Trevor: more than I would like :P

fender: I had always thought that maple was pretty tough, compared to stuff like spotted gum it's pretty soft. using local hardwoods is nothing new, after all that's what Fender and Gibson did. It was less about seeking out "tonewoods" and more about the economy of buying local. US timbers are pretty pricey here. Probably why meranti was substituted for genuine mahogany in the kits.