Hi Gary!
I just have to chime in here. I know there are many on this board who do not agree with me, but, my bet still stands........side-by-side tests of these woods and you pick which is which....same meat, same seasonings, same cooker. I'll bet there are VERY few of us who could get it right. I admit, I can't!
I still have a hard time telling the difference between, hickory, oak, pear and apple. Those are the woods I use for every smoke and I been doing it for over 15 years.
I firmly believe that at your "newbie" stage of smoking, you will NOT be able to tell the difference between any of the smoking woods....except mesquite(maybe)!! Concentrate instead on the AMOUNT of smoke you use and then start experimenting.
I'll guarantee you the BRITU will taste just as good with hickory as with any of the other woods you use!
My advice, I agree with John and George, go the scrounge route and you should NEVER have to pay for wood. I will literally cut branches from my trees the day I am smoking and use them...bark and green and everything!! This method has served me well as I have done pretty good in the competitions I have entered.
I realize not everyone has the good fortune of having trees in their back yards, but, there are so many sources of free wood if you just give it some thought. Just make sure you know it is some type of hardwood or fruitwood. You only need 2-3 fist size chunks per cook...it's not like you need a cord of logs!!
Anyway, that's my 15 years worth of experience opinion! Good luck in your search!
Stogie