A shorter wheelbase will feel quicker when you need to whip the board around, but less stable when you are going fast. Longer wheelbases feel more stable, but are a little more sluggish. Most boards now have about a 14 inch wheelbase. There is a huge difference in the feel. Narrower boards are easier to do flip tricks, but feel a little less stable under big feet.
Wider boards feel better under big feet, but are harder to flip.
Oldschool board were normally about 10 inches wide at the widest point. Most boards now are made of 7-ply maple laminate. I personally don't like the slick boards, and don't know anyone who does. One problem with decks is delamination , which happens when the layers of wood in the laminate come apart. The layers are glued together.