Musicians, transporting instruments with endangered materials, face strict rules, with ignorance offering no defence against penalties, including confiscation. With global demand rising and materials like Pernambuco and Ebony under threat, the instrument-making world is bracing for increased restrictions, emphasizing the need for players to grasp the complex regulations governing their craft.

Nestled along Brazil's coast, the Pernambuco tree, crucial for bowmaking, faces a perilous decline due to deforestation. CITES, recognizing its plight in 2007, imposed protective measures. Recent heightened restrictions demand bowmakers increase self-regulation. Vermont Violins and others limit Pernambuco sales to certified legality, emphasizing the urgent need for responsible sourcing. In this delicate interplay between commerce and conservation, the future of Pernambuco wood rests in the hands of those who craft and play its unique symphony.

Ebony has long been the dominant wood used for fingerboards on violins. It is strong and acts like a splint to keep the weaker maple necks straight as an arrow, and it is visually beautiful.

But ebony is a threatened wood.