Gibson’s Henry J sees bleak future for exotic timber
In an interview with The Independent, Gibson’s Chief Exec, Henry Juszkiewicz, explained that, “The true wood guitar is disappearing quickly. We need to act now because it just won’t be around in 10 years”.
The traditional tonewoods used to build top-end instruments – rosewood, maple, ebony, mahogany and spruce – are disappearing as a result of over-harvesting and the rapidly shrinking rainforests.
Many of Madagascar’s 47 types of rosewood and 100+ ebony species are threatened with extinction.
In 2009 Gibson’s factory in Nashville was raided in 2009 after a tip-off that the company was using banned rosewood. No arrests were made and Gibson are putting a lot of effort into working with a number of eco-organisations to source suitable sustainable alternatives.
Source : The Independent
Having talked with the actual foresters this is pure BS. Its American tree huggers and businesses that are passing all the these “green” laws that prevent the US from importing these woods. Nevermind the fact that the locals have been managing their forests for hundreds of years and their livelihoods depend on harvesting and selling the wood…. somehow some pasty do gooder 3000 miles away knows better than the locals.
You’ve talked to these foresters, whose livelihood depends on being allowed to cut down trees, and they think they should be allowed to chop down more trees? Whoda thunk it?
Ya know it is their trees and their land and they know how to replant new trees to continue their way of life… They aren’t morons. Trees are an easily renewable resource… Gibson is just spreading FUD. They must have a new synthetic instrument coming out or something
Actually I don’t disagree with you, and I’m sure this is Gibson paving the way for some new materials (either synthetics or alternative woods) but IMO unless you’ve been talking to the foresters in Madagascar or Brazil (where the real problems are) I think you’re talking about a different issue to that discussed in the story.
GIbson’s an amazing innovator. All they have to do is hire a bunch of genetic engineers to build an epic greenhouse in Kalamazoo that has mutant trees that just grow guitar necks and bodies.
What’s the latest news on this? Is Gibson still battling the raid in court? Are they still getting/using Ebony?