Guitar Frets: Environmental Enforcement Leaves Musicians in Fear

[Guy]

Originally Posted by dadof18x'er

as usual if you scratch the surface of every story you find something like this underneath...........

http://tpnnews.com/2011/08/28/is-the...usic-business/

That may be interesting but there are other facts that build a more interesting and sinister circumstantial case for politics being involved.

The CEO of Gibson is Henry Jusziewicz. Among other things, he gave $2,000 to Congressman Marsha Blackburn, (R-TN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) He as also donated to a Consumer Electronics Pac that favors Republicans over Democrats.

Chris Martin, of Martin Guitars, on the other hand is a long time Democrat. Over the last four years, he has given over $35,000 to Democratic Candidates and the DNC.

Stay safe.

[DJ Urbanovsky]

New Gibbys don't blow my skirt up. For what they charge for their high end LPs, I'd rather have something custom built.

As far as amp modeling goes, I've tried just about everything out there and I have yet to find anything that accurately duplicates the tone of a Mesa Recto.

Tone isn't just about woods or instrument construction. It's the sum of everything in your signal path. Crummy electronics or cabling will rob you of tone as fast as the sound guy turning the "suck" knob up on the board.

As far as this wood situation goes... More nanny state nonsense... I am unsurprised. I know we have to look after the environment and manage a finite pool of natural resources, but just how much friggin' wood do these people think does Gibson uses? It's retarded. You know, it's almost like our government WANTS American manufacturing to fail...

[Red Flag 1]

Originally Posted by BOfH

+1 here, I have an Ibanez SA series with a Brazilian Rosewood fretboard...

If they are using Brazilian Rosewood for fret boards, they are wasting the supply of a valuable tone wood. I'll bet it is African/Indian or Honduran Rosewood that is being used.

Nice guitars. Although, with a synthetic material, a $2k pricetag will make it difficult to make in-roads into the American music scene.

There are instruments out there that use synthetics in part , or totally. Ovation has been using synthetic back and sides for decades, Glenn Campbell used Ovations for decades. Rain Song guitars are all synthetic carbon fiber. Both instruments are well made, cost some bucks, and have a great sound. With the Rain Song, it has been said that if you are doing a serenade on the water in a canoe, you can us the instrument as a paddle if needed ; with no ill effects on the guitar.......so they advertise.

Another response to the shortage of Brazilian Rosewood, and other expensive hard tone woods, has been the use of onboard electronics. Thanks to miniaturization, and computer technology, you can strum on your lower end guitar, and have a Martinesque sound come out of your acoustic amp.

What I do wonder about is what happens to my/your/our supply Brazilian Rosewood purchased in the early 60's, at market price. Does that really put me in danger of arrest and prosecution? That I own and older MGB, not up to today's " safety" standards, am I subject to arrest for that as well?

RF 1

[gagners]

Originally Posted by Red Flag 1

There are instruments out there that use synthetics in part , or totally. Ovation has been using synthetic back and sides for decades, Glenn Campbell used Ovations for decades. Rain Song guitars are all synthetic carbon fiber. Both instruments are well made, cost some bucks, and have a great sound. With the Rain Song, it has been said that if you are doing a serenade on the water in a canoe, you can us the instrument as a paddle if needed ; with no ill effects on the guitar.......so they advertise.

I was referring more to the electric scene, where the two schools are LP and Strats. IMO, that's why the synthetic materials aren't bigger in the guitar world today (think of the resin necks, etc).

But I agree, Ovations are beautiful sounding instruments, plugged or unplugged.

[Barbarian]

I have yet to find anything that accurately duplicates the tone of a Mesa Recto.

Amen to that! Such a thing will likely never exist.

[BOfH]

Originally Posted by Red Flag 1

If they are using Brazilian Rosewood for fret boards, they are wasting the supply of a valuable tone wood. I'll bet it is African/Indian or Honduran Rosewood that is being used.

Maybe, I'll have to double check, I am pretty sure it is Brazilian though. Having played many acoustic and electric guitars, I will give you wood to tone is more vital on acoustic instruments, but not that much more, than electric. IMHO, from experience, replacing the pickups on a poorly made electric guitar(either workmanship, wood used v.s. synthetic etc) in an effort to improve the tone doesn't give you much, v.s. the same on a well/better made instrument.

The modern SA line is partly synthetic, however the first of that line(which I have) where mahogany bodies with rosewood fret board's and (I believe) an oak neck.

My .02 YMMV

[Dusty]

I'm so old and deaf, I couldn't tell a D-28 made from Brazwood from a Tele made from pine if the volumes were below 11.

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by Dusty

I'm so old and deaf, I couldn't tell a D-28 made from Brazwood from a Tele made from pine if the volumes were below 11.

Dusty,are you sure you play a guitar or a Harp?...............

Big Teddy

[Red Flag 1]

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Dusty,are you sure you play a guitar or a Harp?...............

Big Teddy

:

RF 1

[CSB]

What is incredible to me is that while the original Lacey Act dates back over a hundred years, it was only recently changed so the it is now a violation of United States federal law to import any plant or animal in violation of the laws of any foreign country.


In other words, the U.S. Government now allows foreign countries to make laws for us, which the United States Government will enforce.

So, will the Government of the United States at least have the decency to let American citizens know what foreign laws exist and will be enforced by the federal agents?

Of course not:

8. Is there a database of foreign laws that will be enforced as a result of the Lacey Act Amendment?

The Lacey Act now makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any plant, with some limited exceptions, taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of the laws of the United States, a State, an Indian tribe, or any foreign law that protects plants or that regulates certain plant related offenses. It is the responsibility of the importer to be aware of any foreign laws that may pertain to their merchandise prior to its importation into the United States. Currently, the U.S. Government has no plans to create such a database.
(emphasis added)

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_heal...nloads/faq.pdf


Note the heavy handed actions of the federals against the Gibson Guitar company. Instead of showing up like decent human beings, asking questions, asking to see paperwork, etc. these assholes barged in with guns, seized the wood and guitars, shut down production, and threatened the company with "tampering with evidence" if they ship a guitar.

I had the misfortune of dealing with the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee (a fat Democrat political hack named Jerry E. Martin) and one of this drones (Debra Teufel Phillips) . I understand the frustration of a hardworking, taxpaying, payroll paying American from Nashville who discovers that his own government has barged in with guns and badges, seized his property and locked it up. They then make him file a claim for the return of his own property, and make him post a cash cost bond in advance. He must then fight to recover his own property from an opponent who can rack up unlimited hours of legal work, generate page after page of pleading, motions, and demand endless hearings. And even if the claimant wins, his opponent can, at absolutely no cost or penalty, file appeal after appeal, again at no cost. In fact, since the men with guns have seized his property, HE is the claimant and HE has the burden of proof. All the U.S. Attorney has to do is ... nothing ... and shut down his production for months or years. And if he wins?

"OK, here's your wood back. No hard feelings, eh?"

And in the case of the BATFE, they can even "settle the case" with an agreement to return the property, only to have the BAFTE make you wait months -- in the face of a signed order from a federal judge -- before returning the property. And then wait even more months for your cash court costs to be refunded.

It just isn't right.

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by CSB

What is incredible to me is that while the original Act dates back over a hundred years, it was only recently changed so the it is now a violation of United States federal law to import any plant or animal in violation of the laws of any foreign country.


In other words, the U.S. Government now allows foreign countries to make laws for us, which the United States Government will enforce.

So, will the Government of the United States at least have the decency to let American citizens know what foreign laws exist and will be enforced by the federal agents?

Of course not:




http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_heal...nloads/faq.pdf


Note the heavy handed actions of the federals against the Gibson Guitar company. Instead of showing up like decent human beings, asking questions, asking to see paperwork, etc. these assholes barged in with guns, seized the wood and guitars, shut down production, and threatened the company with "tampering with evidence" if they ship a guitar.

I had the misfortune of dealing with the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee (a fat Democrat political hack named Jerry E. Martin) and one of this drones (Debra Teufel Phillips) . I understand the frustration of a hardworking, taxpaying, payroll paying American from Nashville who discovers that his own government has barged in with guns and badges, seized his property and locked it up. They then make him file a claim for the return of his own property, and make him post a cash cost bond in advance. He must then fight to recover his own property from an opponent who can rack up unlimited hours of legal work, generate page after page of pleading, motions, and demand endless hearings. And even if the claimant wins, his opponent can, at absolutely no cost or penalty, file appeal after appeal, again at no cost. In fact, since the men with guns have seized his property, HE is the claimant and HE has the burden of proof. All the U.S. Attorney has to do is ... nothing ... and shut down his production for months or years. And if he wins?

"OK, here's your wood back. No hard feelings, eh?"

And in the case of the BATFE, they can even "settle the case" with an agreement to return the property, only to have the BAFTE make you wait months -- in the face of a signed order from a federal judge -- before returning the property. And then wait even more months for your cash court costs to be refunded.

It just isn't right.

Geez,CSB you can really paint a rosy picture of "We're here from the government and we're here to help you"........

Big Teddy

[BOfH]

QP CSB,
Sounds a lot like a recent incident with a meat packing plant in Postville, Iowa...

[BOfH]

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Dusty,are you sure you play a guitar or a Harp?...............

Big Teddy

Violin

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Dusty,are you sure you play a guitar or a Harp?...............

Big Teddy

lol Don't rush me, Bro.

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by CSB

"OK, here's your wood back. No hard feelings, eh?"

And in the case of the BATFE,...

The '62 Strat and the AK are both within arm's reach.