The last Seeburg xylophone I worked on was missing a beater and
I replaced it with a maple ball and there was a noticeable difference
in the quality of sound compared to the original rosewood.

Brazilian rosewood is in a family of exotic hardwoods which contain
a very hard resin between the wood fibers.  This gives the wood the
desired qualities for xylophone bars and beaters.  The problem I've had
with rosewood is that, yes, it is very expensive and I have not been
able to find boards thick enough to turn out a 7/8" ball.  I'm not
quite sure that glued up either.

There are woods in this same family [esp. genus dalbergia], which I have
worked with in the past, that can be substituted and will look nice and
work just as well.  These are cocobolo, African blackwood, and teak.

Brian Thornton - Short Mountain Music Works
Woodbury, Tennessee
http://www.shortmountainmusic.com/

 [ The local and scientific names of many woods found in mechanical
 [ musical instruments are given in a table compiled by Hans van Oost
 [ at http://mmd.foxtail.com/Tech/Wood/index.html  -- Robbie