I don't know, but if it's really hardwood I'll guess it's poplar. AFAIK, poplar is the cheapest standard hardwood. There's nothing wrong with it except that it's not a great looking wood. It really has to be painted or heavily stained. On its own, it often tends to have a slightly greenish tinge to it. Poplar was the wood my instructor suggested we get when we were experimenting in my "Woodworking 101" class.