I’m also a fan of Sandalwood, but don’t know anything about it. I think it’s restricted? Whatever timber you do use will have an effect on the sound, as will the thickness and overall shape. I think it’s just a matter of experimentation and trying out a few combinations…
I used tung oil on my mouthpiece, and I’m still applying more layers, every couple of days, to build up a barrier to moisture.
I’m interested in which current models you’ll present to Rick? Which melodicas you rate as having a desirable combination of good tone/response/reliability.