Official Luthiers Forum!

I have a build coming up in 2013 and the customer, who I believe is in Singapore, would like to use a Braz Rosewood set we have our eyes on.

What do I need to have in hand to keep both myself and the customer in good legal standing?

What would I need to ask whoever I purchase the Braz Rosewood from?

I've added more on a post below this one as some new details just came in.

Thanks

_________________
P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

In taking this a bit further.... the customer's sister lives in NYC and he plans to come to the U.S. to visit her around the time the guitar is done. We would be shipping it to NYC and not out of the country as I had originally thought.

HOWEVER......

I just read this article and it has me thinking I don't want to walk down this road:

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/feature ... itar-lover’s-guide-cites-conservation-treaty

The combination if CITES, ESA and Lacey Act seem like a roadblock that is almost insurmountable - even for the honest ones out there.

_________________
P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

To comply with CITES, you need proof that the wood was cut before the ban in 1992.

_________________
John

As John Said or the Cities Documentation that it was a legal Harvested piece. There is a piece out from ASIA with the Government agents from the 2 agencies involved. You need a document to travel with the guitar. I am not sure of the number but will find out later today and post on the thread.
The killer is that you need the CITIES documentation. If you don't have it you can get it. The process was in the ASIA CITIES/LACEY issue

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I would like to hear David Berkowitz's commentary on this. I was under the understanding that shipping a BRW instrument out of the country was illegal.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

David Berkowitz and Chuck Ericson were responsible to get the Feds involved for the CITIES/LACEY ASIA presentation last June. There is a copy of this available from ASIA . Members got a copy with the last mailing . Non Members may purchase this from ASIA ( 518-483-7685 ) It is work the cost as it goes into detail and will help you know what it legal.
It is not illegal to own BRW but you do need to have documentation to take it out of the country. You can get paperwork for pre cities but it is a process of paperwork. IF you buy you need to purchase from a company that has import licensee and you need to have an export license to sell our of the country , and If you are a builder the copy is well worth the investment .

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I stand to be corrected here, but seems to me I've read that even if you have a CITES certificate for the wood, once you cut/bend and make a guitar out of it, it's no longer certified based on the original certificate. Someone correct me, please!

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Some luthiers refuse to work with CITES wood because of legal stuff.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

The guy actually sent me a PDF of the CITES documentation on the set of wood. Awesome!

_________________
P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

Is it a "guitarpassport" with a cites stamp on from Brazil? A folded card look a like? If so- it is worth nothing.

Paul, it just isn't worth the trouble. If it is a dealbreaker (recommend another tonewood) then find a new client. Your price point is reasonable enough that you can get a new customer to replace this one. Dealing with the paperwork is not going to be fun and will take more time than you think it will.

--
Simon

I'm with Simon on this one. My life in luthrie gets better as I learn to say "no" to things I should say "no" to.

_________________
I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/