Gibson raided by FBI

[fek]

Posted on the LP Forum. Legit?

"11-17-2009 1:40 PM —
Federal agents and local police today seized wood, guitars, computers and boxes of files from Gibson Guitar's Massman Road manufacturing facility.

Sources say the Nashville-based guitar manufacturer is charged with violating the Lacey Act, a key piece of environmental law, for importing endangered species of rosewood from Madagascar.

Rosewood is widely used in the construction of guitars and sells for $5,000 per cubic meter, more than double the price of mahogany. The island nation off Africa's east coast is a key producer of the hardwood, the export of which has links to international criminal activity.

Madagascar has struggled financially since a January coup and new President Andry Rajoelina issued an executive order in September legalizing the export of rosewood and ebony. The move was decried by environmental groups and political leaders worldwide, as hardwood forests are key to Madagascar's unique ecology and serve as a habitat for a dwindling lemur population.

Sources tell NashvillePost.com Gibson was involved in a scheme that shipped the wood from Madagascar to Germany and then to the United States.

We will update this story as more information becomes available."

 

[mortega76]

Make a Nigga say DAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!!!!!!!

 

[AmpliFIRE]

http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2009/ ... ded_by_fbi


"Charges have yet to be filed"

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

Why don't they go after the Chinese that are doing the same thing for U.S., U.K Manufacturers..

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

Why don't they go after the Chinese that are doing the same thing for U.S., U.K Manufacturers..

Obamao woundn't like that!

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

Why don't they go after the Chinese that are doing the same thing for U.S., U.K Manufacturers..

Obamao woundn't like that!

It definitely looks that way to me... Plenty of information and actual proof of other companies doing the same thing except using the Chinese as the middle man...
Companies like IKEA have been doing it for years..
Sounds like elimination of Competition to me...

 

[ejecta]

"Madagascar has struggled financially since a January coup and new President Andry Rajoelina issued an executive order in September legalizing the export of rosewood and ebony. The move was decried by environmental groups and political leaders worldwide, as hardwood forests are key to Madagascar's unique ecology and serve as a habitat for a dwindling lemur population."

Give me f'n break. I say screw the lemurs.

 

[Bob Savage]

Lemurs are useless. I mean, are they even tasty? I hope so, because there's certainly not much meat on them.

 

[Meathead]

Lemurs are fast. You ever try to catch a lemur? Can't be done.

 

[Bob Savage]

Lemurs are fast. You ever try to catch a lemur? Can't be done.

All the more reason why they're useless. If you can't catch them, you can't eat them.

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

Yeh it doesn't look like they would Deep Fry to well....

 

[Digital Jams]

I just saw the crocodile hunter show where he was in Madagascar, it is bad how that forest is being raped.

 

[steve_k]

Fuckin Fed's got nothing better to do? They just wanted a glimpse of the new Buckethead signature Les Paul and their free bucket.

The skunk that thinks he's a monkey.....

 

[locoed]

Gibson will raise prices again,not that they're already over priced.

 

[1big1]

regardless of who the middleman is.. the resource is finite. i live in an area where logging is a way of life. you need to practice some form of sustainability. if you cut all the trees down you're out of a job.. and around here? so is the rest of your family.
you can also go back to the 50's.. 60's.. and 70's and look at the quality of the wood used in instrument construction. what's available today isn't anywhere near that quality or they wouldn't have to glue blocks of it together and put a pretty face on it. if that makes me a tree hugger i'm fine with that.

 

[ericsabbath]

well
there are many good substitutes for most of the common woods
but it's more likely that they'll go for damn "resinator" boards like some brands are already doing

 

[FixXxer]

Obama will save them...

This is stupid... I would assume PRS is next.....

 

[nbarts]

Switch to ebony, problem solved.

 

[Shark Diver]

Obama will save them...

This is stupid... I would assume PRS is next.....

Already happened to PRS a year or so ago. Stopped all BRW guitars in their tracks. Not saying PRS did anything wrong, but I had heard their source did.

 

[EXPcustom]

Disgruntle employees blew thw whistle to get the CEO out. They hate Henry J with a passion but dont take my word for it:

http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Gibson ... 869_P2.htm