Sorry Dave but I think you can forget it! I mean a very well organized company like Martin has a 'more or less' official cut-off date for the use of Brazilian rosewood and so far we've see many exceptions to that rule.
Guild started using East Indian Rosewood as early as 1963 and you'll find both Brazilian and East Indian on Guild guitars up till the end of the '60s and into the very early '70s, sometimes even mixed on the same instrument. Brazilian is pretty rare though after 1971 but occasionally you will find one that has it.
During the first half of the '70s Guild used a lot of Indian rosewood with unusual wild looking grain, or I should say wilder-looking grain than the straight grain material we normally associate with East Indian rosewood. People often take that for Brazilian, which it is not.
As far as fingerboards and bridges is concerned, you will find Brazilian rosewood used for that up to the end of the '70s. Again there doesn't seem to be a fixed date because the different species were both used all through the '70s. I do not know if Guild just had a big stock or that the supplier of the woods or parts still offered it at that time.
When the Westerly plant closed in 2001, there was still a box with Brazilian rosewood bridges in the repair department.
I was able to get some and I assume some of the other Westerly gang members got some as well.
Some of these bridges look really nice. If I can find the time I will make a picture later!
Sincerely,
Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
