Feds Raid Gibson Guitars

[Jazzdogg]

These issues concern all luthiers and owners of stringed instruments.

Guitar Frets: Environmental Enforcement Leaves Musicians in Fear | Postmodern Times - WSJ.com

There was recently a far more detailed report of the issues concerning the acquisition, ownership, and use of controlled materials in "American Lutherie," the quarterly journal of the Guild of American Luthiers.

[Floyd Eye]

There are already 4 threads on this topic.

[FBB Custom]

This is a new and recent raid, I believe.

Anyone traveling or shipping guitars across international borders should know about it.

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

These issues concern all luthiers and owners of stringed instruments.

Guitar Frets: Environmental Enforcement Leaves Musicians in Fear | Postmodern Times - WSJ.com

There was recently a far more detailed report of the issues concerning the acquisition, ownership, and use of controlled materials in "American Lutherie," the quarterly journal of the Guild of American Luthiers.

"Still, musicians cling to the old materials. Last year, Dick Boak, director of artist relations for C.F. Martin & Co., complained to Mother Nature News about the difficulty of getting elite guitarists to switch to instruments made from sustainable materials. "Surprisingly, musicians, who represent some of the most savvy, ecologically minded people around, are resistant to anything about changing the tone of their guitars," he said. "

What?? How could surrendering an old guitar possibly help anything? You cannot unchop the tree that was cut to make it. What is surprising to me is that an officer of a guitar company is apparently ignorant of how important tone is to musicians.

[emblymouse]

Ivory. Tortoise shell. Rhino horn. etc etc.

These are illegal to trade and own because it fosters the market for more. Are trees less worthy than animals? Discuss......

[Down & Outman]

It's really hard to see this sort of thing going on without getting political. I could say a lot, but I won't out of respect for the community.

I will say this. If they are so gung ho about creating jobs, why are they trying to kill jobs?

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by ggunn

"Still, musicians cling to the old materials. Last year, Dick Boak, director of artist relations for C.F. Martin & Co., complained to Mother Nature News about the difficulty of getting elite guitarists to switch to instruments made from sustainable materials. "Surprisingly, musicians, who represent some of the most savvy, ecologically minded people around, are resistant to anything about changing the tone of their guitars," he said. "

What?? How could surrendering an old guitar possibly help anything? You cannot unchop the tree that was cut to make it. What is surprising to me is that an officer of a guitar company is apparently ignorant of how important tone is to musicians.

As I read the Boak quote, the inference I drew was was that many "elite musicians" insisted on using "traditional" materials in the construction of new instruments, despite global regulation preventing their use; I never heard him suggest old instruments built with "grandfathered" materials should be surrendered.

[Johnny Crab]

Update.

Dana with Gibson CEO - Henry Juszkiewicz - YouTube

Gibson is the only guitar company targeted by DOJ under the Lacey Act. Tennessee is a right-to-work state. Fender, Taylor, Rickenbacker, Danelectro, Carvin, MusicMan, ESP, Spector, Martin, Guild, Ovation, Hamer, Alvarez, B.C. Rich, Heritage, and Washburn are all in forced-union states.

[Jazzdogg]

Political mess.

The actions being taken are unilateral; how do I violate an agreement to which I am not a party?

What happended to the presumption of innocence?

Impose a new law and enforce it retroactively?

We're not getting the whole story.

[anonymous122511]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

We're not getting the whole story.

When do we ever get the whole story?

[domdec314]

Apparently, Gibson doesn't know the whole story either. This whole thing just stinks.

[Joe Louvar]

Check this out ~

» Gibson Guitar Corp. Responds to Armed Federal Raid Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!

[jaywa]

My personal opinion? This hubbub isn't about wood.

Labor practices, maybe. Taxes, maybe. The wood thing is just a cover.

I'm no huge fan of the Gibson Co. or their products, but this whole thing has a real bad smell to it.

[billhilly66]

Check out who Gibson and Martin make their respective political contributions to.

[Joe Louvar]

Originally Posted by billhilly66

Check out who Gibson and Martin make their respective political contributions to.

Who, and how/where do I find such info? Thanks.

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by jaywa

My personal opinion? This hubbub isn't about wood.

Yeah, it is.

Based on the evidence the government claims, it's pretty obvious Gibson was attempting to end-around the export/import laws.

Here is the search warrant affidavit -

http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/wtvf/...nAffidavit.pdf

[whitedk57]

Originally Posted by aborgman

Yeah, it is.

Based on the evidence the government claims, it's pretty obvious Gibson was attempting to end-around the export/import laws.

Here is the search warrant affidavit -

http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/wtvf/...nAffidavit.pdf

I like how the shipment was detained for "suspected violations of the Lacey Act". The affidavit says that the shipment was labeled incorrectly, but who tipped them off?

I smell rats! Big ugly political rivalry rats!

[boynamedsuse]

Originally Posted by whitedk57

CEO of Gibson Guitars' Main Competitor is a Huge Democrat Donor; Also Uses Same Wood Without Any Complaints From Feds

Thanks for the link.

[bassmeknik]

While I long for a forum to express my displeasure about this issue, I feel it is highly politically motivated and (unfortunately) not for consumption on TB.

[whitedk57]

Originally Posted by mindwell

FYI the author of the link, the name of the party is "Democratic." "Democrat Party" is a derogatory neologism that has been mainstreamed over the last 30 years.

Yep! We hit the political hot button now. Thread closing in...