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Thread: Gibson Guitars, what's up?!

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    Senior Member DavidF's Avatar
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    Gibson Guitars, what's up?!

    Gibson Guitars- who I hold to be an American institution- was raided by armed federal agents last week. This is the second time in 2 years. The company still does not know the basis for the prior raid much less this latest one. Since the true reasons for the raids are sealed there is no rational explanation for this action. Some vague reasons are mentioned such as the wood used for the products was imported from India and Madagascar contrary to laws in those countries. What some are calling grey market ebony. Yet the company claims it has proper documentation for those imports. DOJ suggests Gibson knowingly skirted export laws of those countries. However, those countries are not pursuing legal claims and all impetus for pursuing the action apparently originates from the Dept. of Justice division of environmental law under their interpretation of foreign laws.

    Who knows the whole story but the lack of understanding and reasoning coming out of the Justice Dept. is leaving me to think why just Gibson? Many other firms are importing these same products including other music instrument makers.

    Gibson. Made in America by skilled craftsmen. Raided by armed agents of the beckoning of the DOJ (Fish and Wildlife Service for crying out loud?). What gives? This continued action by the DOJ could put them out of business. Just a FYI to keep an eye on this story.
    David F
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    The reasons seem to be somewhat more than vague. Seems the ebony was being sourced from a company in Germany which in turn was getting supplied from Madagascar!

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    Senior Member DavidF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Allanvh5150 View Post
    The reasons seem to be somewhat more than vague. Seems the ebony was being sourced from a company in Germany which in turn was getting supplied from Madagascar!
    That’s an indication of the alleged crime but the reasons it involves Gibson are vague nonetheless. Is Gibson a poster child for a crack down on new environmental laws or did Gibson invite this continued investigation and forfeiture of assets by its business practices? Perhaps they did.

    Gibson stands to lose big in this. I just hate to think Gibson invited it upon themselves.
    David F
    San Jose

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    Most ebony comes from dubious sources. Gibson could go for a skate here.

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    I heard just yesterday an interview on the radio of the president or ceo of Gibson. Unfortunately I did not hear the entire thing but the gist of it was that (according to the Gibson exec ) the problem could go away if Gibson Manufactured Its axes off shore. WHAT??!! If this is true,( and I think that it could very well be) we have a government running amok! It would put even more Americans out of work. What in the hell is up with our government?

    Ed

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    Senior Member macaroonie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Kreamer View Post
    I heard just yesterday an interview on the radio of the president or ceo of Gibson. Unfortunately I did not hear the entire thing but the gist of it was that (according to the Gibson exec ) the problem could go away if Gibson Manufactured Its axes off shore. WHAT??!! If this is true,( and I think that it could very well be) we have a government running amok! It would put even more Americans out of work. What in the hell is up with our government?Ed
    Too many people with not enough to do. The old saying idle hands do the devils work holds true in so much of what the US and the UK govt get up to.

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    Senior Member mark214's Avatar
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    Two versions of the story. One version says they are importing banned wood.

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2...ice-department

    The other is that Gibson's boss Juskiewicz donates to the Republican Party and Martin to the Democrats.

    http://www.toronto.com/blog/post/696...affles-players


    I suspect like most things the real truth lies somewhere in between.

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    RIP 2021 SEAWOLF97's Avatar
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    its from Fox..so there has to be a political connection

    .

    Is Fed Raid on Gibson Guitar Company Enforcing Policy . . . or a Push to Target 'Made in the USA'?

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011...jobs-overseas/

    On August 24, armed agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Homeland Security raided the corporate headquarters and two factories of the Gibson Guitar company. The agencies took away 24 pallets of Indian rosewood and ebony, as well as a number of guitars and computer files.

    The federal agents’ contention is that Gibson had illegally imported the exotic wood, which is used to make fretboards and bridges for their high-end instruments. Under the 1900 Lacey Act, which was amended in 2008 to include wood products, American companies must abide by the laws of source countries when importing products. The intent of the law is to protect endangered species of wildlife and plants. U.S. Fish and Wildlife claims that the Gibson wood – in the form of fingerboard ‘blanks’ -- was illegal to export from India and therefore illegal to import into the United States.

    Now here’s the rub. While the feds say the wood – as imported – is illegal, had it been ‘finished’ by workers in India, it would have been perfectly legal to import. The wood itself was not banned, just the manufacturing process – or lack of it.

    “I think they’re taking the position that we should be shifting these jobs overseas,” says Bruce Mitchell, the chief legal counsel for Gibson. “We have – probably 40 people in our factory here just at USA who are doing the inlays into the fingerboard … that are putting the fret on. If all that was to be done over in India, then …. those jobs would be lost.
    Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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    Make it out of something else. Plain and simple.

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    Senior Member Fritz The Cat's Avatar
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    Is this the end ???

    2018 Gibson ist jetzt pleite!
    Listen to Janne Schaffer "Neondimma" from 1980 album "Presens".
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    Senior Member Fritz The Cat's Avatar
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    Gibson Moderne 1959

    The adventurous story about the search of the mysterious prototype model of the 1959 "Gibson Moderne" guitar.
    Highly recommended 2017 book by Grégoire Hervier: "Vintage".

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    Senior Member Fritz The Cat's Avatar
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    Gibsons way down

    Gibsons way down to the "Jungle Room". Kinglike...
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fritz The Cat View Post
    Gibsons way down to the "Jungle Room". Kinglike...

    Elvis must have been high butchering a perfectly fine J-200 with that god awful pick guard and fret board inlays.

  14. #14
    Senior Member Fritz The Cat's Avatar
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    Shame on you

    Once this was a red Gibson guitar. Guess who was the musician who had put this picture on back cover of his album!
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    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Guessing it was -not- John Hiatt.

    Watch for dead skunks.

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