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Articles like this turn my stomach.

Local News   Maples falling

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Aoibeann

I own a sawmill and I am also a member of several worldwide sawmill owners orgainzations so I know a little about what I am talking about here.

The CITES  treaty has caused undue pressure on the normal supply chain of tonewoods that have come out of central and south america for eons. Because of this, luthiers and other wood workers are now turning to home grown woods that will suit their needs. While this causes some demands on domestic woods, it is not the REAL problem.

China is buying ship loads of all kinds of woods. Some of these woods are still in log form. They will buy just about anything and then mill and process it into cheap furniture, and knobs and handles and anyhting wood can be used for instead of plastic. This comes right back to the Industrialized world as cheap furniture.... guitars, etc.

Now, the chinese have got into making musical instruments. CHeck out ebay and see how many  sub $100 guitars you can buy on there now. These instruments are sporting sitka spruce, BRW, Koa... you name it, they make instruments out of it. What a waste of good wood!

As CHina comes into the industrial age and begins to trade on the open market, you can expect that some supply-side staples that we use every day will become commodities. This includes gasoline, steel, wood, and food. Seen any increases in the price of these items lately?

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Reguards,

Ken H

Can you imagine buying a sub $100 guitar with mastergrade sitka and koa? Would it be worth buying just to take apart and build a better guitar?
In a related issue:
I too feel the effects of china. I get alot of inquiries for custom furniture. I explain that I can design and build anything that they would like but I do not compete with china nor cabinet shops. That tends to limit my customer base to the one's that know what they will get and are willing to pay for it. Such seems the case with these beautiful custom instruments that you all build and showcase here.
chris

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Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

There are few things said here that I cannot agree.

First is this idea that industrialised western countries have some special rights to buy raw materials and cheap labour from less developed, often third world countries, and call that as a normal supply chain to support our needs.

But when those countries develope own industry and start using their own sources, even buying stuff from global trade, it is some kind of a misuse of open markets? And afer all, who is selling the stuff for them and who is buying the commodities? Who is to blame and for what?

Go Cites!  Go fair trade!

[QUOTE=J.L.K. Vesa] There are few things said here that I cannot agree.First is this idea that industrialised western countries have some special rights to buy raw materials and cheap labour from less developed, often third world countries, and call that as a normal supply chain to support our needs.But when those countries develope own industry and start using their own sources, even buying stuff from global trade, it is some kind of a misuse of open markets? And afer all, who is selling the stuff for them and who is buying the commodities? Who is to blame and for what?Go Cites!  Go fair trade!
[/QUOTE]

y'know what? he's talking sense!!

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