[steveh]

I've played plenty of guitars with wenge b/s and a few with padauk.
IMHO (based on what I've heard wjile playing and others have told me) both are excelent choices for those seeking an alternative to "standard" IRW/mahogany that are very cost-effective.

I recently narrowed down to both of these for a commission of my own. In the end I swung for padauk. Against it was the fact that it is very red and then ages to an uninteresting brown (as it happens my guitar actually tured out beautiful rich crimson). Against wenge was the fact that the pores are huge and difficult to fill (as has been mentioned), it's unpleasant to work with (splinters everywhere), and - most importantly - it has a tendency to split. I have encountered several wenge guitars under one year old with splits in the back, another characteristic it seems to share with BRW. Some of these have been from very high-end and well thought of luthiers, so it's not a build issue; it's a wood issue. No effect on the sonics, but I'd rather not have to deal with that.
That was the decider between the two for me.

I doubt you'd be dissapointed with either.

Cheers,
Steve