Where does Gibson get its rosewood?

Gibson Guitar has settled with federal authorities for illegally importing ebony and rosewood from India and Madagascar. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Gibson Guitar Corp. has agreed to pay a fine for illegally importing exotic wood from Madagascar and India, the U.S. government said Monday.

Does Gibson use real rosewood?

North American rosewood is also used by Gibson — it's a trustworthy source and sustainable. Madagascan and Amazonian Rosewood is also widely used.

Where does Gibson get their wood?

These woods come from Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the U.S. Some of these woods are harvested illegally or come from regions that are being heavily deforested. So Gibson is working with the Rainforest Alliance to be sure that the wood in its guitars is sustainably sourced.

Does Gibson use Brazilian rosewood?

Almost all Fender and Gibson instruments until 1965 are equipped with Brazilian rosewood fretboards, unless they have one-piece maple necks (Fender until mid-1959 ) or were equipped with fingerboard and bridge of ebony , such as the Gibson Les Paul Custom or Super 400.

When did Gibson stop using rosewood?

Since 1991, Brazilian Rosewood has been listed as an endangered species and has therefore been used sparingly by guitar makers. However, there have been some small runs here and there of Gibson guitars that do have Brazilian fingerboards, particularly during 2001-2003.

Gibson Fretboard Tone Wood Guide

Why do Gibson guitars smell good?

Well-known member

Gibson is using TKL cases for their USA lines. TKL uses a vanilla-scented glue in their cases that gets caught in the lacquer.

Is Brazilian rosewood better than Indian?

Yes there's a difference, but it's pretty subtle, and neither is better than the other IMO. Few (if any) listeners would be able to tell a difference in a blind test. Brazilian rosewood is harder to get (particularly quarter sawn), much more expensive, and is more prone to cracking.

Why is Brazilian rosewood illegal?

Why is Brazilian rosewood so heavily regulated? In 1967, Brazilian rosewood had become so popular for instruments and other wood products that the Brazilian government became concerned that this precious hardwood could be wiped out, so the government outlawed the export of rosewood logs.

When did PRS stop using Brazilian rosewood?

The definitive original PRS, figured maple top, mahogany back and neck, rosewood fretboard, volume and 5 way rotary offered until 2010, 5 way blade switch 2011 – present. Brazilian rosewood fretboard until 1991, PRS Tremolo and locking tuners, stoptail offered from 1993 (or so).

Where does Gibson get mahogany?

Gibson has set up a global commodity chain that supplies them with 'sustainably certified' mahogany by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) grown in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Fiji.

Did Gibson use ivory?

Please note: Gibson does not use, or endorse, the use of ivory in guitar building.

When did Gibson go bad?

Most people point the decline of Gibson as having started around 2006 and this seems roughly correct to me. What this means is that there are known, endorsed guitarists touring the world right now who have never played guitar in an era where Gibson was good and that just kind of sucks for Gibson.

Is rosewood illegal to import?

No, it is not illegal to buy or ship rosewood across international borders. However, specific regulations and laws must be followed to purchase or ship rosewood. To successfully import rosewood into the U.S., you will need an export certificate from the exporting country's CITES management authority.

How can you tell Brazilian from Indian rosewood?

This can be difficult to gauge if you don't have any known samples to compare, but Brazilian Rosewood should have fairly sparsely spaced pores, while East Indian Rosewood should be almost riddled with pores.

When was rosewood banned for guitars?

In January of 2017, the CITES convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Geneva, Switzerland passed a ban on the use of rosewood and Bubinga as tonewoods, making it more difficult to ship or travel with musical instruments made with any amount of these endangered ...

Can you still buy rosewood?

The most widely traded illegal wild product in the world today is rosewood, an endangered hardwood prized for its use in traditional Chinese furniture.

Does Martin still use Brazilian rosewood?

Supplies grew extremely thin in the late 1960s, however, and Martin and others stopped using Brazilian rosewood in 1969, moving over to Indian rosewood, then other varieties. In 1992, Brazilian rosewood was added to the CITES treaty, strictly banning its exportation.

Is all rosewood endangered?

Status as an endangered species

Rosewood is now protected worldwide.

When did Fender stop using Indian rosewood?

In 2017 when CITES imposed restrictions on instruments featuring rosewood, Fender made a few changes. Now that those restrictions have been lifted, Fender use a combination of rosewood, pau ferro and ebony. So how do these tonewoods compare? Let's take a look at the differences.

Is pau ferro better than rosewood?

Pau Ferro has a tighter density than rosewood, meaning slightly less frequencies are absorbed into the fretboard. This results in a brighter, snappier tone, while still retaining the depth of rosewood designs. The feel of pau ferro is comparable to that of ebony, meaning an effortless, smooth playing experience.

When did Martin switch to Indian rosewood?

C.F. Martin began looking for alternative woods in the mid-'60s, when Brazil briefly banned the export of unprocessed rosewood logs. The guitar-maker switched to East Indian rosewood as standard wood in 1969.

Does Gibson use nitrocellulose lacquer?

Gibson instruments are finished with several coats of a high-quality nitro-cellulose lacquer. This finish is hand-buffed to a high-gloss, mirror-like surface. Unlike other less expensive finishes, nitro-cellulose does not detract from the tone of the instrument and ages beautifully.

Why does my guitar smell like vanilla?

The sweet, vanilla-like smell is the case. The lacquer picks it up and it seems like it's coming from the guitar but if you leave it out of the case for a while the smell with go away.

What is the new guitar smell?

Just like a new car, a new acoustic guitar can have a great smell. The tonewoods chosen to make up a brand new instrument can give it some great smells. From western red cedar, Honduran mahogany, walnut, cocobolo, etc.