The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Dave W on August 06, 2012, 10:36:55 AM
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Breaking news
Gibson Guitar acknowledges exotic wood violation (http://news.yahoo.com/gibson-guitar-acknowledges-exotic-wood-violation-154434875.html)
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Sounds like Gibson's law staff decided it was easier to settle than continue fighting. Probably a good choice.
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They should have admitted it along time ago and avoided all the political BS they stirred up.
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It is a settlement, that term is usually used for civil cases and part of this case is civil. Don't forget, though, this was a criminal investigation that could easily have resulted in serious criminal charges against several top Gibson execs as well as people at Luthiers Mercantile. It may have taken some might fancy lawyerin' to keep the feds from charging anyone.
When the US Attorney's Office releases a formal statement, we should be able to read more details. Expect that statement to be self-serving, that's just S.O.P. with the government. And Gibson won't be able to say much in response except to acknowledge it. They won't want to put themselves back on the hook.
Now take a look at this: Gibson will be using boards made of Indian rosewood veneers. (http://www2.gibson.com/Support/FAQ-Tonewoods.aspx) D'oh! Why didn't they do that before?
They should have admitted it along time ago and avoided all the political BS they stirred up.
^ ^ ^ This. A lot of people will feel let down for supporting them too. The Lacey Act still needs to be overhauled IMHO. It's just too bad that Henry didn't start an educational campaign about it instead of flinging poo the way he did and turning it into a partisan issue.
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There is sometimes an amusing elegance of explanation in news releases like the one above. It first announces that Gibson is using "layered Indian rosewood fingerboard blanks, as well as layered fingerboard and bridge components."
And then there is this Q&A, which seems an extreme attempt at self-justification.....
Q: How good is a guitar with a layered fingerboard?
A: Very. Consider that Gibson guitar necks have always been layered - a fingerboard onto a neck. The body of a Les Paul guitar, for example, has always been layered; maple on top of mahogany.
Dang! Actual LAYERING takes place when a fingerboard is attached to a neck. Who'd-a thunk it?
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No doubt, Obama forced them. Born in India as he is.
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No doubt, Obama forced them. Born in India as he is.
This also covers the Madagascar ebony episode. You need to do better job of provocation.
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So what, Madagascar or India, it's all Asia to me. He was born everywhere but the US.
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We need to change your official title to Agent provocateur.
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Must be a slow day for Uwe.
What's the German word for Troll???
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I'm on a ferry to Norway and as usual I have to watch closely what you guys are up to next.
And the bar piano is playing "Have I told you lately that I love you?" It sums up my feelings for you guys perfectly!
And Norway is, of course, the home of all trolls.
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I'm on a ferry to Norway and as usual I have to watch closely what you guys are up to next.
And the bar piano is playing "Have I told you lately that I love you?" It sums up my feelings for you guys perfectly!
And Norway is, of course, the home of all trolls.
My wife has Norwegian roots. Her mom's dad immigrated from there. Swim a fjord for us! Enjoy!
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My wife has Norwegian roots. Her mom's dad immigrated from there. Swim a fjord for us! Enjoy!
My first car was a Chevy, but I got a Fjord right after that.
(http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTk3OTA3NDA0NV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzUzMzQ2._V1._SY314_CR21,0,214,314_.jpg)
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Old Norwegian folksong by Tøtø & The Trolls:
"Ørgy pœrgy, fjørd and fun
Kiss the girls and make them øne ..."
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And Norway is, of course, the home of all trolls.
I know that! I watched Troll Hunter (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740707/) today. Everyone here should, too.
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And you know the good thing about 'em is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pRt5uCFYTw
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;D great movie! caught it when it previewed on HDNet before the US opening and bought the dvd as soon as it was available.
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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 (http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2012/0807/Gibson-Guitar-Corporation-admits-to-importing-endangered-wood): "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.
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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?
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It's hard to imagine them selling it since it's considered smuggled goods. They'll probably destroy it.
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If the wood lasts more than 4 hours, it must be eliminated!
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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. 8)
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.
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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...
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Speaking about charitable causes: Isn't Obama's campaign funding running a little dry momentarily? :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader:
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Take your finger off the trigger, Uwe... ;D
(are there any extradition agreements between Finland and the US...?)
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Finland is to Norway what Scotland is to England, Ken! :mrgreen:
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Rebels trying to break away from the 51st...? ;D
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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? 8)
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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...
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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.
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According to the Norwegians I met when I was over there, a long time ago admittedly, the ice age glaciers dumped all their rubbish into Denmark.
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Let's ask the question, "What have the Norwegians ever done for us...?" a la Python...
Struggling to think of what they've done for the music industry...
Mind you, the Swedes...
(http://api.ning.com/files/9LJig2FqNZFULSlANT4xtfb1Mx1jb-*pPs5IJ3mcha9zfFqeJUjoWn5W9DETH8PJ-UFQHfWe8ERYvLYlF0U-OCtF6ehp6tTZ/abba.jpg)
... not to mention those ever popular Swedish movies... :o
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The Norwegians gave us Edvard Grieg. 'nuff said.
Two Norwegians were walking along when they met a Swedish organ grinder with his monkey. One Norwegian popped a quarter in the monkey's cup. After they walked past, the other one says, "why did you do that? I thought you hated Swedes!" He replied "Ja, but they're so cute when they're little."
:rimshot:
(If you're a Swede, just reverse the joke)
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norway is ground zero for lots of bands like this. ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji8RGi4cmrI&feature=related
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norway is ground zero for lots of bands like this. ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji8RGi4cmrI&feature=related
Newbie here. Again.
This sort of music scares me. When I was a kid, rock meant Kiss, Rush, Mott The Hoople, The Sweet, Queen. I just find this stuff unlistenable.
P
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Annafrid or Frida, the non-blonde with Abba with the slightly lower voice, is actually Norwegian. She was born daughter to a German soldier and a Norwegian mother. Come the liberation of Norway in 45, her mother took her with her to neutral Sweden where German soldier offspring was less unpopular than in her native Norway where a lot of women in the same situation were forced to give up their children to Norwegian state children homes as they were perceived as "unfit to raise a child".
Decades later, she would actially get to know her father on a tour in Germany.
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Some of my favorite Norwegian music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFYXP19e5KM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joEAb_y7ZYA
Gorgorth is ok, though. ;)
...and regarding Denmark, all I have to say is Lars Ulrich.
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...and regarding Denmark, all I have to say is Lars Ulrich.
Don't forget Tommy Seebach. And his Ripper-playing bassist, although your attention will not be on the bass. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo4glASbEh4