Update:

My uncle turns wood for all sorts of really nice projects. He also buys VERY NICE woods. I asked him if he had any cheaper wood scraps I could use. Here is what he GAVE ME:

Red Walnut (remains of a tree he made into planks)
Poplar
Ash
American Black Walnut
Gabbon Ebony
Olive wood, from Israel
Padguk
Bubinga
Some gorgeous laminated hardwoods he had as left over from a cane

WAY better than I was expecting.