Not sure if this got posted, but it is an interesting article (from the Business section of the LA Times, no less. Remember, Taylor is made here in SoCal; like Fender). If Fender needs Ebony, think they'll buy it from Taylor? They're only about 75 miles from each other, just up the I15.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-t ... 5909.story

Hi WTS: interesting. Taylor and Martin are usually in the lead on these things, and that's an imaginative step to take. Best of all will be when we see them creating ebony and rosewood plantations, so those timbers can be farmed the same economic and sustainable way that's done in developed countries. Of course, that's a very long term proposition, but then Martin in particular are in this business for the long haul. And people have already been setting up tropical timber plantations (so far mostly teak) in the Caribbean, so it's not as far fetched as it might once have sounded.

Luckily, Leo configured Fender electrics to use very little tropical hardwood so all of this is much less of an issue for them. But as you say, it would be fascinating if they became a customer for Taylor's fingerboard blanks.

Thanks for posting.

Cheers - C

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I wouldn't set foot in that mill. Ebony is a $@!&* to work with with all the dust that comes off it. You end up sneezing black .

Gibson could learn a thing or two from Taylor in this regard.

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Rated "M" for meaty.

Interesting article. Fender never produced too many guitars with ebony. I don't think they've made one in years unless it came from the Custom Shop order.

'04 AD QMT Strat with an ebony board.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

"Gibson has said that it didn't violate U.S. or foreign laws in importing the wood and has mounted an aggressive campaign to clear its name,"

I guess we can expect another jump in Gibson pricing sometime in the near future so that we can pay for their legal expenses.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

I hope there's a jump in quality as well. Baked maple? Isn't that what Starcasters use?

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Good thing we don't get all the government we pay for.

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.

Thanks for posting WTS! Cool article! If it's a trend, it is a good one!

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.