Post Namm CITES update from RONDO MUSIC

Booli

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I just got this in email today from Kurt at Rondo Music and thought it might be of interest to folks here:

email from Kurt at Rondo Music said:
CITES UPDATE: After attending several CITES meetings it is our opinion that lower priced instruments (below $300) made with rosewood will no longer be available once current rosewood inventories run out (this is for all vendors, Fender, Epiphone, SX etc).

Models instead will likely be made with "engineered rosewood' which is sort of like plywood, and be constructed from pine and other non-rosewood materials. Of course Maple and Ebony will remain available (for now). We have several shipments of lower priced models using true rosewood that was harvested prior to the January 1, 2017 (Pre-Convention) deadline.

However, after that, supplies from all vendors will start to become extremely scare. Higher priced models (Agile, Gibson etc.) will likely still have rosewood available in limited supply for quite some time but ultimately we expect those supplies will run out as well. This is much like Brazilian Rosewood, which has been banned for export since 1992.

Note that guitars made with Brazilian rosewood have become highly sought after, and rather scarce due to their fine sound. This, combined with the export ban on Brazilian rosewood, make them a highly sought after product.

We expect a similar outcome with the select remaining rosewood models as well in time.

Kurt
 
Thanks for sharing Booli. It makes sense that inexpensive instruments will not be made from rosewood by this vendor. The added expense of legally obtained rosewood with the proper documentation makes it cost prohibitive to use in low priced instruments
 
Thanks for sharing Booli. It makes sense that inexpensive instruments will not be made from rosewood by this vendor. The added expense of legally obtained rosewood with the proper documentation makes it cost prohibitive to use in low priced instruments

Seems that due to the endangered nature of some wood species, along with the prohibitions, that the laws of supply and demand are going to impose themselves here as we are likely going to see many 'alternative' tone-woods appear out of necessity.

Hopefully, some of these arbor-eating mega-conglomerates that are leveling forests at an alarming rate can be convinced to either slow their consumption, or to actively contribute to meaningful reforestation projects like what Kanile'a is doing.

Otherwise ANY manufacturing with 'wood' as we know it will likely become illegal and then we will have no choice but to live in a world of 'plastics' for everything. Until, the plastics are then found to be toxic, and then outlawed, and likely after that we will have ukuleles made from red clay like terra cotta...LOL

These reasons alone are why pioneering innovations in materials, such as the eKoa from Blackbird Guitars are so important. Sill made of natural cellulose fibers, and from all renewable resources. I hope to see more companies follow this kind of example.
 
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Seems that due to the endangered nature of some wood species, along with the prohibitions, that the laws of supply and demand are going to impose themselves here as we are likely going to see many 'alternative' tone-woods appear out of necessity.

Hopefully, some of these arbor-eating mega-conglomerates that are leveling forests at an alarming rate can be convinced to either slow their consumption, or to actively contribute to meaningful reforestation projects like what Kanile'a is doing.

Otherwise ANY manufacturing with 'wood' as we know it will likely become illegal and then we will have no choice but to live in a world of 'plastics' for everything. Until, the plastics are then found to be toxic, and then outlawed, and likely after that we will have ukuleles made from red clay like terra cotta...LOL

These reasons alone are why pioneering innovations in materials, such as the eKoa from Blackbird Guitars are so important. Sill made of natural cellulose fibers, and from all renewable resources. I hope to see more companies follow this kind of example.

Remember the 1973 movie Soylent Green..........that was a renewable resource. Careful what you wish for :p
 
Remember the 1973 movie Soylent Green..........that was a renewable resource. Careful what you wish for :p

Ha Ha! Yes very bad juju in that one.

I wonder (morbidly, yes) - can bone dust be used with some kind of adhesives and fixers to make a composite that can be poured into a mold, like the Waterman ukes?

Would a 'calcium-based' composite be resonant enough for an ukulele?

Bone dust and hide glue...hmmm...Soylent Ukes!

Quick - go register the domain name and file the trademarks!
 
Rondo Music is comparing all Rosewood to Brazilian Rosewood. This is a mistake since they fall under two different classifications in CITES. All international trade in Brazilian Rosewood is banned and has been since the early 90's. The other species of Rosewoods can still be traded under the CITES convention provide you have an import/export license for it. Export of Indian Rosewood is carefully controlled by the Indian Government, so India has not felt the need to requested assistance from CITES to protect their Rosewood.

I agree that lower priced ukes will move away from Rosewoods because the cost and hastle of the wood is not offset by the price and profit realized by the maker. To state all Rosewoods will become "extremely scarce" is an inaccurate characterization.

Edit: ...and it is not the harvest date, but the date it reaches that international border. Rosewood shipped before December 31, 2016 does not need an import license provided it reached that international border before December 31. On January 1, 2017, a license was needed no matter when it was harvested or shipped.
 
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Part of the musical quality of wooden instruments is in the fiber-like structure of that material, while most 'alternative materials' go for either a poured or a woven structure: styrofoam cellos (surprisingly good!), plastic jazz guitars, glass fiddles, fiberglass mandolins...
 
Remember the 1973 movie Soylent Green..........that was a renewable resource. Careful what you wish for :p

Horror, horror!

Images of ukuleles moving down a convener line to a machine that grinds them up to be re-manufactured into new ukuleles.
 
Horror, horror!

Images of ukuleles moving down a convener line to a machine that grinds them up to be re-manufactured into new ukuleles.

Well, maybe look on the bright side - in your scenario, everything old is NEW again. :)
:smileybounce: :rofl:
 
Maybe organic waste materials could be recycled and used in instrument manufacture. Kaka could start making ukes out of real... oh, never mind...
 
Maybe organic waste materials could be recycled and used in instrument manufacture. Kaka could start making ukes out of real... oh, never mind...

LOL - 'Turdie Tenor' - 'Shi-prano' ... just sayin :)
 
My guess is that in the beginning what we now think of as premium tone woods were the most easily and cheapest woods that could be used to make a good instrument. Decades of use, marketing and inertia have created a mindset whereby they're thought of as the only acceptable tone woods.

So my question is if ukuleles, and all other string instruments were first invented today, what woods would luthiers choose based on availability, price and tone? Maybe HPL? ;)
 
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