Something fishy is going on, they haven't gone after any other companies from what I've read.
A lot of people are saying the United States government has over stepped their bounds by confiscating the wood without a trial or court date. But in the case of illegal wood that's contraband it's like counterfeit goods, law enforcement doesn't need to have a court order to take illegal substances.
Martin's CEO has some very enlightening and encouraging comments in The NPR piece.
I think in the end the choice between saving forests from deforestation and illegal logging is more important than guitars, as much as I love guitars, I don't even think that's something you have to contemplate.
I think they need to clarify this law though, especially concerning instruments that were made years ago or new instruments from old stocks of wood, which many luthiers have been stocking for decades.
Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:15 am
by Billy3000
dezb1 wrote:not at that price!
the msrp on the site is not the market price. It's also $100 cheaper than the regular standard, so I imagine it will be at least $75 to $100 cheaper at market price than a regular standard.
Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:22 am
by Nick
Sloan wrote:i wonder if rosewood gibsons will become more valuable?
marginally perhaps. I think there's too many of them out there already for it to matter a great deal
He's even warned clients to be wary of traveling abroad with old guitars, because the law says owners can be asked to account for every wooden part of their guitars when re-entering the U.S. The law also covers the trade in vintage instruments.
yikes. but if they were enforcing that particular aspect then i think we'd have heard by now.
Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 10:09 am
by NickS
I think we have. A previous thread on this quoted an article where someone had had a vintage piano he was importing confiscated (destroyed?) because he couldn't prove the ivory on the keys was pre-CITES.
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:11 am
by crumpler
jcyphe wrote:This is on a bunch of new Gibsons even Les Paul Customs.
I would mind trying it on something like the above.
The Headboys are pretty good, I don't really hear anything distinctive from the SG. It may be the effects. It looks good and the specs make for a well playing guitar. Gibson produces quality and always has. West Texas Red, have you played the SG or the new Les Paul? Has anyone in here? I was just wondering.
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:17 pm
by Sloan
treehousecollections wrote:The Headboys are pretty good, I don't really hear anything distinctive from the SG. It may be the effects. It looks good and the specs make for a well playing guitar. Gibson produces quality and always has. West Texas Red, have you played the SG or the new Les Paul? Has anyone in here? I was just wondering.
I'm also wanting some side by side comparisons of the baked maple vs rosewood. I have an ebony fretboard on my goth lp and it's always seemed bright to me.
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:49 pm
by westtexasred
I had a Les Paul HB Junior Faded with a baked maple board. It felt and sounded pretty much like a rosewood board(not maple or ebony).
Just didn't look as good.
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 9:29 pm
by honeyiscool
I think they should dye it to look like ebony. That would make it much better.
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 9:35 pm
by gaybear
i actually like the way it looks. it's weird, but i still like it.
i wish it had the feel of regular mapple sauce though
He's even warned clients to be wary of traveling abroad with old guitars, because the law says owners can be asked to account for every wooden part of their guitars when re-entering the U.S. The law also covers the trade in vintage instruments.
yikes. but if they were enforcing that particular aspect then i think we'd have heard by now.
I travel quite a bit, with and without guitars, and have never seen FWS Officers at a port of entry. Only Customs & Border Protection, and very seldom USDA. I think you'd be safe traveling with a vintage instrument from that aspect.
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 9:48 pm
by Thomas
honeyiscool wrote:I think they should dye it to look like ebony. That would make it much better.
Then it would look crappy when to starts to wear though.
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 9:49 pm
by honeyiscool
I don't know. Does fingerboard actually wear that much?
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 9:50 pm
by gaybear
my peavey fretboard was well worn for sure. that's one of the things i liked about it, because it was kind of a record of my own playing.