pipemakersforum.com

this might be of interest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anCGvfsBoFY

longneckers

Very, very informative and interesting!
In a way we are also extremely picky about briar, but that doesn't make any country's economy worse, nor the workers' who harvest it - we pay (or rather the cutter, who the understandably transfers the price on us) full price for harvested briar, whether it's spotless or eaten through by bugs.
I think ebony with light colored streaks is very beautiful. I just don't really like the brown/gray shades. Still, a beautiful wood nevertheless. And respect to that man from the Taylor company who actually took the time and effort to understand the situation and make it better.

total ebony nut here.

ivory and ebony is totaly sick. this is (not ) my work


work in progress wood is still moving so i have set it a side for another year ebony thuya

Pure black ebony is cool, but I have always used ebony with some color. I like the character it adds to a piece, and as Mr. Taylor said, it's very rare, so I horde the small stash I have like Gollum and his ring...

Good for Bob Taylor. I'm always a little skeptical of these PR speeches, but he sure did a good show of it. There's a lot of politics in the harvesting of exotic woods, as the Gibson fiasco will reveal (they weren't exactly the helpless victims of the evil US government that so many guitarists wanted them to be).
Of course, who knows if this was Taylor's noble decision or if this is simply what the market demanded, and Taylor's trying to give it a good spin with the customers. It's worth mentioning as well that this is just a small step. There are lots of cheap, local species of wood that sound and look great, but the guitar market is very laden with tradition, so if it's not mahogany or rosewood (or maple; there are a few other exceptions) it's hardly an option. This is probably the customers' fault as much as the guitar companies. I built my guitar with sycamore back and sides; it's very striking visually and sounds wonderful. Best of all? I got all the sycamore I needed for $10. Crazy!