Gibson Guitar Factory Raided by Goon-squad

[Structo]

The thing is, all they have to do to get around the law is have some dude in Madagascar run a tool down each piece of wood then it would be legal because a native had worked on it.

[Reeltarded]

Brazilian rosewood isn't on the CITES list because it's endangered. They are cooking hotdogs over it right now. It's all about mills.

It's this way with many natural materials. We don't import it, but they will gladly cut all you want, as long as they are cutting it. See Chinese veneered Blue Ridge, and the like. You never get any finely cut wood. It's sawn for the least waste, so 90+% flat sawn.

Rules aren't always used for the reasons intended. It's like using scissors as a weapon.

Crime always finds an angle to expolit.

[azatplayer]

Wow, thought there would have been more support for Gibson here.

[amplifiednation]

Wow, thought there would have been more support for Gibson here.

Here's some gibson love.

Sorry I'm cleaning out my photobucket and had to post this pic somewhere!! There is no illegal wood on this guy.

carry on...

[IMG:768:1024]http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz97 ... CF3263.jpg[/img]

[rp]

FYI:

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/2011/sep/14/

The Wood War Rages On
The recent government raid of the Gibson Guitar Corporation has some environmentalists cheering - and guitarmakers reeling. Today: we take a closer look at the politics and practicalities of the woods used in our instruments. Plus: Steve Earle's got something new to put on his resume: novelist. The country singer-songwriter who dabbles in acting and now writing joins us to perform live.

Wood 101
Inspired by the recent government raid of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, we take a closer look at the woods used in the instrument-making trade and the various issues surrounding them. We'll be joined by Quinnipiac University law professor and guitarist W. John Thomas, as well as New York luthier Roger Sadowsky, who has been making guitars for more than 30 years.

[martin manning]

Nice link rp, thanks for posting!

[NickC]

Nice link rp, thanks for posting!

+1

Thanks!

[NickC]

The soundcheck interview seems to cast doubt about federal agents having automatic weapons. Yet there are a great many news-sources (many seemingly credible, and not "conspiracy" sites) that report there were automatic weapons present during the raid. Which is true?

[Zippy]

Why would anyone care whether weapons are full auto, select fire, or single shot? If you catch a bullet, it just doesn't matter. If someone's pointing a rifle at you, does it matter whether it's bolt action or automatic?

The whole point of carrying weapons into a "situation" is to overwhelm people such that no one considers doing anything stupid - like swinging a stick made of Brazilian rosewood without proper documentation of its origins.

[NickC]

Why would anyone care whether weapons are full auto, select fire, or single shot? If you catch a bullet, it just doesn't matter. If someone's pointing a rifle at you, does it matter whether it's bolt action or automatic?

The whole point of carrying weapons into a "situation" is to overwhelm people such that no one considers doing anything stupid - like swinging a stick made of Brazilian rosewood without proper documentation of its origins.

Your points are well taken.

Certainly fully automatic weapons can deter resistance ("stupidity"), as well as completely obliterate proper documentation in seconds.

[Zippy]

Certainly fully automatic weapons can deter resistance ("stupidity"), as well as completely obliterate proper documentation in seconds.

Yep. I know of an "issue" several years ago when similar storm trooper tactics were employed in a building full of engineers. Seems they could have just announced over the loudspeakers "Put down your pencils, step away from the computer."

Sheesh...

[NickC]

Certainly fully automatic weapons can deter resistance ("stupidity"), as well as completely obliterate proper documentation in seconds.

Yep. I know of an "issue" several years ago when similar storm trooper tactics were employed in a building full of engineers. Seems they could have just announced over the loudspeakers "Put down your pencils, step away from the computer."

Sheesh...

Indeed!

Reminds me of this:

You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.

Maybe I'm naively pining for the good-old-days when Andy Taylor (played by Andy Griffith) never had to draw his side-arm on the good folks of Mayberry?

[Ian444]

I listened to the soundcheck radio article. I think the underlying bad vibe here is the total stupidity of the human race. This underlying stupidity demonstrates a total lack of seeing the "big picture" and is obvious in my country Australia also. Putting the onus on the owner of a guitar to prove it was made pre-1992 is beyond stupid however. Like any guitar pre-1992 actually came with a certificate? ho ho ho...

I think this has all come about because our society is more efficient, and we now need more "jobs" as in artificial jobs to keep people busy, jobs that aren't really needed. Absolutely crazy stuff. I see it at my work every day.

[cbass]

There are several Noth american woods that makefine fretboards but i guess thats not as cool as having some exotic endangered species.

also the several varities exotic hardwood flooring(brazilian cherry,oak,walnut,mahogany etc) they are selling that could make excellent fingerboards.I got some highly figured boards i've picked out from installs.Have yet to use them though.Definately hard enough.

[NickC]

There are several Noth american woods that makefine fretboards but i guess thats not as cool as having some exotic endangered species.

also the several varities exotic hardwood flooring(brazilian cherry,oak,walnut,mahogany etc) they are selling that could make excellent fingerboards.I got some highly figured boards i've picked out from installs.Have yet to use them though.Definately hard enough.

I'd much rather have instruments made of non-endangered, farmed woods. However, I have instruments made of materials that fall under these statutes (ebony in particular) and not one of them came with any documentation/papers to authenticate them as "legal". The gubment is taking the position of "guilty unless proven innocent" in this matter; making me jump through hoops-of-fire to get "papers" before crossing a border. It was already a hassle to tour places like Canada with paperwork, inventories, deposits, and customs before. I guess, in retrospect, I'm very lucky I didn't have instruments impounded when touring in Canada back in the 90's. There was never a word about any of these regulations then. This step-up in enforcement makes it that much more difficult to take the music to folks in other parts of the world.