"wood-Mafia" (Full Version)

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edguerin -> "wood-Mafia" (Mar. 29 2010 2:11:29)

I just finished reading an article in GEO, the German equivalent of National Geographic Magazine about the “wood-Mafia”.
Apparently about 20% of all wood sold in Europe and about 10% of that sold in the US comes from illegal sources.
It’s nigh impossible to track sources within Europe, since wood is declared as European as soon as it’s been worked on in any way. So Russian wood imported to Finnland becomes Finnish etc. …
According to this article 50% of wood from Brasil, 70% from West Africa and up to 90% from some Asian countries is felled illegally.
The USA passed the “Lacey Act”, which (at least in theory) allows prosecution of firms involved in illegal import : One of the few cases, in which America is ahead of other countries in ecological legislation.
(See "Raid on Gibson")



Anders Eliasson -> RE: "wood-Mafia" (Mar. 29 2010 9:40:34)

What you write is absolutely no surprise to me.

But illegal Braz rosewood imported to Europe will still be illegal Braz rosewood



edguerin -> RE: "wood-Mafia" (Mar. 29 2010 9:50:18)

quote:

illegal Braz rosewood imported to Europe will still be illegal Braz rosewood

According to this article, if Braz rosewood were to be sawn in Germany and re-exported to say Spain, it would "miraculously" become German rosewood guitar soundboards.



jshelton5040 -> RE: "wood-Mafia" (Mar. 29 2010 9:52:21)

I have mixed feelings about this whole topic of wood embargos. Anyone who has spent some time in virtually any of the South American countries knows the level of corruption than exists from the government thugs on down. Someone is going to cut the wood and someone else is going to buy it. This will continue until it's all gone.

The question is should luthiers be allowed to use it for guitars or is it better that it end up as expensive furniture and panelling in Japan and China? I suspect I already know the answer to that question.



Guest -> [Deleted] (Mar. 29 2010 13:53:46)

[Deleted by Admins]



Ricardo -> RE: "wood-Mafia" (Mar. 30 2010 5:29:18)

Friends from Bolivia said what is done is poachers will cut wood they want from illegal areas, but can't transport it across boarders without getting caught, so they send the logs down river. The wood itself crosses boarders and gets picked up in safe locations. I wonder how useful for guitar making that wood is after it is dried out?



jshelton5040 -> RE: "wood-Mafia" (Mar. 30 2010 11:38:30)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

Friends from Bolivia said what is done is poachers will cut wood they want from illegal areas, but can't transport it across boarders without getting caught, so they send the logs down river. The wood itself crosses boarders and gets picked up in safe locations. I wonder how useful for guitar making that wood is after it is dried out?

Better in the water than out in the sun. If the ends are sealed as soon as it's sawn it would be fine.



M.S.A. -> [Deleted] (Apr. 26 2010 6:42:53)

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Feb. 28 2011 23:08:00



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