re: What is this wood?

Actually I like Hobbit House for wood id pics. Most of his listed species he has quite a few, to hundreds of each type of wood, plus a lot of info about them. Once on the page, just scroll down, they are all alphabetical, and each tag has a sampler pic, so you can start by color, grain, and general appearance. Once on a woods page there are many pics, and soon you will see even woods you know, can be a LOT of different things. 

Your pic could well be Cherry, if so, it was cut, and kept from any sunlight, or it probably would have reddened, and darkened quite a bit. 

Or it could be a piece of QS Ash, that had a very light color?

Could be something all together different, like a flat sawn, straight grained Sycamore?

Weight of the piece, and just how hard it is, in relationship to other woods you know will be the deciding factor I'd think.

For Cherry, you are well versed in Pine, Cherry has a Janka hardness of 950, which is quite close to Pine. On both a thumbnail will usually leave a dent. If it is an Ash (1320 +  -), it would take a hammer, and a decent blow to leave a mark. Sycamore is closer to Cherry, but less at 770.

You could test it's paleness, by putting it outside in the sun for a day or so. If it changes colors a lot that could be another hint, to see what color it goes to?

I have always done this. I think it's helped me better understand the woods I use. Dad used to laugh, and say, if it looks good, what does it matter? I'd rejoin with, indoors or outdoors? Structure, or cover? To those he'd nod and say ok, maybe it does matter. I miss him every day.