# Tree poaching in BC...for guitars?



## Guest (Apr 26, 2009)

I'm a little surprised it'd be musical instrument manufacturers buying this stuff. Most of them seem more in tune with the whole conservation movement than this article gives them credit for.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...tional/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20090425.wpoach0425


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

Even the forestry cop makes sound kinda GAS-sy

_“These trees with these compression marks, once they're sanded and finished they have a beautiful marble look that's very esthetically pleasing.”_


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

iaresee said:


> I'm a little surprised it'd be musical instrument manufacturers buying this stuff. Most of them seem more in tune with the whole conservation movement than this article gives them credit for.
> 
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...tional/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20090425.wpoach0425


At this point that is pure speculation and poor reporting for blaming the guitar builders. It does appear that the poachers are looking for the best "looking" woods near the base of the trees. They are sacrificing entire trees for a small amount of wood from each one.

I've been following this story for a while. It first surfaced on the local mountain bike forums a couple weeks before the news media got wind of it.

Good looking maple is not exclusive to guitars either.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2009)

bobb said:


> At this point that is pure speculation and poor reporting for blaming the guitar builders.


That was my thought as well: show me it's instrument manufacturers before you blame them please.



> Good looking maple is not exclusive to guitars either.


I'd even go so far as to say it's easier to use smaller chunks of nice looking maple for non-instrument purposes. So poaching for the non-instrument stuff would be more lucrative.


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

In addition to the trees that were cut down, others had chunks cut out, most likely as samples.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

You know, when Stanley Park fell victim to nature's savagery a few years ago, and tragically lost a bunch of old growth trees, I sent a note to Linda Manzer and one or two other west coast luthiers, and inquired whether there were any plans to make productive use of them as a sort of musical monument to the park, rather than see them simply turned into paper pulp or shingles. They hadn't thought of that, and expressed some interest, but I never kept tabs on what had happened after that. Poaching, however, was NOT what I was thinking of.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

mhammer said:


> You know, when Stanley Park fell victim to nature's savagery a few years ago, and tragically lost a bunch of old growth trees, I sent a note to Linda Manzer and one or two other west coast luthiers, and inquired whether there were any plans to make productive use of them as a sort of musical monument to the park, rather than see them simply turned into paper pulp or shingles. They hadn't thought of that, and expressed some interest, but I never kept tabs on what had happened after that. Poaching, however, was NOT what I was thinking of.


That would have been fabulous. I know taylor did that for the Liberty Tree and made some stunning Ltd's. Bob Taylor has written some great articles on the subject of ethically harvesting woods in Wood and Steel. It's a pretty fascinating subject and all the Big Companies have a stake in it.

http://www.musicwood.org/index.html


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## Guest (Apr 27, 2009)

Don't be surprised if the trail leads to the docks. Organized crime is most likely behind this. No reputable luthier would tie his name to unethical conduct of this nature (no pun intended), its just bad business. Now, our friends on the other side of the pond, that's another story. They have a reputation for this kind of thing. I could be wrong, but...


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## eric_b (Dec 6, 2008)

It's most likely local guitar builders buying the wood, who may or may not be aware of the source.... IMO it's just some opportunist jerk(s) making a few easy bucks. There is a huge demand for wood like that; the supply is limited. I know two land owners in my area that make a nice side income selling maple for guitar building. Big bucks for the right wood.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

When I attended the Guitar Expo at the Montreal Jazz Festival a coule of years ago (well worth the visit), there were a few people selling wood. One of them was based in Nova Scotia and made a big deal of how the wood was harvested in his brochure; to the point of hauling the felled trees by horse only. This was a guy keeping the hippie spirit alive, in appearance and deed.:smile:


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

A little more on the subject from the Burnaby Mountain Biking Assn.: Maple poachers


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