Importing Rosewood

[Elliot]

Lets say I wanted to build a rosewood tele replica - Warmoth do the parts, but could I actually get the rosewood body and neck passed US and UK customs - or would they be seized?

[Attica!]

Lets say I wanted to build a rosewood tele replica - Warmoth do the parts, but could I actually get the rosewood body and neck passed US and UK customs - or would they be seized?

Why would they be siezed? Am I missing something? :S

[Oli]

From what I understand, you shouldn't have any problems with any rosewood if it has already been processed-- so a neck and a body should be ok. I think that brazilian may be a little sketchy, and certainly unprocessed brazilian is an issue.

[WezV]

i would speak to warmoth first - ask them where they get their rosewood and if they have had any issues with shipping rosewood out.

i have already had a few US sellers refuse to send me some of the more exotic woods, but these are smaller companies than warmoth and their reasons are mainly 'just in case'.  i would expect warmoth to have some actual experience with this already

[Attica!]

This is a question I asked on another thread. Just thought it made sense to post it on here.

I absolutely love it. I just kind of want a bit of re-assurance before I buy it as I'll be buying other things to make up the guitar.

Talking about other things, regarding the neck, I was thinking of maybe a naked Rosewood neck, but I saw on another thread about there being problems shipping rosewood. Can someone please explain to me the situation on this, as I didn't even know there was a problem until yesterday?


Cheers,
Mike

[Philly Q]

I would guess, for you as an individual buying a ready-made item with a bit of rosewood in it, it's going to be a non-issue.

Isn't the situation which has affected Gibson etc more to do with import/export of the raw materials and where they're sourced?

As far as I know, nobody's stopping anyone in the UK importing guitars with rosewood boards, I don't see why this would be any different.  :?

[Attica!]

I would guess, for you as an individual buying a ready-made item with a bit of rosewood in it, it's going to be a non-issue.

Isn't the situation which has affected Gibson etc more to do with import/export of the raw materials and where they're sourced?

As far as I know, nobody's stopping anyone in the UK importing guitars with rosewood boards, I don't see why this would be any different.  :?

Cheers for that. And it's a Rosewood neck I'm after, as to just the board. What's the situation on that?

[Philly Q]

I would guess, for you as an individual buying a ready-made item with a bit of rosewood in it, it's going to be a non-issue.

Isn't the situation which has affected Gibson etc more to do with import/export of the raw materials and where they're sourced?

As far as I know, nobody's stopping anyone in the UK importing guitars with rosewood boards, I don't see why this would be any different.  :?

Cheers for that. And it's a Rosewood neck I'm after, as to just the board. What's the situation on that?

I don't see why it should make any difference whether it's all rosewood or just part-rosewood.

As I say, I'm just guessing about this.  I assume Customs have bigger fish to fry.

Nothing I've bought from Warmoth has ever shown any signs of being opened and inspected.  And maybe I'm assuming too much, but I really can't see some dolt from HMRC getting too excited trying to distinguish rosewood from pau ferro or macassar ebony.

[Attica!]

Cheers for that. I guess I'll just order and hope for the best then :)

[WezV]

but I really can't see some dolt from HMRC getting too excited trying to distinguish rosewood from pau ferro or macassar ebony.

the potential problem (not a real confirmed problem just yet) is that the dolt from customs wont be able to distinguish them.  even people who work with these woods all day could not tell you an exact species 100% of the time, somebody with no expereince of them will only see brown or black wood.


When that Dolt gets told to be on the lookout for indian rosewood he is just going to stop anything with brown wood.  will he have to prove its actually indian rosewood sourced legally?  nope, it will be down to the shipper to prove it - customs generally do what the hell they like.

Phone warmoth - they are nice people, they will be able to tell you if they have had any issues and if they have or need any paperwork for this wood.  at the very least it will let them know that their overseas customers are concerned by the current issues surrounding the import and export of rosewood which may encourage them to take a stance on the issue.

[Philly Q]

Has anyone got any background on the legal situation and what's supposed to be happening?

Is there any suggestion that HMRC is actually clamping down on the import of guitars or guitar parts containing rosewood, or is this all arising from what happened to Gibson?

[WezV]

nah, of course not - just a prime time BBC documentary   ;) 

but i do know its already stopped a US seller wanting to sell me certain woods - he looked into it his end and was advised not to risk it.

Companies like stew-mac or LMII already have lists of wood that cannot be shipped abroad so its not that unthinkable  that they will make the decision to extend that to other woods - Warmoth will have looked into this

[Philly Q]

nah, of course not - just a prime time BBC documentary   ;)  

I was probably in the kitchen.  :P


So, is my Warmoth-collecting going to be cut off in its prime?

[Attica!]

I remember hearing about Gibson having some legal issues, but was is the actual case with Rosewood? And is it just Rosewood?

[WezV]

well - namm seem  to think you are ok for personal imports
http://www.namm.org/public-affairs/blog/namm-lacey-act-webinar-luthiers

but what i get from this is a lack of clarity, procedure - but accurate documentation should get you through most issues