The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #139936 Message #3237226
Posted By: ollaimh
11-Oct-11 - 11:27 AM
Thread Name: Who will stand up: Feds Raid Gibson Guitar Factory
Subject: RE: Who will stand up: Feds Raid Gibson Guitar Factory
i useually onlt travel to the us with renaissance or celtic instruments. so they are made of woods that are ok. however if i take a guitar i don't take my hand made with brazillian rosewood back and sides. i take my yamaha fg180. an amazing plywood guitar!
my hand mmade was made from wood cut and dried fifty years ago(the builder bought a store room of wood from the estate of a deceased luthier--a real score) so it met canadian regulatons easilty. i don't know about american but i am not going to risk it.
when john lariviere was building guitars in vancouver bc, he had shipments seized for the bone nuts. and ormintation. the customs guys claimed it was ivory. it took a long time to sort it out so you have to be carefull. some times border guards are not well educated in these arcane issues. they are usually nnore concerned with drugs guns etc.
it seems likely gibsom was circumventing the rules. they were likely also manipulating the madagascar republics officials to get madagascar rosewood that should be under their export ban but they got a lot released by paper switching.
i am a little worried about my celtic cittern with indian rosewood back and sides. i better get paper work if i ever take it south again. i think people should start usuing north american woods. maple makes a lot of good instruments and walnut. there is way too much fixation on certain mahagony and rosewood strains.
and there are good artificial materials for nuts and bridges and saddles. mycarta etc