[pianotech] Feds confiscating musical instrument materials

[Paul T Williams]

Will Steinway get halts on their Bubinga, Rosewood, Masacar Ebony and 
other rare woods for their custom finishes they get now, too? 

Paul




From:
John Formsma <formsma at gmail.com>
To:
"Rob & Helen Goodale" <rrg at unlv.nevada.edu>, pianotech at ptg.org
Date:
08/27/2011 02:26 PM
Subject:
Re: [pianotech] Feds confiscating musical instrument materials



This was mentioned yesterday on a local talk radio show here in 
Mississippi. The host made the observation that the Feds do little to stop 
the rampant illegal border entry, yet will go nuts over piddly crap like 
what happened at Gibson.

-- 
John Formsma, RPT
Blue Mountain, MS


On Sat, Aug 27, 2011 at 11:49 AM, Rob & Helen Goodale <rrg at unlv.nevada.edu
> wrote:
Recently the Gibson Guitar Company was raided by federal agents asserting 
that the company has been using illegally obtained banned lumber from 
protected forests.  It also discusses ivory from piano keys being 
confiscated by agents.  A very interesting, (and scary) concern about how 
the government is, (likely), over-stepping their boundaries.  Even if it 
is from a piano built before ivory is banned you are at their mercy 
because you don’t have paperwork proving it is pre-ban ivory, (and how are 
you supposed to produce that?  A sales receipt from 1926?).  Failure to 
have such a document can not only result in the materials being 
confiscated, but also facing heavy fines and possibly even jail time.
 
While the government has responsibilities to ensure that banned materials 
such as ivory do not enter the country, it seems like that authority 
should be limited to boarder agents and customs inspectors, not demanding 
proof of origin on a vintage piano.  As far as Gibson is concerned, they 
claim they have proof that all of their wood is legal and purchased from a 
"Forest Stewardship Council certified supplier".  The concern here doesn't 
appear to be whether or not possessing wood, ivory, or other materials is 
legal, but rather the laws being too broadly and not properly defined.  
Possessing pre-band ivory and wood is not a crime, importing new 
material is the crime.
 
Read here:  
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904787404576530520471223268.html
 
 
 
 
 
Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas, NV






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