Gibson Guitar acknowledges exotic wood violation

[Droombolus]

And you know the good thing about 'em is:

[ramone57]

   great movie!  caught it when it previewed on HDNet before the US opening and bought the dvd as soon as it was available.

[Dave W]

I hoped for some serious commentary from Uwe. It seems he was already breaking out the aquavit before he even set foot in Norway.

Anyway, Henry is still full of it. From a Christian Science Monitor article: "This allows us to get back to the business of making guitars," he said, noting that the settlement would allow them to continue sourcing rosewood and ebony from India as it has for decades.

Yeah, right. Except you're not admitting that now you have to import veneer sheets and laminate them. And you've used Indian rosewood and ebony for decades? I don't think so! It wasn't that long ago that Brazilian rosewood and Gaboon ebony were still readily available and the Indian woods were considered inferior. I can understand that he wants to put the best face on the situation, but now that he's agreed to the settlement, I had hoped he would at least acknowledge that he and Luthiers Mercantile knew exactly what they were doing. Guess I was expecting too much.

BTW, my fiddle has a board and fittings of Asian ebony, and it sounds great, especially considering how little i paid for it. But it's a cheap Chinese fiddle. Not an American guitar at a premium price.

[the mojo hobo]

So now what happens to the $262,000 worth of wood seized by federal agents? Will they burn it like they do with illegal drugs? Deport it? Sell it?

[Dave W]

It's hard to imagine them selling it since it's considered smuggled goods. They'll probably destroy it.

[Pilgrim]

If the wood lasts more than 4 hours, it must be eliminated!

[uwe]

If the wood lasts more than 4 hours, it must be eliminated!

I'm sure there must be a couple of Indian widows out there for whom the wood can be put to good, albeit ritual use. 

Ah, yes, the Herr Administrator asked me for a serious contribution. What am I to say about this wood affair that doesn't sound gloating now? I believed from day one that Gibson was guilty as hell. Hey, I'm an attorney, I'm surrounded by people who have never done anything wrong in their lives, but always, miraculously, end up in deep shit and need my help. But after 25 years in the business I recognize a bad case of facts when I see it.

Call me gullible, but they don't just raid your plant and its wood stocks for nothing. And I said right from the start that submissive cooperation is the way to get crawl out of this with the least PR repercussions. But that was before I knew that Obama wasn't born in America and hates all Republican entrepreneurs (and those who pretend to be if it fits their purposes) which is why he has them all raided sooner or later based on false allegations. Fender, Taylor, EBMM, Ric and Martin were only spared because they are owned by rampant socialists or Democrats which is really the same thing. Or perhaps they only procured and used legal woods, but that just proves my point. Conspiration theories defy logic.

I'm happy that at least a couple of my colleagues made some decent money retrieving Henry out of the hole he had dug for himself. I sure hope the lawyers' bills were painful. Justice done.

[Highlander]

Rather than destroy wood that is considered contraband why not have Gibson make instruments out of the lot of it and have them all auctioned off for charitable purposes, preferably in the countries the wood originated in - non profit to Gibson - purely and strictly cost...

[uwe]

Speaking about charitable causes: Isn't Obama's campaign funding running a little dry momentarily?   

[Highlander]

Take your finger off the trigger, Uwe...

(are there any extradition agreements between Finland and the US...?)

[uwe]

Finland is to Norway what Scotland is to England, Ken! 

[Highlander]

Rebels trying to break away from the 51st...?

[uwe]

Norway is ahead of your northern ancestors by more than a century, Kenheart: They seceded from Sweden peacefully in 1905 and - visionary vondervul little Vikings, veren't they? - took all the future earnings from that North Sea oil before their coast line with them. A blueprint for the savages above Hadrian's Wall?  

[Highlander]

Whilst studying my heritage (MacLeod's go straight back to Norway) it became apparent that they quit the raping and pilaging (well... mostly) for commerce many moons back - maybe they were using the right kind of runes...

If my lot were any more laid back they'd fall over...

[OldManC]

The greatest insult my great-grandfather (who hailed from Fredrikstad) could lay at anyone's feet was to call him a dumb Swede. Then there's the Canuks, the U.S., and even various areas within the States. Looks like Northern neighbors all over the world have problems with their southern cousins.