Regarding turned wood spars - I just did a post in another thread offering my own opinions (for what they’re worth) on the subject: cs.finescale.com/…/1800045.aspx . It’s entirely possible to turn wood spars to 1/96 scale - and considerably smaller - if you use the right kind of wood.
I built several 1/96 Constitutions and Cutty Sarks when I was much younger, and I don’t recall having any trouble with the plastic spars. But that was a long time ago. In recent years I’ve read lots of horror stories about Revell’s (and Heller’s) quality control when it comes to styrene quality: soft, rubbery plastic, warped parts, etc. I can certainly sympathize with anybody who feels obliged to replace the plastic parts with wood ones
I certainly agree with Bill that any ship modeling project needs to be a labor of love. If you like eighteenth-century ships, take a look at the Model Shipways Pride of Baltimore, or Rattlesnake, or Fair American, or Niagara, or Syren. In all honesty, none of them would be my first recommendation as a starter kit, but they aren’t as elaborate as the Constitution.
The kit I like best as a starter for eighteenth-century enthusiasts is the solid-hull Model Shipways Sultana. But it’s been marked “out of stock” for months. I think MS is having trouble getting a supplier of good machine-carved hulls.