, ya kill yer lungs (bad dust)...local stuff, hickory and walnut (bad for lungs too) would be best bet...the REAL best would be Madagascar Mahogany...but ya may as well by premade at that point...I made a mandolin fretboard from that mahogany...the blank cost $30 20 yrs ago...teak can be had for a lot less...ALSO...surprised I forgot, aged/submerged pucky cyprus...that'll last forever too. Be easier to get that by you, yer closer. Go with that !!!