Gibson Guitar raided by Federal agents-the Wood Police.

[tokugawa]

Yep- buried in the 08
"farm bill" are a bunch of new federal laws about wood- this is just the tip of the iceberg.
 http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/nov/17/federal-agents-raid-gibson-guitar-plant/

[AZRedhawk44]

Fish and Wildlife Agents on a "raid" regarding tropical hardwoods.  Hmm.

I'd LOVE to see pictures of this raid.  If they're all SWAT'ed out... that would make for some great anti-SWAT, anti-BigGov agitprop.  I can't see how this "raid" would be anything more than a surprise warrant served by half a dozen guys with briefcases and too much knowledge about exotic trees.

Can you seriously imagine a situation at Gibson Guitar Company where a ninja-operator would be needed to secure the smuggled illegal hardwoods?

[seeker_two]

The Wood Police.....deserve all the respect that name gives them.... 

[French G.]

"Captain, this is Jones on point, I've got wood!" 

[Unisaw]

"Captain, this is Jones Johnson on point, I've got wood!" 

Fixed it for ya'.

[roo_ster]

Quote from: French G. on 2009-11-22, 23:56:14
"Captain, this is Jones Johnson on point, I've got wood!"  cheesy

Fixed it for ya'.

It is in bad taste to post something that funny when a guy who was up all last night coughing out a lung and has strained his intercostals could be reading.

IOW, it hurt so good.

[RocketMan]

Why does the cynic in me think they were all SWAT'd out?

[Standing Wolf]

The last time I looked at a brand new top of the line Les Paul instrument, the neck was not merely warped, but obviously warped, and the frets were rough. Nah.

[Declaration Day]

[Doggy Daddy]

Wood police??   

DD

[KD5NRH]

The last time I looked at a brand new top of the line Les Paul instrument, the neck was not merely warped, but obviously warped, and the frets were rough. Nah.

Maybe they're trying to do with guitars what Para has been doing with guns: assume that anybody paying top dollar is planning to have all the rough edges professionally slicked up anyway, so no point in doing that at the factory.

[280plus]

I just attended a seminar on guitar building. I wonder what kind of wood we are talking about. No wait, not the wood WE are talking about but the wood police. The only thing I'm aware of that is controlled is Brazilian rosewood but I can't see Gibson using any of that. 2 planks of Brazilian rosewood say 10"x18"x1/4" each costs the builder $2500 because it is so rare these days. The builder said he doesn't believe it adds anything to the quality of the sound but is more so you can say, "MY guitar has Brazilian rosewood, neener neener."

[Iain]

There's more than Brazilian rosewood that is controlled. Stuff also has to come from the proper sources, they'd have been looking for illegally logged wood.

[charby]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/NorthwestLawn/yep_its_wood.jpg

I used that book at lot last semester in my Wood ID and Anatomy class. Very informative book.

[seeker_two]

I used that book at lot last semester in my Wood ID and Anatomy class. Very informative book.

Charby studying wood anatomy....that sounds wrong on so many levels..... 

[HankB]

Reading this makes me want to go out and get some Brazilian Rosewood and other exotic woods to make some pistol grips . . .

Assuming Gibson bought wood on the open market, exactly HOW do The Wood Police prove the wood was illicitly logged?

Is there actually a list of prohibited woods, or is this one of those things like "We published in in Annex D14, Paragraph 17, Subsection Q, of the Wood Preservation Amendment which was attached to Barney Frank's San Francisco Bathhouse Preservation Act. You didn't read it? Too bad, ignorance of the law is no excuse." ?

[AZRedhawk44]

Reading this makes me want to go out and get some Brazilian Rosewood and other exotic woods to make some pistol grips . . .

Assuming Gibson bought wood on the open market, exactly HOW do The Wood Police prove the wood was illicitly logged?

Didn't you know that rare endangered Brazilian Rosewood has been microstamped at the grain level for the last 5 years?

Is there actually a list of prohibited woods, or is this one of those things like "We published in in Annex D14, Paragraph 17, Subsection Q, of the Wood Preservation Amendment which was attached to Barney Frank's San Francisco Bathhouse Preservation Act. You didn't read it? Too bad, ignorance of the law is no excuse." ?

ROFL.   

[lee n. field]

2 planks of Brazilian rosewood say 10"x18"x1/4" each costs the builder $2500 because it is so rare these days.

!!!

One of my boys has my old guitar, that I bought in high school when I thought I might want to play.  Hope he takes good care of it.

[Gewehr98]

It gets pretty dicey when moving wood between countries or even states.

Right now, the Emerald Ash Borer problem is so bad in Wisconsin, that the state and federal government are posting billboards and buses with ads warning against moving firewood into the state from outside.  It reminds me a lot of the earlier Dutch Elm Disease and Oak Wilt battles, in that respect.

[280plus]

!!!

One of my boys has my old guitar, that I bought in high school when I thought I might want to play.  Hope he takes good care of it.

Your guitar was/is Brazilian rosewood? Well la deeeee da! 

yes, I'd suggest taking care of it, or taking it back if it's NOT being taken care of it.

You're sure it isn't Indian rosewood? That's what most of them are.

[Tuco]

I just attended a seminar on guitar building. I wonder what kind of wood we are talking about. No wait, not the wood WE are talking about but the wood police. The only thing I'm aware of that is controlled is Brazilian rosewood but I can't see Gibson using any of that. 2 planks of Brazilian rosewood say 10"x18"x1/4" each costs the builder $2500 because it is so rare these days. The builder said he doesn't believe it adds anything to the quality of the sound but is more so you can say, "MY guitar has Brazilian rosewood, neener neener."

Gibson AJs were made (at least a few [6-8?] years ago) with BR backs and sides as an option.  "Old growth pre-embargo" or some other such disclaimer. The custom shop could  put some to use.

It is my understanding that Brazilian rosewood back and sides has less tendency to feedback through microphones and PA system than Indian.  I know of no measurable benefit to using BR on a box with a pickup.
 
In my past life (before my hearing began to deteriorate)  I spent some time with guitars that cost more than my house and can say, in no uncertain terms that Brazilian rosewood has a depth and tone unmatched in most indian rosewood.  A tone definition and punch that, at one time, I could hear.  Sure, a nice tight indian back will out perform "highly figured" (stumpwood) Brazilian, but in general, Brazilian has a tone superiority that is (quantitatively) similar to the difference between Adirondack and a Sitka top.

It also smells better.

Until 1969 Brazilian rosewood was standard on on a Martin (21 trim and up) and other domestic guitars.  My '69 D-18 has BR fingerboard and peghead veneer.  It was no big deal.  Throughout the 90s, Brazilian was a luxury, but not uncommon, upgrade available from the custom shops in Nazareth, Santa Cruz, Austin, and Bozeman.

[280plus]

Cool, did not know that. You know, as long as this guitar builder has been bugging me to buy one of his now $6000 guitars I never have because I never thought he knew quite exactly what he was talking about. Unless he's considering the higher quality sound derived from the BR as not worthy of the price difference. I bought a blemished but very playable 1990 David S Daily for a very reasonable price because of the blemish. Somebody walked it into a music stand and ginked the soundboard and then had it repaired but it's still visble. I'm not familiar with the difference in smell between IR and BR but I know THIS one smells pretty good.  

I once carried Rodrigo's guitar "Bon Bon" in one hand and another antique in the other after a show for the performer. Both were in cases. You may be familiar with the Guitar Salon in NYC. We had a "guitar and wine tasting" and they brought in some pretty expensive guitars for us to hear. There is nothing like the sound of those old guitars. Rodrigo's was worth an estimated $100,000 and the other was estimated $75,000 so I'm walking along thinking, "Gee, I have $175,000 worth of guitars in my hands right now."  

 

[Tuco]

THIS one smells pretty good.  

That's why they named it ROSEwood. 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I once carried Rodrigo's guitar "Bon Bon" in one hand and another antique in the other after a show for the performer.

Rodrigo the Spanish composer?

[tokugawa]

Well, if you want more info, go here- http://www.eia-global.org/lacey/P6.EIA.LaceyReport.pdf 
 and this is written by the people in favor of the ban!
 
  Interesting to note that a person NOT knowing about this law , and buying a product from a LEGAL supplier who in turn bought it from a illegal third party, can only be fined $200K and serve a year in prison.  That is one long trail of "responsibility".