The State of Ebony

Bob's going to corner the market on Richlite next. Then Gibson and Martin will really be in trouble. ;)
 
Now I'm really curious about the story behind Mexican Ebony I have been seeing on PRS models for the last couple of years.
 
11top said:
Different wood completely. Katalox is not a true ebony.
Click to expand...

Wait...Mexican Ebony or whatever they call it isn't Ebony it's Katalox?

Edit...
Just Googled it. Commonly called by either. Mexican Ebony does sound cooler . Like maybe a scorpion once are a bug on it.
 
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jfb said:
Wait...Mexican Ebony or whatever they call it isn't Ebony it's Katalox?

Edit...
Just Googled it. Commonly called by either. Mexican Ebony does sound cooler . Like maybe a scorpion once are a bug on it.
Click to expand...

If I had to sell Katalox, I think I would use a different name to - it sounds like medicine.
 
Unless someone can prove otherwise, the facts of the video are that:

1 – Ebony is not an infinite resource
2 – The last place to get legal ebony is Cameroon
3 – Bob Taylor bought a company that has 75% market share of the licence to cut ebony trees in the country
4 – They cut down 10 trees to get 1, 9 are left to rot
5 – They pay the workers the same for what was B Grade trees

Don't take my word for it though, the US State Department has recognised it too.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/news/2...-for-corporate-excellence-us-state-department

Bob Taylor was going to make money from the ebony trade whether they continued the way it was doing things (cutting down 10 trees to get 1) or uses all 10 of them. It just means now they don't need to cut so many trees, and that the market will use all the trees. There won't be 10 times more guitars or violins made. It just means instead of running out in 10 years, it will last 100 years. With proper planning and sustainable programmes of tree planting, this should mean the ebony trees won't be extinct and be a sustainable trade for generations to come.

My Taylor T5 2013 is not jet black, it has slight hint of blonde in it, 2 years before that it wouldn't have happened, that tree would've been left rotting on the ground. Is it better that it was used or left to rot? I for one is glad it was used because the blonde is beautiful and would be a tragedy and a crime to waste it really. You can think Taylor guitar is using the video as a way to get away with using B Grade stock but lets face it, would you want to run out of ebony wood? Or would you want it to last for generations?
 
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Way further back than two years ago, try early 90"s, many, if not all companies were dying their ebony. For the record, even when ebony was plentiful, it was rare to see a perfect piece of all black ebony. Bob's forest is not gonna last that long. There is a reason it is the last one. So many mahogany forest have went away, just as the Brazillian rosewood tree is all but lost forever.
 
Audie said:
Way further back than two years ago, try early 90"s, many, if not all companies were dying their ebony. For the record, even when ebony was plentiful, it was rare to see a perfect piece of all black ebony. Bob's forest is not gonna last that long. There is a reason it is the last one. So many mahogany forest have went away, just as the Brazillian rosewood tree is all but lost forever.
Click to expand...

That is one of the points I took from the video is that certain tone woods that are used to make guitars (not just Ebony) were completely extinct in some countries and almost extinct in others. Sure, maybe Ebony is safe at the moment but who wants a guitar wihout Mahogany or Rosewood?
 
11top said:
Also, while black ebony is certainly beautiful, I also love the uniqueness of the "colored" pieces.

Thanks for posting, Richard.
Click to expand...

I'm right there with ya... but the simple fact that colored ebony is so much more abundant than black ebony, I don't know how "unique" it really is, lol. Unfortunately I can see people taking this b-grade wood and selling it as a luxury because of how new it is to us.

Obviously Taylor cornered the ebony market as a business decision... but can anyone really blame him for doing so? Its definitely one hell of a good purchase as string instrument makers and players will always want it. I don't doubt his intentions for wanting to conserve what's left. Just because he owns the market now, doesn't mean he isn't passionate about the environment.

You often see people who have a deep love for something work harder to make sure it stays, you see it in hunters and fishermen all the time... as both myself, yes we take fish and other animals, whether for food or sport, but more often than not we work to save the environment around us so we don't destroy it, and the population of animals.
 
"Also, while black ebony is certainly beautiful, I also love the uniqueness of the "colored" pieces. "

I agree completely about "the uniqueness of the "colored" pieces." Wood is a beautiful material. Variations within a given species usually add to that beauty. Curly Maple, quilted Maple, crotch, burl etc. So why not Ebony?

One of, if not the most unique of all wood species is only acceptable in one variation?! Pure black? Hey...... Am I the only one scratching my head on this one?

In all of N. America, no wood lover, wood connoisseurs, woodworker, craftsman, artist, architect of fine guitars, or consumer exists that could possibly find interest in any other type of ebony but pure black? I havent seen that much Gabon/African Ebony on the market that isn't all or mostly black.

I think if there was more out there more people would be interested.

Matter of fact that's a good thread topic.


Semi
 
Reminds me of when you buy a leather jacket (or other leather product) and it comes with tag stating, "Leathers often bears the scars and imperfections that the animal accumulated during its life and this is what makes every hide unique and tells the story of the animals' life..."

Isn't this applicable to any naturally occurring material?
 
richardlpalmer said:
Reminds me of when you buy a leather jacket (or other leather product) and it comes with tag stating, "Leathers often bears the scars and imperfections that the animal accumulated during its life and this is what makes every hide unique and tells the story of the animals' life..."

Isn't this applicable to any naturally occurring material?
Click to expand...


I agree completely. I think I will start my figured Gabon Ebony thread tonight. I want to see what you guys think about some of the other Gabon Ebony that is not often seen on the market, allegedly due to the demand for pure black only.

(i.e.)-



oops, gotta update my image shack...

Updated.


Semi
 
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richardlpalmer said:
Reminds me of when you buy a leather jacket (or other leather product) and it comes with tag stating, "Leathers often bears the scars and imperfections that the animal accumulated during its life and this is what makes every hide unique and tells the story of the animals' life..."

Isn't this applicable to any naturally occurring material?
Click to expand...

Yes. But a little lady wearing a black dress in a formal concert hall (or The White House) playing a violin solo to a theater full of very well dressed music lovers is going to want an all black Ebony finger board. In certain situations, the appearance is important. For all the other times and places, I would probably be happy with a figured Ebony fretboard.
 
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