U.S. plant product import form, [ re; Les paul ] Help !

[okgb]

I consider this my home grp [ and with smarter members than most grps ] so tia for any help
I'm trying to send a 73 Les Paul into the U.S. and have to fill out a lacey / plant and plant product declaration form which wants to know
the species / genus and percentage & country of harvest for the woods Mahogany / maple & ebony . I believe Madagasgar is a restricted country for ebony. Anyone done this and know the wood amount percentages ? and other tips ?

 

[JohnRoberts]

an old instrument for a personal sale may not require that documentation, I know guitar manufacturers using exotic woods have to jump through hoops to insure they are not using protected growths.

Maybe ask somebody working at a guitar company. I know a guy who is a luthier at Gibson so he probably knows. Maybe try to email Jim DeCola at Gibson in Nashville. No I don't have his email but he's on meta/facebook.

JR

 

[okgb]

It's already stuck at customs. I reached out to Jim hopefully he can get back to me, thanks.

 

[emrr]

It seems like the fact it's returning to the country of origin, that would have some impact as well.

 

[okgb]

Or at the time the woods were purchased, You'd hope but they want the info
Whats the best guess for a Lp 85% mahogany , 10 % maple & 5 % ebony?

 

[JohnRoberts]

There was some very funny business surrounding exotic woods and customs department overreach messing with US guitar makers, two administrations ago IIRC.

JR

 

[pucho812]

There was some very funny business surrounding exotic woods and customs department overreach messing with US guitar makers, two administrations ago IIRC.

JR

Yes, during Obama's first term, during 2011 federal agents raided the Gibson guitar factory. The raids were over woods that were supposedly illegally harvested over seas, mainly India and Madagascar. IIRC the gov claimed the woods were illegally harvested even though any legal paper work produced showed opposite. There was claim at the time that reason for the raid was the then president of Gibson donating money to to Obama's opposition when Obama ran for president. But that was just a claim. In the end Gibson settled with the government and paid a penalty of some 300,000 dollars vs fight a legal battle that would bankrupt them.

 

[pucho812]

Being a 73 les paul, well being how it is a 73 I am surprised you have to fill out any wood paperwork for wood origin and so forth. Then again it is the governement and someone's family member needs a job.

 

[okgb]

Was there a problem with India in the early 70's ?

 

[okgb]

I don't think they care about the species of maple from the U.S but you have to state it anyway, so I did my best with the info and it seems to have cleared, I'll have to find the proper name to credit this fellow but his example helped clear up some stuff if anyone is in this situation. Note the htsus # maybe different check with your shipper and ask ahead of time!
From this fellow Brian , thanks Lacey Act Example Form -- HOW TO -- shipping to the US

 

[pucho812]

Was there a problem with India in the early 70's ?

I don't think so. my comment was me thinking that the guitar is old enough it would just be grandfathered in or some other clause that wouldn't make it unnecessary to identify wood makeup and origin.