Always hard maple in irwin/alembic necks?

[paulson]

I've read that the maple used in Garcia's Irwin guitar neck laminates is western maple, which is a soft variety.
 
Although most every maple guitar neck is hard/sugar maple, I have seen some made of soft maple or soft maple laminates..  
 
Anyone here have any definitive info on this?

[lbpesq]

My I-believe-it's-an-Irwin has a bolt-on neck made of purple heart.
 
Bill, tgo