PRS Modern Eagle I Custom Built for USA Only

[RodRockMixing]

Hello PRS lovers. I bought a PRS Modern Eagle guitar. The seller says it is the ME 1 model. On the back of the headstock it says “Custom Built for USA only”. But despite this the serial number is 12 196828. I was confused. There is a story of a lawsuit filed by the Brazilian government to prevent Rosewood from being sold. It seems to me that PRS wouldn't be able to sell guitars with Rosewood necks for some time. Could anyone with experience confirm this story? Is it possible that a Modern Eagle I was only completed in 2012? Another question, can the inlays be cast? I would like to thank you very much in advance for everyone's help. I wish I could post a photo of this guitar here for you to evaluate but I don't know how.

Picture of the Modern Eagle

 

[Utkarsh]

Hello PRS lovers. I bought a PRS Modern Eagle guitar. The seller says it is the ME 1 model. On the back of the headstock it says “Custom Built for USA only”. But despite this the serial number is 12 196828. I was confused. There is a story of a lawsuit filed by the Brazilian government to prevent Rosewood from being sold. It seems to me that PRS wouldn't be able to sell guitars with Rosewood necks for some time. Could anyone with experience confirm this story? Is it possible that a Modern Eagle I was only completed in 2012? Another question, can the inlays be cast? I would like to thank you very much in advance for everyone's help. I wish I could post a photo of this guitar here for you to evaluate but I don't know how.

Picture of the Modern Eagle

There are modern eagle 1s from 2012. That was the NOS run, made from guitars and wood that had previously been blocked from being used but was released. They were in varying states of finish so they have varying specs. Like some of them, including mine, have 57 08s

 

[vchizzle]

Yes. ME 1 production was halted for a time and some sat at the factory until years later, hence the later production year.

 

[Maertl513]

The challenge is CITES I.
US only in this regard says - from my European point of view - trading limited to the United States of America (w/o any certificate of origin of that particular rosewood).
Any other trades outside fall under personal risk, breaking law and being faced with the likeliness, that besides penalty fees the instrument will be confiscated (and destroyed).

 

[shinksma]

There is a story of a lawsuit filed by the Brazilian government to prevent Rosewood from being sold.

As noted by the other replies, but for completeness:

Not a lawsuit by the Brazilian Govt - it is an international treaty, CITES I, backed up by national laws of most countries, that forbids the harvesting of Brazzy Rosewood since 1992 (and the use of such wood for anything) - the Brazzy rosewood used in any build since then needs to have a papertrail establishing that it was harvested prior to that date. Importing or exporting Brazzy RW is very, very difficult, even with paperwork.

Because of that papertrail requirement, you also need to prove the instrument built links to that paperwork, which is a burden most manufacturers don't want to deal with, so they simply make sure the wood is legal, and mark it in such a way that you know you cannot export it. The US allows manufacturers to sell such instruments with no further requirements, but from what I gather some countries require you to register such items (there was a different thread on Brazzy RW here very recently).

Some PRS guitars got caught up in a paperwork snafu for a few years when the provenance of some Brazzy RW was called into question - it got sorted, and eventually the guitars completed and sold. I have a Brazzy-fretboard Korina Soapy McCarty that is one example = started in 2007, finished in 2013.

Your ME I would be another example.

I wonder if Brazzy RW trees will ever recover to the point that sensible harvesting will be allowed (like 100 years from now), or if it will just be too big a temptation to abuse, or as a species we'll fail to protect anything long-term, and we'll all die of starvation holding plastic single-use spoons...

 

[Simon Says]

I wonder if Brazzy RW trees will ever recover to the point that sensible harvesting will be allowed (like 100 years from now),

Would be quicker if you plant yourself a tree

15 Dalbergia nigra Seeds, Brazilian Rosewood, Rio Rosewood Seeds Bulk Seeds

A medium-sized to large tree with pinnate foliage and white, scented flowers, Its very attractive, hard, heavy and very colorful, red to purplish brown wood is highly prized for musical instruments, especially guitars. The tree also makes a reasonable ornamental for the tropics

seedsandsmiles.com

 

[dogrocketp]

What a great idea, Simon! I wonder what the climate range is for dalbergia?

 

[shinksma]

What a great idea, Simon! I wonder what the climate range is for dalbergia?

Since Brazzy RW grows in Brazil (duh, thanks Captain Obvious), and the other rosewoods (e.g. Indian Rosewood) grow in similar near-equatorial regions, I would guess within 20 deg of the equator.

Honduras rosewood, Dalbergia stevensoni, grows in Honduras (again, duh), which is about 13 deg N. But Indian rosewood seems to grow further north that that.

But for Brazzy RW, Dalbergia Nigra, it appears to grow in specific coastal climates south of the Amazon River, as far south as Sao Paulo at ~25degS.

I am curious about the availability of those BRW tree seeds - I would have thought those would as controlled as the wood, to ensure no silly games of "oh no, this is BRW from trees grown in my backyard".

 

[Jo-]

Since Brazzy RW grows in Brazil (duh, thanks Captain Obvious), and the other rosewoods (e.g. Indian Rosewood) grow in similar near-equatorial regions, I would guess within 20 deg of the equator.

Honduras rosewood, Dalbergia stevensoni, grows in Honduras (again, duh), which is about 13 deg N. But Indian rosewood seems to grow further north that that.

But for Brazzy RW, Dalbergia Nigra, it appears to grow in specific coastal climates south of the Amazon River, as far south as Sao Paulo at ~25degS.

I am curious about the availability of those BRW tree seeds - I would have thought those would as controlled as the wood, to ensure no silly games of "oh no, this is BRW from trees grown in my backyard".

That’s not Brazilian Rosewood. That’s the finest Connecticut Rosewood I have growing here.

Hmmmmm think that would work?

 

[Simon Says]

I got them seeds. I will likely **** it up with English winter, but it was only a tenner with free shipping. With my luck, they will email me a picture of a rosewood tree only. But if it will be sent, accepted in the UK, and especially if something grows out of it, you will be notified.

 

[Rod/]

Huummm. I wonder if you could grow Brazilian Rosewood trees in a greenhouse that could replicate tropical weather?
How long do those trees take to grow?

 

[Simon Says]

Huummm. I wonder if you could grow Brazilian Rosewood trees in a greenhouse that could replicate tropical weather?
How long do those trees take to grow?

They grow up to 80ft high. Bit much for a greenhouse

 

[Rod/]

They grow up to 80ft high. Bit much for a greenhouse

I see your point….

 

[dilznik]

Yep. A buddy of mine has one. ME I, brw neck, RPs, 2012.