Ask most rock musicians and they’ll agree that Gibson make some of the best guitars money can buy. The US Government however might not agree.

America’s Federal Government is once again targeting the Tennessee-based instrument manufacturer over concerns that the non-union company may be constructing its guitars from illegal wood collected from ‘protected forests.’

This time however, musicians are in the cross-fire, as federal agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife branch are poised to target the summer concert season in a bid to repossess instruments of rock stars using Gibson guitars. Including the likes of Paul McCartney, Sheryl Crow, Van Halen, and particularly Ted Nugent.

According to Fox News many of these artists possess vintage instruments and guitars from Gibson that are “made from exotic woods that were outlawed by a 2008 amendment to the Lacey Act.” A tariff that was passed in a move to “protect the American forest products industry by adding wood to the century-old Lacey Act.”

The catalyst for these draconian events began last August, when the same amendment was cited as the justification for a government-led raid on two Gibson Guitar Factories.

On August 24, 2011, US agents raided the Nashville and Memphis facilities of Gibson Guitar Company, guns drawn, in search of proof that the the 117-year-old guitar makers were using illegal lumber and wood sourced from ‘protected forests’ in the construction of their instruments.

Over $US 1m worth of rosewood, ebony and stocks of lumber were seized under the justification of an ongoing court case entitled “United States of America v. Ebony Wood in Various Forms,” but even months after the incursions, no guilty evidence ever turned up. Nor were any charges from the Justice Department filed gainst Gibson.

Following the raids, Gibson CEO Henry Juskiewciz told Reuters that the armed raids were a “clear overreach” of government power. Noting a sinister tone in that the property seized was done “without any charges having been filed.” According to Gibson’s press release, they had “fully co-operated with the execution of the search warrants.”

Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents are gearing up to target musicians heading out on their summer tours. One US Senator, Tennesse Republican Lamar Alexander, has come out in defence of touring artists. Telling Fox News, ““I don’t want the musicians from Nashville who are flying to Canada to perform this summer to worry about the government seizing their guitars.”

Alexander went on to say he believes that the Obama administration is abusing the amendment to justify their actions, in that the Lacey Act, “was not intended to seize instruments made of wood harvested before 2008.”

It still remains unclear who is actually spearheading these raids, and for what purpose? The Feds may be claiming they’re upholding international law, but in doing so – and harassing Gibson and its world-famous clients – they’re contravening constitutional law. All over stopping one particular company’s importing policies?

Pointedly, Gibson seems to be only company that has come under attack, Anthony Martin of The Examiner noting that Martin Guitars, “one of Gibson’s closest competitors… is operated by a major Democrat-supporter and uses wood from the same sources as Gibson. But Martin has never been harassed.”

Martin also speculates why the US Fish and Wildlife are “citing a law in a foreign nation with regard to a U.S. company that adheres to U.S. laws?” A pertinent question.

While most musicians haven’t commented on being potential targets and having their instruments repossessed, the always fiery Ted Nugent posted a statement on Human Events, defying “Fedzilla” to claim his beloved Gibson guitars.

“I am the Great White Buffalo and I play an American-made Gibson guitar that can blow your head clean off at 100 paces,” said the first-amendment defender. “Now if we can just blow the head clean off the Fedzilla beast in November, this sort of government abuse will come to an end, of that I am certain.”

Nugent wrestling government agents over pyrotechnics at an arena show? That would be something to see.

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