gibson and brazilian rosewood

[jannusguy]

i thought i read somewhere that gibson declined to make any more guitars using brazilian rosewood. what do you figure the story here would be?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Gibson-Custom-Acoustic-Luthiers-Special-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ360104562297QQihZ023QQcategoryZ33025QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[ksdaddy]

Woooo.... tough one. Short of picking up the phone and calling Gibson I would propose a few possible scenarios, all wild guesses and no more.

 

I was always under the impression that Brazil would no longer export logs but they would export lumber; the difference being the "value added" aspect of cutting logs into rough lumber but precluding luthiers from determining the cut. That may be an earlier version of the ban(s) but given this is a 2003 it might be possible.

 

Another would be that it was constructed of wood that was already in the US prior to the restrictions.

 

Another would be it is from Brazilian stumps (told you it was wild guesses).

 

Another would be that it's not true Brazilian Rosewood..... I can't tell 'live' from 'memorex' most of the time.

[Jerry K]

Ren told us in June that Henry told him his services would no longer be required at Gibson if any Brazilian rosewood was found in the building in Montana. It's possible they got a special dispensation for a warranty repair, but I kind of wonder...

[jannusguy]

"Another would be that it's not true Brazilian Rosewood..... I can't tell 'live' from 'memorex' most of the time."

 

that would be my situation as well. real or not, they've got it priced like it's real.

[onewilyfool]

I went to the Healdsberg Guitar Festival last year....hundreds of Luthiers present.....for a wood that you can't export, there were more Brazillian guitars there than just about any other tone wood. When I asked about it, I was told:

 

1. This wood was coming from the 40 year old stumps from the previous deforestation that caused the shortages and ban on export.

2. This wood is NOT AAA quality. In fact, there are a lot of wavy grain pattern in the wood because it is stump wood near the roots, AND that this wood is more likely to crack than the old growth straight grain Rose wood that was used prior to 1968 (check out old Martin guitars....perfectly straight grain) So guys with wavy grain and lifetime warranties, beware.

3. Good quality Brazillian Rosewood for a guitar back and sides runs about $1100 for the raw material....

4. Rosewood is a hard and brittle material (great for tone) but harder to bend the sides, so sometimes your destroy the side woods in the bending...adding to costs.

[ajsc]

I'm not to crazy about their return policy. What if you just don't like the guitar?

[J-200 Koa]

I suspect the guitar is actually Madagascar Rosewood.

[rar]

Ren told us in June that Henry told him his services would no longer be required at Gibson if any Brazilian rosewood was found in the building in Montana. It's possible they got a special dispensation for a warranty repair' date=' but I kind of wonder...[/quote']

 

That's the way I heard it too. And Bill Gonder told me that there are no special dispensations for warranty repairs -- no Braz in the plant for any reason, period.

 

-- Bob R

[suburude63]

The back of this AJ is Brazilian Rosewood! I have seen many a Martin and many classicals with it! This is the real deal. Id bet next months salary on it! Gibson has sold Luthier Specials with Braz rosewood before. I have seen 3 advertised in the last 2 years. suburude

[Jerry K]

The picture looks like brazilian and of course there were some brazilian guitars made in montana while back, but I think there is something fraudulent about that ad. Most likely it's madagascar.

[suburude63]

Easy! Just e mail Gibson with the serial number! They will get back to you in a day with the information!

Its a no brainer!

But it is "Not" a Madi back!

[Jerry K]

I think it is dahlbergia baroni, which is the more highly figured species of madagascar rosewood.

[ksdaddy]

I thought Dahlbergia Baroni was an Italian porn actress in the 60s.

[suburude63]

KSDaddy she is! Shes a highly figured porn star :-)

 

 

 

 

"I thought Dahlbergia Baroni was an Italian porn actress in the 60s."

[onewilyfool]

As long as guitar porn doesn't go against your grain....or give you a woody

[jefleppard]

maybe that "no braz" rule is just a company line meant to keep the treehuggers pacified because ecological duty is so prevalent today. i cant see firing a guy because of his ...er..wood.

also, is harvesting dead, storm or fire damaged trees still ok?

[ksdaddy]

Mmmmm.... I think when Henry says something he means it. I wouldn't cross him if he signed my paycheck.

[J-200 Koa]

The back of this AJ is Brazilian Rosewood! I have seen many a Martin and many classicals with it! This is the real deal. Id bet next months salary on it! Gibson has sold Luthier Specials with Braz rosewood before. I have seen 3 advertised in the last 2 years. suburude

 

Suburude63, I think you may lose that month's salary. I've seen several Madagascars

with figuring similar to that. I talked to a Gibson rep a few months ago who assured

me no Brazilian was coming out of Bozeman.

[jefleppard]

I thought Dahlbergia Baroni was an Italian porn actress in the 60s.

 

is she still "working"? just curious...

[ksdaddy]

Sure is! But I think you should know.....

 

 

1968:

 

2008:

[jefleppard]

"Sure is! But I think you should know....."

 

i'd still do her.

[jefleppard]

its allowable if done according to international trade law.

here's a media grab from a recent meeting between bozeman reps and some un-named "brokers".

[J-200 Koa]

The back of this AJ is Brazilian Rosewood! I have seen many a Martin and many classicals with it! This is the real deal. Id bet next months salary on it! Gibson has sold Luthier Specials with Braz rosewood before. I have seen 3 advertised in the last 2 years. suburude

 

I just spoke to the sellers: it is in fact Madagascar. You can send next month's to salary

at your convenience! / :D/

[J185cat]

I own a LC Brazilian/Adi AJ that was purchased from Music Machine in Washington state before they went out of business. The wood on this guitar does not look like mine. Mine has a much more chocolate like color to it. I do question that it might be Madagascar instead, that wood can have a variety of hues and patterns. Like someone else said, only way to know for sure is to contact Gibson.

[suburude63]

I Own an adi topped Madagascar back and side AJ ! It looks "nothing" like this!

Gibson "DID" make braz back and sided guitars in Bozeman. Call them! not the owners.

I will contact them Mon I live very close by. They will give accurate information not speculation.

suburude