The Government and the Guitar Man

[sheraton]

On Aug. 24, federal agents descended on three factories and the Nashville corporate headquarters of the Gibson Guitar Corp. Accompanied by armored SWAT teams with automatic weapons, agents from the Fish and Wildlife Service swarmed the factories, threatening bewildered luthiers, or guitar craftsman, and other frightened employees. A smaller horde invaded the office of CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, pawing through it all day while an armed man stood in the door to block his way.

 

"I was pretty upset," Mr. Juszkiewicz says now, sitting outside that same office. "But you can only do so much when there's a gun in your face and it's the federal government." When the chaos subsided, the feds (with a warrant issued under a conservation law called the Lacey Act) had stripped Gibson of almost all of its imported Indian rosewood and some other materials crucial to guitar making.

 

MORE @: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203554104576655273915372748.html?mod=WSJ_hps_editorsPicks_3

[damian]

I had no idea this happened........wow.... :unsure: .....

[Sinner 13]

I had no idea this happened........wow.... :unsure: .....

 

You are such a sarcastic P****

 

But that's why I love your posts....

[FirstMeasure]

 

I'm still working on my contest submission.

[Sinner 13]

 

I'm still working on my contest submission.

 

You got to get up early in the morning to keep up with him.

[damian]

[BigKahune]

.

 

More of the same reporting ad infinitum. How about some due process. Charge them and get on with it, or return Gibson's property. . <_<

 

 

.

[Sinner 13]

.

 

More of the same reporting ad infinitum. How about some due process. Charge them and get on with it, or return Gibson's property. . <_<

 

 

.

AGREED....

[jaxson50]

I feel so safe now, thanks big gov. run amok.

[charlie brown]

.

 

More of the same reporting ad infinitum. How about some due process. Charge them and get on with it, or return Gibson's property. . <_<

 

 

.

 

Yeah...but, you know what they say..."No such thing, as 'bad publicity!'"

 

CB

[Bender 4 Life]

Yeah...but, you know what they say..."No such thing, as 'bad publicity!'"

 

CB

 

so THAT'S why H.J. is looking more and more like James Dean when he wears the denim jacket ........

 

if what I read is correct, that the Indian gov't had approved the shipment, then the Feds need to leave Gibson alone,

at this point, HJ is looking more Presidential than are the villains in our government.

 

HJ/JR 2012??

[charlie brown]

so THAT'S why H.J. is looking more and more like James Dean when he wears the denim jacket ........

 

if what I read is correct, that the Indian gov't had approved the shipment, then the Feds need to leave Gibson alone,

at this point, HJ is looking more Presidential than are the villains in our government.HJ/JR 2012??

 

Well, that wouldn't be saying much, or that hard to do, n'est-ce pas?

 

 

CB

[zigzag]

I smell conspiracy!

[TommyK]

When did they start making those "Fingerland" drums?

[charlie brown]

When did they start making those "Fingerland" drums?

 

After Gibson bought "Slingerland," and the Fed's got into it.

I guess the "Feds" want "F" instead of "Sl?" They like to "F"

up, everthing else, they do. So...???

 

CB

[JellyWheat]

:ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

:ph34r: :ph34r:

:ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

 

...WTF, Henry???

J/W

[Bender 4 Life]

Well, that wouldn't be saying much, or that hard to do, n'est-ce pas?

 

 

CB

[badbluesplayer]

I finally read the affidavit for the search warrant. It's pretty informative.

[pippy]

I finally read the affidavit for the search warrant. It's pretty informative.

There was a lot of stuff in there which will no doubt keep the various law firms involved smiling all the way to the bank for some time to come.

 

From my reading of the screed it seems that Gibson is being accused of trying to import wood 10mm thick which was listed as being 6mm thick on the relevant documentation.

 

If the law allows wood 6mm thick to be imported but not 10mm (I'm not familiar with all the rules and regulations but that seemed to be somewhat relevant) it would be interesting to find out what dimension the wood used by the other big players import. If it's all 6mm or less then all's well. If, however, they also import wood greater than 6mm then it does begin to look like Gibson has been targeted with some considerable deliberation.

 

P.

[rct]

Seems to me that a lot of it appears to be consistent vagueness as to whom is actually getting this wood that is deemed too thick. Lots of instances of not properly listing the final consignee, that stuff. Prolly not earth shattering insorfar as criminal enterprises go, but not good just the same.

 

The whole thing stinks. And the move to Roasted Maple??? Astonishingly Fast!!! One reason and only one to use roasted maple, and that is cost cost cost. And nobody seems to quite know how it will last. Interesting how quickly it is being co-opted for fingerboard use.

 

Said it before and I'll say it again directly to our hosts, I certainly hope this isn't the big excuse for the tanking to come. You guys will have it on yer heads if you wreck one third of The American Guitar Makers That Matter.

 

rct

[rct]

"The Les Paul Classic Plus '60s Neck Profile is available for a limited time in a series of four beautiful transparent nitro lacquer finishes over AA figured maple tops. With high-output ceramic pickups, neck and body binding, this is is a real bargain in a full-featured, loaded Les Paul and now features the enhanced articulation of a Baked Maple fingerboard."

 

Really? Seriously you guys? One or two places are actually making this "product", it has gone from unknown to now an enhancer of articulation, just like that? And it isn't really clear how it will effect a guitar once it starts to reclaim the moisture that has been baked out of it.

 

rct

[sheraton]

There was a lot of stuff in there which will no doubt keep the various law firms involved smiling all the way to the bank for some time to come.

 

From my reading of the screed it seems that Gibson is being accused of trying to import wood 10mm thick which was listed as being 6mm thick on the relevant documentation.

 

If the law allows wood 6mm thick to be imported but not 10mm (I'm not familiar with all the rules and regulations but that seemed to be somewhat relevant) it would be interesting to find out what dimension the wood used by the other big players import. If it's all 6mm or less then all's well. If, however, they also import wood greater than 6mm then it does begin to look like Gibson has been targeted with some considerable deliberation.

 

P.

 

 

I wonder if a 10 mm thick slab allows for a "radius" on the fingerboard rather than, for example, a classical gut string instrument has a perfectly flat fingerboard. Compound radius fingerboard may require more "meat" in the center. In addition who cuts the slots for the fret tangs?