honduran mahogany import

[scuffle]

Hey guys!

I just got an email from a gent in USA relating to his apparent "massive stash" of honduran mahogany and whether I would like to purchase some for guitar building. Now as far as I am aware it is illegal to import yes? Have I got this right or am I thinking of some other timber? (although I am sure there are a few we can't import)

[peter.coombe]

It is legal to import in a finished item such as a guitar or piece of furniture. It is illegal to import raw wood on the form of logs or sawn timber without the relevant CITES documentation. This sounds suspiciously like a scam to me.

[kiwigeo]

What Peter says.

Ask the person about CITES paperwork. You should be able to tell straight away from his response to same whether or not he's feeding you the brown stuff.

Note your freight costs are also going to add to viability of the deal.

[scuffle]

regardless of whether its a scam or not I still cant be bothered with any paperwork to get it in the country
thanks guys!

[Ormsby Guitars]

Sounds like the guy that contacted me a few months ago. He had a "trailer full". Never heard from him again after I said Id have someone pick it up in person

[scuffle]

haha. dodgy buggers would of been nice to get my hands on some though.

i know you have used this stuff on many occasions before Perry, care to share some wisdom on how you came about it? did you import it or was it already in Australia?

[kiwigeo]

Sounds like the guy that contacted me a few months ago. He had a "trailer full". Never heard from him again after I said Id have someone pick it up in person

The freight on the trailer could be a deal killer

[Ormsby Guitars]

haha. dodgy buggers would of been nice to get my hands on some though.

i know you have used this stuff on many occasions before Perry, care to share some wisdom on how you came about it? did you import it or was it already in Australia?

As soon as I heard the CITES ruling was changing, or had changed, I basically organised with my local wood guy to buy everything he could that was big enough for one or two piece bodies (some planks are wide enough for one piece Explorer bodies, and others were 550mm wide by 80mm thick). He was happy putting a markup on it while I paid off everything he found, and Im happy knowing Ive got years and years worth just sitting around going up in price.

Fact is though, I dont use it often. At the rate Im going through it, there will still be stuff left in ten years. Ive started organising runs just to use it up...

[scuffle]

smart fella i guess if you have the fund to have tied up in it then good on ya!