Don’t be afraid of CITES

DSC_0016_1 copiaThere has been some considerable turmoil about CITES especially among the guitar-makers as we have had to jump through quite a few hoops in order to legally export rosewood guitars. However, for the clients it really doesn’t make much of a difference. Of course I am talking about those woods in appendix II, not Brazillian. There are a few countries which apparently require an import permit as well as the export permit (we take care of the latter) but I have yet to come accross any of those. No permit required at all from one EU country to another and you can travel anywhere with your instrument after you get it home thanks to the personal effects exemption. You will really only be affected if you wish to sell your guitar overseas someday and then you will be applying for permits. P1020457

So go ahead and order that Amazon rosewood guitar, drool over the African Blackwood back that looks so good on the maker’s webpage and especially breathe in that smell deeply (and breathe easy) when your Indian rosewood baby arrives in the UPS truck. Although some makers have Brazillian, I personally would not purchase an instrument made with it as travelling with it requires some complicated documentation and selling it might present problems as well.P1010080