I believe it is relevant to many drummers on here, that's why I put it here. Many major manufacturers are using bubinga in their builds. It's not just about checking if the wood is legal if bought after January 2nd, it's potentially having to prove that it was supplied pre convention date if you were to ever travel across borders with it. That's something that's relevant information to anyone who currently owns a drum made (either wholly or in parts) of bubinga, or indeed any CITES II listed species.
There's so much bad information in this thread I have no idea where to begin...
Frankly I'm shocked that a guy who's building custom drums, let alone ones made out of solid exotic woods is so uneducated... misguided on CITES.
For starters... people traveling across borders with their personal drums... no reason to worry. There's a "personal use" exception for instruments containing & weighing up to/under 11kg or roughly 25 pounds of protected species.
Also touring acts crossing international borders have little need to worry about instruments they already own. As long as the instrument in question is hand carried, not shipped separately they can cross international borders without paperwork or permits.
If the instruments are traveling on their own its easy enough to apply for papers, basically a "passport" for your gear. Already shipping in trailers? Just another declaration form.
No "receipt of purchase" is going to be enough... nor does it matter when the builders stock was procured or how many decades its spent curing on the rack. Also doesn't matter when the drum/guitar/bagpipes were built. Supplying a photo?! Seriously? WTF??
As a drum builder, and retailer you need to apply for a "Master File" and permits or have your shipments seized. Likewise people who do a lot of wheeling & dealing across borders need to apply for the same permits. Cost is low. Wait is long.
Many people in the guitar universe are already well aware of what's happening and the laws. As of Jan 2 Warmoth has stopped international shipments on some woods until the paperwork clears. Ishibashi in Tokyo has done the same thing. Should be back to normal soon enough but they both applied several months ago.
FWIW the vast majority of this international law & treaty isn't aimed at the MI industry, but more towards both furniture and perfume industries. World wide between guitars, drums, musical instruments in general account for maybe 5% of what's cut down and processed into a finished project.
Woods affected are way more then bubinga. Blackwood, cocobolo, ebony, kingwood, basically ALL rosewoods... Indian (even already protected plantation!); santos etc. Brazilian has been schedule I since 1992. Many other woods are affected as well.
Also worth noting... NONE of this matters unless your crossing an international border. And not all countries recognize CITES regulations.
I'm simply blown away... hopefully you can get educated, circle the wagons and protect your drum building business.
