Are rosewood guitars illegal?

In January of 2017, the CITES convention

CITES convention

CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals.

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CITES - Wikipedia

(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Geneva, Switzerland passed a ban on the use of rosewood and Bubinga as tonewoods, making it more difficult to ship or travel with musical instruments made with any amount of these endangered ...

Is rosewood banned for guitars?

Update: The CITES convention officially adopted the musical instruments exemption on Wednesday. An international endangered species convention meeting in Geneva is close to exempting musical instruments from trade restrictions on rosewood.

Is rosewood illegal to own?

No, it is not illegal to buy or ship rosewood across international borders. However, specific regulations and laws must be followed to purchase or ship rosewood. To successfully import rosewood into the U.S., you will need an export certificate from the exporting country's CITES management authority.

Is all rosewood illegal?

The most widely traded illegal wild product in the world today is rosewood, an endangered hardwood prized for its use in traditional Chinese furniture.

Why is rosewood restricted?

Excessive harvesting of this species since colonial times in Brazil's Atlantic Forest has led to its extreme endangerment. Brazilian rosewood is included in CITES Appendix I, indicating it is a species in greatest danger of extinction and therefore under the highest level of protection.

5 Things You Need To Know About The New Rosewood Cites Laws

Is rosewood still banned?

After a nearly two-year CITES ban on the movement of rosewood crossing international borders, unless accompanied by the relevant paperwork, it looks like the ban has finally been overturned.

What guitar wood is illegal?

An international crackdown on illegal logging in tropical forests has ensnared the makers of some guitars and other musical instruments, whose top-end products require small amounts of rosewood, a material prized for its rich, multicolored grain and resonant sound.

Can rosewood be sold?

Selling Brazilian Rosewood

As can be seen in the article, most guitars made with Dalbergia Nigra can be sold, as long as they are sold with the correct documentation, where required. There are certain dates to take into account. – All instruments built before 3rd March 1947 are considered antique and are not affected.

Is rosewood banned in UK?

Within the UK it is illegal to advertise, trade, buy or sell a guitar containing Brazilian Rosewood without the instrument having an Article 10 certificate. This applies to dealers, retailers and private sales, eBay, Reverb, Facebook – basically anyone having a commercial interest or gain, every base is covered.

How much is rosewood worth?

Rosewood fetches in excess of USD$17,000 per ton but Zambia is failing to benefit, here's why. Rosewood is popular in China for 'hongmu' – antique furniture. Rosewood is the generic name for several dark-red hardwood species found in tropical regions across the globe.

Can you export rosewood?

If you want to re-export rosewood products, you need an export certificate from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). And if you want to export rosewood imported before the regulation, you need another kind of certificate from USFWS.

Why do Chinese want rosewood?

Rosewood has long been used to make musical instruments and furniture but, partly because of its association with the revered Ming dynasty (1368-1644), it has become a status symbol for China's growing, increasingly affluent middle class.

Where does Gibson get its rosewood?

Gibson Guitar has settled with federal authorities for illegally importing ebony and rosewood from India and Madagascar. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Gibson Guitar Corp. has agreed to pay a fine for illegally importing exotic wood from Madagascar and India, the U.S. government said Monday.

When did guitar manufacturers stop using rosewood?

Brazilian rosewood was used freely in guitar manufacturing until the late 60s - on vintage Fender and Gibson fingerboards among many others and, of course, used as backs and sides on a great many of the most desirable, classic-era acoustic guitars, not least all the most valuable Martins.

Can I import rosewood into the UK?

Popular antique and vintage products such as furniture made from rosewood, reptile skin accessories and tortoiseshell boxes will all need documentation from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in order to be legally transported between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Great Britain and the EU from 1 January ...

Is all rosewood endangered?

Status as an endangered species

Rosewood is now protected worldwide.

Are rosewood fretboards banned?

In January of 2017, the CITES convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Geneva, Switzerland passed a ban on the use of rosewood and Bubinga as tonewoods, making it more difficult to ship or travel with musical instruments made with any amount of these endangered ...

Is Indian rosewood legal?

The good news is that if you own an item made of rosewood, you should be able to travel with it without issue. But the bad news is that if you are selling any type of rosewood (either as lumber, or as a finished product), you can no longer (legally) ship it out of your country.

Is rosewood still used for fretboards?

The American Elite series is transitioning to ebony fretboards with dealers and our inventories. Rosewood is still used on many series of instruments, as it is a historically accurate tone wood. The changeover will be somewhat fluid in the market, there is no set date at this time.

Why did fender stop using rosewood?

Fender Musical Instruments is officially moving away from using rosewood fingerboards in the manufacturing of its Mexican made instruments due to the recent CITES regulations (see our previous post on CITES here).

Does Gibson still use rosewood?

Following the introduction of its extremely-limited run of Brazilian rosewood fretboard Custom Shop recreations of the 1958 Flying V and Explorer guitars, Gibson has now released slightly more accessible versions of the instruments fitted with Indian rosewood fretboards.

Does Gibson use Indian rosewood?

* Indian Rosewood has an even grain and is a rich dark brown color. Looks-wise, it offers a bold contrast to the lighter colours usually – but not always - found on a guitar's body. North American rosewood is also used by Gibson — it's a trustworthy source and sustainable.

Why was Gibson guitars raided 2011?

Authorities raided Gibson's Tennessee factories in 2011, taking ebony and rosewood they suspected were illegally imported from India. They were acting to enforce the Lacey Act, passed more than a century ago to stop illegal trade in wildlife and amended in 2008 to ban illegally logged woods.

What is the most popular use of rosewood?

The origin of the rosewood also affects its strength, durability and hardness with Indian and African rosewood being the hardest. Uses: Rosewood is commonly used for furniture, musical instruments, decorative items and veneers.

What does rosewood smell like?

Rosewood essence is distinguished by a complex olfactory profile of great finesse. It blends citrus, grapefruit and petitgrain notes, an essence derived from the leaves of the bitter orange tree. It is also characterised by pinkish, spicy, peppery floral notes and finally by woody facets with inflections of cedar wood.