Official Warmoth CITES Announcement

[aarontunes]

As a PSA, here is an official announcement from Warmoth regarding the recent changes to the CITES treaty:
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As you may be aware, in October 2016 many new wood species were added as controlled export products under the international CITES treaty. These new species include: Bubinga and all species of Rosewood (Dalbergia spp.) such as Indian Rosewood, Palisander Rosewood, Malagasy Rosewood, Kingwood and Cocobolo.

Because of these recent and unexpected changes, Warmoth must temporarily suspend international shipments of products which contain these woods until our permit application is approved.

We expect international shipments of these woods to resume once our application is approved. Until then, we encourage you to contact us for help in determining the best alternative species.

**Shipment of these woods within the USA is not affected.**

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

**Shipment of these woods within the USA is not affected.**

But I'd expect prices to rise, at least on exports, and probably overall since they have to import the wood in the first place.

 

[aarontunes]

There is no price increase planned in the immediate future, but additional fees, permits, processing, and other expenses to a manufacturer can only mean one thing, in the long haul.

Same as it ever was...same as it ever was.

 

[Bossanova]

Get to loving richlite and baked maple!!

 

[aarontunes]

Get to loving richlite and baked maple!!

I, for one, welcome our new Ebonol overlords.

 

[bgmacaw]

So, anybody up for oak fretboards?

 

[tonyhay]

For anyone travelling with a midprice classical guitar or a violin, this Cites thing is a nightmare. Crazy.

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Well I ordered 3 necks in the last few weeks, partly because of this nonsense, partly because of sales too good to pass up. Panic? We'll see.

 

[Jim Soloway]

Thanks for posting that. I've been looking at their necks lately and I had talked to them about shipping to Canada. I think the answer for me if I do order one is going to be a roaster maple neck and board. Not only does it get me around the CITES issue but they don't need finish either.

 

[71strat]

Swamp Ash/Ash is next because of the Emerald Ash Borer. It will be mostly gone forever. Weve lost 1000s in my area, and 2 in my yard alone, and a couple more looking fishy.

 

[Gear.Pig]

Get to loving richlite and baked maple!!

I actually like both of those just fine.

 

[Jim Soloway]

I, for one, welcome our new Ebonol overlords.

That may not bean entirely bad thing. If there are enough synthetic fingerboards being made, then perhaps they'll develop a range of products that can be more fine tuned than wood for both feel and tonal response with none of the dangers from temperature or humidity change. Or at least we can hope so.

 

[aarontunes]

That may not bean entirely bad thing. If there are enough synthetic fingerboards being made, then perhaps they'll develop a range of products that can be more fine tuned than wood for both feel and tonal response with none of the dangers from temperature or humidity change. Or at least we can hope so.

This is the future of guitar building, IMO.

I think everyone is astounded that the Rosewoods made the list before Ebony. CITES meets every three years, and my guess is that in 2019 we will see Ebony added, and maybe even Pau Ferro, Wenge, and some others. As already mentioned, even "safe" woods like Ash and Alder aren't the safe harbors many people think they are.

Alternatives are needed, and fast.

 

[jklotz]

I posted about this a week ago, and the mods told me I was being political, and deleted my thread, with a stern warning. Guess this thread is ok. Go figure.

I live in the USA. My hope is that it will not have a ton of impact here. I can only surmise this will mean a price increase for guitar buyers somewhere down the line.

 

[Average Joe]

As far as i can tell it's just a matter of getting their permits. I dont see a downside to that. Sure, there will be a temporary interruption of international sales, but then, how often is buying a guitar neck an emergency issue?

I think that if we're serious about environmental protection, then we have to accept some regulations

 

[rkharper]

yeah, just made a post on my Facebook couple of days ago. I have a guitar on order from the states with a rosewood fretboard (Im not from the states). I agreed with the luthier to change the rosewood to streaked ebony, that's fine with me. as for the future - well, that sucks big time! As I had some plans ordering at least a custom made bass with rosewood FB.

 

[tea312]

There are legit options of genuine dalbergia that is not in the list. One is African Blackwood and there are others too.

Most ebony species is on the list- even before these newer genuine rosewoods that was put it on the list.

We use so much of our own domestic woods such as alder, ash and maple- not, just us, but other countries. So none of you think we will exhaust these with the amount of musical instruments, architectural moldings, furniture, baseball bats that gets built here in the US and the rest of the world?
Sooner or later most of the woods not on the list now will make it on the list as we would deplete the substitutes/alternative wood as well.

 

[SinglecutGuy]

TGP in 2 years... every listing in the Emporium: "Pre-CITES Rosewood fingerboard Guitar RARE!"

 

[SinglecutGuy]

There are legit options of genuine dalbergia that is not in the list. One is African Blackwood and there are others too.

I'm pretty sure African Blackwood is on the no no list as well...

 

[bal704]

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) is a treaty to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival (from the CITES website).

The US plants more trees than it harvests in any given year. Unless there is a major disease for a given type, I doubt the major US varieties of trees will ever be on that list.