Vintage guitar - CITES inspection at LAX
Apr 2, 2019, 3:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: PER
Programs: QF WP, SQ TPPS
Posts: 199
Vintage guitar - CITES inspection at LAX
Hi folks,
I'm travelling to Australia with a 1969 vintage guitar made of Brazilian Rosewood which in the "dire extinction" category of CITES (due largely to furniture makers, not guitar makers, but let's not go there...) I've organized the necessary export permit. What happens on day of travel? I understand the permit needs to get stamped and somebody will want to inspect the guitar, but where exactly is that done? Is there a USDA or FWS station at TBIT that I go to? Hopefully not an extra-terminal jaunt...!
Hopefully somebody will have done this before out of LAX?!
Thanks!
I'm travelling to Australia with a 1969 vintage guitar made of Brazilian Rosewood which in the "dire extinction" category of CITES (due largely to furniture makers, not guitar makers, but let's not go there...) I've organized the necessary export permit. What happens on day of travel? I understand the permit needs to get stamped and somebody will want to inspect the guitar, but where exactly is that done? Is there a USDA or FWS station at TBIT that I go to? Hopefully not an extra-terminal jaunt...!
Hopefully somebody will have done this before out of LAX?!
Thanks!
Apr 2, 2019, 4:35 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Programs: US Gold
Posts: 627
I wish I could help you, but CITES is the reason I wouldn't want to travel with such a special guitar. I'm guessing you're a professional and have no choice. Good luck. (I was very grateful when the law came out that my own guitar is made of various very blonde woods that can't be confused with rosewood!)
wg
wg
Apr 2, 2019, 5:40 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: PER
Programs: QF WP, SQ TPPS
Posts: 199
Pro, me? Haha - people pay me to stop...
No, just bought it and working out how to get it home... This is my first time as well, hence the question about the logistics. Hopefully it won't be too onerous.
No, just bought it and working out how to get it home... This is my first time as well, hence the question about the logistics. Hopefully it won't be too onerous.
Apr 3, 2019, 2:42 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,056
Try calling the local inspector's office with FWS: https://www.fws.gov/offices/Director...?OrgCode=99166
LAX is a big enough airport that FWS probably keeps an office there; hopefully you don't actually have to go to Torrance.
LAX is a big enough airport that FWS probably keeps an office there; hopefully you don't actually have to go to Torrance.
Apr 3, 2019, 11:57 am
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MIA/SJU/MCO
Programs: AA LT PLT; DL GLD, UA nothing, B6 Mosaic; Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 3,331
Fellow guitar player here. Here's a link that's guided my travels.
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/blog/201...ewood-guitars/
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/blog/201...ewood-guitars/
If your guitar or instrument was made before 2nd January 2017, you won’t need any certification to travel with your guitar. In addition, the law only requires you to produces a CITES Certificate if you’re carrying over 10kg of Rosewood,which is highly unlikely – you do have to travel WITH your guitar though.
Apr 3, 2019, 7:41 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: PER
Programs: QF WP, SQ TPPS
Posts: 199
@mkt - thanks for that link, that's interesting reading, albeit from a European perspective. I've been consulting other sources as well and I suspect this article relates to all other species of Rosewood (East Indian etc.) since they were listed on CITES Appendix II in 2017. Brazilian Rosewood was listed in Appendix I in 1992 and is more strictly regulated, I know that Australian customs require a US export permit which needs to be stamped on exiting the USA, so no way around this, I'm afraid.
In fact in a comment halfway down the page, the author does say this:
In fact in a comment halfway down the page, the author does say this:
Lee Glynn3rd April 2018
Hi Bill, as it's under 10kg of Rosewood being exported you should be fine exporting that guitar with the US CITES certificate, based on what we know of the CITES regulations so far. As it's Brazilian rosewoood, you will need the US CITES certification at all times, so best to keep it on hand. Lee
Apr 22, 2019, 7:24 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: PER
Programs: QF WP, SQ TPPS
Posts: 199
So, I managed to contact FWS. Here's how it works: Apply for (up to 90 days in advance!) and receive necessary permits, submitting eDecs etc as necessary. 48hrs prior to departure, phone the local FWS station and book an appointment for an FWS officer to inspect and validate your permit(s). On the day of departure, the FWS officer will meet you as arranged, usually at the check in counter area to complete the inspection and sign off the permit(s). Inspections organized after hours are subject to a (currently $200) fee.
Hopefully that's useful for somebody down the line...
Hopefully that's useful for somebody down the line...
Apr 19, 2020, 6:35 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kanto
Programs: Skypass/Krisflyer
Posts: 75
JAL NRT to SAN with guitar
I'll be flying back to San Diego from Tokyo in a few months and I have a Sakurai classical guitar that I am anxious to keep safe.
I'll be flying JAL and I wondered if they might let me put it in their onboard closet if I fly business class. Does anyone have experience with instruments on JAL?
I guess I also have to check that this guitar does not have Brazilian rosewood. I think it is Indian rosewood. It was made in 2010, and I think the date is important as far as the rosewood goes.
Any first hand information on these questions would be gratefully received .
Thanks much.
I'll be flying JAL and I wondered if they might let me put it in their onboard closet if I fly business class. Does anyone have experience with instruments on JAL?
I guess I also have to check that this guitar does not have Brazilian rosewood. I think it is Indian rosewood. It was made in 2010, and I think the date is important as far as the rosewood goes.
Any first hand information on these questions would be gratefully received .
Thanks much.