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All Thumbs
Aloha
35 Posts |
 Posted - 12/13/2006 : 1:09:43 PM
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I am conductiing fisheries research overseas and will need to bring preserved specimens back to the U.S. for identification. While searching the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) web site for information on getting whatever permits I need, I came across the following ditty on the USFWS web site regarding bringing guitars into and out of the U.S.
Guitars
Do I need a permit to import or export my guitar? Some guitars contain wildife, such as mother-of-pearl. If you are importing your personal guitar that contains wildlife as accompanying baggage, you must declare the item on the Customs declaration form. Click here for information if you are commercially importing or exporting guitars that contain wildlife or if you are separately shipping your personal guitar that contains wildlife.
Some guitars also contain Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra). This species is listed in CITES Appendix I, and may not be traded for commercial purposes. However, exceptions can be made for guitars that qualify as pre-Convention, i.e., contain rosewood that was obtained prior to June 11, 1992. Click here for an application form to export or re-export pre-Convention guitars. The guitar must enter or exit the United States through a plant designated port. Check with APHIS, the State, and foreign country to meet their requirements.
I've never heard of this before. I assume that thia would apply to any muscial instrument, including ukes. Has anyone ever had an issue at Customs based on the components in your guitar/uke? I hate to think about the implications of ivory tuners or bridge pins. Anyway, just thought this interesting and wanted to share it.
Keep on pressin'
All Thumbs
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2006 : 2:16:50 PM
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| Most of the guitars and ukuleles you see nowadays don't really have Mother-of-pearl inlays but Paua inlays which is commercially raised and harvested in New Zealand -- pretty much looks the same. Paua comes from a large shell that looks like Abalone. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2006 : 2:24:15 PM
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| My guitar may have contained wildlife at one point but that was only while my hamster was loose. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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slkho
`Olu`olu
740 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2006 : 08:45:37 AM
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Zoom is safe for now.
~slkho |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2006 : 11:23:17 AM
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All Thumbs,
Sarah and I have gone back and forth to France several times in the last few years to visit friends, and have always taken a guitar or two, both with MOP and real Ab. We never had any trouble at all in Customs on either side. The only hassle we ever had was at the airport in Montpellier, when we were accosted by a woman French soldier (complete with that toy assault weapon the French use) who questioned us closely about the reason we had the guitar. She was worried that we had brought it to her country to sell. When we convinced her, (Sarah speaks French very well, and played the guitar, too, if I remember correctly) that we just wanted to play it while there, she finally let us go on our way. I can't imagine the French bring concerned about shellfish, except how to eat it.
As for Braz, there is pre-CITES and authorized, legal, current Braz, but you *never* get any proof from a luthier. You just have to know him or her and have trust. I trust the luthiers I know because I know them well, and I am convinced that our one Braz guitar is legal. But I couldn't prove it without hectoring the guy who made it for a copy of his paperwork.
...Reid
...Reid |
Edited by - Reid on 12/14/2006 11:24:28 AM |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 12/14/2006 : 4:26:43 PM
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Visited a friend a few weeks ago and picked up his guitar. After the second song, a piebald rat crawled out of the sound hole. Must not like slack key. Nice little feller, though, crawled right into my buddy's daughter's lap.
But, no to your question. |
Karl
Frozen North |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 12/18/2006 : 11:55:51 AM
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Karl,
Reminds me of one of my favorite books when I was a keiki;
"Sylvester, The Mouse With The Musical Ear"
It was about a mouse that lived in a guitar in a music store that like to play the strings at night. Later, a cowboy bought the guitar (unkown - with Sylvester). While chewing some grass laying in a field, the guitar started playing itself (according to the cowboy).
A good book for yer great grandkids. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 12/18/2006 : 2:31:10 PM
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quote:
While chewing some grass laying in a field, the guitar started playing itself
So which was the cowboy more suprised by: the guitar playing itself or the guitar chewing some grass?!  |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 12/18/2006 2:32:35 PM |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 12/19/2006 : 07:11:49 AM
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got me
LOL
and my wife is an English Teacher |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 12/23/2006 : 3:39:09 PM
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This is another part of the "Don't ask, and certainly Don't Tell" policy...
Guitars are still going onboard as far as I've tried...
My guitar is ALL FAKE.
Yes Virginia, there really are fakes.
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Edited by - Kapila Kane on 12/23/2006 3:50:28 PM |
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