Alright, I'm sure this has been asked many, many times. I did a search and got a few answers but I figured Id throw it out there agian.
  If you were having a bow built what limbs material would you use? What kind of cores? Carbon strips? Glass?
I am having a recurve built. Its going to be 56" and I draw 28 1/2". I want the smoothest, fastest, quietest combination out there. What's your opinion?

Action wood core, Limb veeneers your choice if you use clear glass or go with black glass.

Bamboo is smoother and faster than hardwoods for laminations, IMO, though a number of builders charge extra for it.  Carbon is lighter and faster, though perhaps not as durable as fiberglass.

I've never been able to tell the difference in any of em. I would decide on the bow I wanted and then talk to the guy making the bow.
SL

The guy making the bow is a buddy of mine who is just getting started. He has built about ten or so bows is all. He seems to do good work. I have shot a few of them. He has always used actionwood and black glass. He mentioned to me that we could use whatever I wanted in my limbs but he hadnt tried bamboo or carbon. Thats why I am posting to see what you guys prefer. Is there much difference in smoothness or speeed or noise? I dont know, niether did he.

Alot of bowyers have gone to the plyboo. You get all the benefits of actionwood and bamboo combined.
I wouldnt hesitate to go with actionwood and the glass of your choice. There are alot of very high end bows made with actionwood cores and a pretty veneer with clear glass.
Red Elm is a good limb wood and pretty too if cut flat grain.
Smoothness and speed is mostly built into the design of the bow. I cant answer on noise, Ive had a bunch of different bows in a bunch of different woods, cant say that any wood Ive had has been any noisier than another.Course this is my opinion.  
SL

Thanks SL. I seen that bingham is selling something called actionboo. Is this the same as plyboo? We are going to use black glass on the limbs so no need for pretty veneers. We're going to use phenolic and grey action wood in the riser. I'm not trying to build a really good looking bow (although I prefer gray and black), I'm just trying to build a bow that shoots great. Would you even mess around with the carbon strips in the limbs? Thanks again for any info. ChadF

Personally, if that is your wood choices I'd lean towards grey actionwood as the core wood.  If you use any of the forms of bamboo you'll see the tan/brownish colored boo in the limbs when viewed from the side.  Not that this is a big deal, but something you should be aware of if you want the whole bow grey and black...Mike

Yep, same thing Chad. I always liked black glass. Some think its old school but I think it looks classy.I also always liked the brown glass and brown or tan risers like the old brackenburys. You dont see that much anymore. Be sure to post some pictures when you get it done.
SL

He is a new Bowyer so go with what he has the most experience with. I would not get carbon , as much as I like it ,from a new bowyer, go with black glass.
Pete

Yeah, a carbon glassless with boo would be great but not everyone uses good carbon and in the right way so I agree with Pete (which is easy because I know he knows more than I do)!  

Carbon is rather expensive for learning on to boot. Maple cores and black glass will give a solid limb. If you can get some of the maple actionwood and not the birch stuff, that makes an excellent core.

Using grey Dymondwood in your riser is a wise choice.  Very strong and durable and you don't have the oilyness to contend with in the glue up process, as you do with some exotic woods. As was stated earlier, a bows performance is probably 99% design. Good luck with your new bow.