There is no test, and it's mostly subjective. However, there are some basic principles that generally apply to some small degree. For instance, the more porous and lightweight a wood is, the more it's going to absorb higher frequencies, so it tends to have a tonal response that's often described as "warm". You also tend to lose some sustain in the deal. Of course, the opposite is also true.
You also have to bear in mind that all the descriptions of the various guitar wood's response are relative and small. When you consider how much mass there is in a body, and how little there is in the strings, it's clear that the interaction between the two is going to be minimal. It's freight train vs. squirrel. That's just simple physics, and no amount of emotional ranting, beliefs, perceived experience or wishful thinking can change that.
Necks are a little different. Same rules apply, but we're down to motorcycle vs. squirrel. Still a pretty wide ratio of stimulus:response, but you're into the range of human-perceivable differences. You'll definitely notice the difference between, say, a mahogany vs. maple neck.
