Yeah but next chance to get it right is 2019! I still can't believe they were so short sighted with all this when they made the rule up. Also why aren't all used instruments exempt from this (same with use of abalone etc.)?
They
are, with the exception of any substance that's on "Schedule1", which is the strictest form of regulation like Brazilian rosewood and walrus tusk.
Even then, you can get a personal instrument "passport" for your on instrument.
Also anything that was made
before it was CITES listed is categorized as "pre-CITES" and also exempt.
The hurdle is, proving how old your instrument is.
THIS is why they listed all unlisted Rosewoods effective January this year:
"The enforcement and the regime needs to be the same for everybody," Handy said, "because when there starts to be exemptions or exclusions in the system, we've seen time and time again that those that are trying to avoid the regulations and get around them find their way."
To think that a customs officer can confiscate a 200 year old violin in the name of "conservation" just does my head in.
There is in fact an instrument exemption for pre-CITES instruments.
Granted it's burdensome but the method is in place:
From here
https://www.fws.gov/international/permits/by-activity/musical-instruments.html :
"Musical instrument certificate (“passport”) for frequent cross-border non-commercial movement of a musical instrument containing species listed under CITES and/or the ESA
To ease the paperwork burden on musicians traveling with musical instruments made from CITES-listed species, the United States put forward a proposal at the 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to implement a passport program that would facilitate the frequent non-commercial, cross-border movement of musical instruments for purposes including, but not limited to personal use, performance, display, and competition with the issuance of just one document.
If you are intending to make multiple border crossings with your musical instrument that contains a CITES or ESA-listed species, you should complete application form 3-200-88.
Before traveling with your CITES- listed musical instrument, we recommend that you contact the national CITES authorities in the countries to which you are traveling. For a complete list of national CITES authorities, click here.
For more information on traveling internationally with your musical instrument, click here pdf
For general information on CITES permit requirements, click here pdf.