doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gunstock Import - Need Help

As near as I can determine there is no restriction on importing a gunstock. Is that correct?
I am unclear as to whether there is an import duty. Can anyone provide information on import duties?
If there is a duty, is there an exempt amount?
Thanks for any help.

I bought blanks from Denli in Turkey and they shipped air freight. I would tell the seller to ship UPS or Fedx or DHL. They clear packages at customs. There is a tax on gun but none that I know of on wood.
bill

Federal Agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service raided factories and offices of Gibson Guitar in Memphis and Nashville on Wednesday, seizing wood pallets, electronic files and guitars.

Federal authorities are apparently investigating Gibson for the alleged importation and use of illegal wood.

It may be a case of buy your wood and take your chances !!!

Good Luck, Jent

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/feds-raid-guitar-maker%E2%80%A6looking-for-illegal-wood/

Walnut is not an endangered wood.

I will vote for any politician with the Jeffersonian principle of smaller government is best. Holy cow, going after Gibson guitar. Doesn't our government have anything better to do and can't they spend the American taxpayers money better than going after a high end guitar company for using rare wood?

The problem is severalfold.

First, it would spesar that some of the wood was from species listed on the CITES list as threatened or endangered. Importing same without the proper paperwork is a big deal, as much as importing an animal (alive or dead) similarly listed on the CITES list. CITES is a treaty and, as Constitutional scholars know, treaties are the supreme law of the land.

Second, there have been allegations that Gibson was either bringing in "new" wood as "old" (pre-CITES) wood, or otherwise bringing in "new" wood. I don't know the truth of them (that's why they're called "allegations"), but if any of them are true, it's a real problem.

Third, the reason these woods are on the CITES list in the first place is because (a) there's demand for them and (b) there's money behind the demand and (c) the people where these woods grow don't give a hoot about the viability of their ecosystem or the survival of these species when they balance those against ... eating. Moreover, a substantial number of these woods either grow in low density in their original range (i.e., they're uncommon to begin with) and/or never really get too big (so a lot of trees have to be taken to get marketable quantities). For example, macassar ebony (an exquisite wood) as an unmolested tree only rarely grows larger than 8 inches diameter. Veneering your desk with it will consume the better part of a whole tree.

I, too, long for the day when my dad was able to go to the scrap bins at the Martin Guitar factory and get rejected rosewood fingerboards for his project wood. But that day is gone. It's a function of having a world with 7 billion people in it.

the wood Gibson had was cleared by a watch dog organization (I dont know the name) and by the Indian govt.if the wood had be finished in some way or inlay-ed there(India) would have been no problem.per the lacy act, i guess some value added by Indian labor.it is a function of a non union mfg. with a pro union govt.and Gibson's politics.mc

The President (or Chairman?) of Gibson is an outspoken Republican - Not that it could have anything to do with this, but......