i would stick to something cheap and safe for now (sabo, ebony).  if you have doubt about a woods safety in the body, you can look it up online.  avoid tulip wood for sure though!

also, make sure you sand it with fine grit, then raise the grain with water, and sand that down.  a lot of people seal wood in beeswax, or jojoba or coconut.

 you will want to oil the wood regularly, both when wearing it and when not, because the wood can get grabby and split when dry.