That's not correct. The sensory system works of feedback, and everyone has increased gain for different activities and sounds dependent on the meaning associated with them. This changes with the conditions we hear a sound as well. Yes, it's conditioned reflexes. This all understood.
John
Myrtle rarely grows outside of southern Oregon. Mpingo is the proper name for African Blackwood, most often used in the construction of woodwind instruments. It is not as common, but I would not term it as rare. Pink Ivory is a rare wood.
Quite popular for turning. I threw that reference in because I knew about the shunmook nonsense. I just noticed it on the endangered list, I generally have given up using exotics for anything.
Funnier still, Cardas, who got this whole "rarest of woods" thing going, is located in Oregon.
se
Yep, that's the stuff. They often burn it in Oregon to get rid of it. It is only available in small blocks. I've never seen it, but am told it is a small, scrubby tree that is almost more like a bush.
The grain structure on it is quite something, and is all over the map. Some pieces look almost like oak, with large, open pores and straight grain. Other pieces look like the most beautiful flamed maple you have ever seen. Others have a twisted structure like a burl. George Cardas suspects that the complex grain structure is what makes it sound better than other woods.
Burls are a different issue!
For most woodworking long straight grain is the easiest to use. Burls and other figures are used to add interest, but are a b.. to work commercially.
Just went out to the shop and found some spalted myrtle I'd obtained some years back. Wonder if the addition of fungi would help improve the sound? 
se
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
se
More Info on "Myrtle"
I was completely wrong about myrtle being burned, or that it was small and scrubby. Sorry for the misinformation.
The truth is that it grows fairly large, but very slowly. It does not grow in large stands, nor does it float and these two factors make it impractical to use as a commercial wood.
Here is a picture of a large tree, and below are some examples of the beautiful grain and variations it can have:
MG What is Myrtlewood?
Here is some more detail on why it is rare -- it only grows in a few places in the entire world:
The Story of Myrtlewood
And finally Wikipedia notes, "Myrtlewood is considered a world-class tonewood and is sought after by luthiers and woodworkers from around the world."
Umbellularia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Obviously to call it the "rarest of woods" is a bit of hyperbole, but there is no doubt that it is rare.
I was completely wrong about myrtle being burned, or that it was small and scrubby. Sorry for the misinformation.
The truth is that it grows fairly large, but very slowly. It does not grow in large stands, nor does it float and these two factors make it impractical to use as a commercial wood.
Here is a picture of a large tree, and below are some examples of the beautiful grain and variations it can have:
MG What is Myrtlewood?
Here is some more detail on why it is rare -- it only grows in a few places in the entire world:
The Story of Myrtlewood
And finally Wikipedia notes, "Myrtlewood is considered a world-class tonewood and is sought after by luthiers and woodworkers from around the world."
Umbellularia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Obviously to call it the "rarest of woods" is a bit of hyperbole, but there is no doubt that it is rare.
Ah perception, funny smell was bought up, compare the smells we can detect relative to the olfactory world of an animal like a Dog or Bear, they 'see' a very different world where they can differentiate smells we don't even notice.
People all have somewhat different hearing and e probably process the information differently based on how and what we listen to. Not sure anyone on either 'side' can define an objection right and wrong to another person.
I would also observe that the placebo effect is a sword that can cut in both direction so we can fool ourselves. If someone believes based on their beliefs that 2 things 'can't' be differentiated will they really hear are difference that does exist if it exist outside the box of their 'measurement' system? This can be as real an issue as people fooling themselves into hearing differences that don't exist.
People all have somewhat different hearing and e probably process the information differently based on how and what we listen to. Not sure anyone on either 'side' can define an objection right and wrong to another person.
I would also observe that the placebo effect is a sword that can cut in both direction so we can fool ourselves. If someone believes based on their beliefs that 2 things 'can't' be differentiated will they really hear are difference that does exist if it exist outside the box of their 'measurement' system? This can be as real an issue as people fooling themselves into hearing differences that don't exist.
Oh Myrtle is available in lumber as I have seen and sold my fair share of it over the years. It is just not commercially harvested so it is generally only available from smaller mills in Oregon. I generally only buy it in 8' to 12' lengths and it is usually fairly wide too. Love the greenish gold color that it has and it has a beautiful patina with age. I see it used a lot for house trim and cabinetry in Oregon. One of my favorite woods. It smells great when sawn.
All the Myrtle that you will find outside of the US is not the American Myrtle, but is Australian Myrtle Backhousia citriodora - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A non-deciduous non-conifer! I think I have a trip coming up out that way (or at least I can stop) I think I may go shopping for a few sticks!
(FYI "Timber" - Forrester, "Boards" - Carpenter, "Planks" - Shipwright, "Sticks" - Furniture Maker or so the usage used to be!)
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