First, I tend to stay away from maple---unless you want an extremely large striker or a very high pitch...

I like to try the odd stuff---sumac, locust, dogwood---you get the idea.

Your apple should work well---I've made a few from apple---but I've found their "cousin" will blow the doors off, and is the finest/easiest wood I've ever worked.

Mauser a quick tip: if you're whittling strikers by hand stop splitting logs and just find a branch the appropriate size and work down. Not only is the wood already size-compatible, but the younger growth will allow for a nice resonance within the striker. Secondly, you're almost guaranteed to have heartwood in the center of the striker, everytime.

Therefore, I've found you can actually work strikers from green wood...box calls and friction pots are an entirely different story because you're usually combining multiple components. If your whittling with a knife, you will find it much easier to shape while green. The wood shouldn't "move" much either, due to the size of the striker. I handcarve most of mine with a knife, and actually prefer the wood only slightly aged.

If you can find some branches in the 1-3 inch diameter, dry with the bark ON---it will enlongate dry time but will reduce twisting. I like to dry mine in 2-4 foot lengths, then cut accordingly (I figure about 8 inches for each striker, or about 3 per 2 feet of branch. Within three months a 2 inch branch is about 85% "dry", I'll whittle mine after about 2 weeks.

S&R