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It's especially crazy in guitars. My US made Martin D41 retails for over $5000. You can get new chinese knockoffs that are "close" for $250.
eating the seed corn of US industry
The vast majority of student-grade musical instruments for sale in the United States are imported. In a textbook example of globalization, firms take advantage of global production networks to the benefit of consumers and music lovers. Student-grade instruments are mostly manufactured in China and Southeast Asia, whereas master-crafted horns made in the United States can be sold at much higher prices. The US manufacturing base can therefore service the high-end (and higher-margin) market while lower-cost imports provide more bang for the buck for school music programs and cost-sensitive beginner musicians. US musicians typically start on cheaper imported instruments before moving to US-made instruments as their skills progress and pockets deepen. As I've argued before, low-cost imported instruments are the seed corn of the US musical instrument industry's future consumer base.
It's especially crazy in guitars. My US made Martin D41 retails for over $5000. You can get new chinese knockoffs that are "close" for $250.
for quality, you pay
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...ffs-rcna593176Trump pauses 50% tariffs on Canada for 3 days
President Donald Trump late Tuesday slammed the brakes on a wave of tariffs that were set to hit Canada at midnight.
On social media, Trump wrote: “I have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of do ents, have a DEAL!”
Trump did not provide further details, except to refer to the Keystone XL pipeline, which he said “may be awoken from the grave!”
“The deal will include comprehensive market access for all American goods, economic security commitments, digital trade alignment, and many important provisions that will continue to protect our market and American workers, along with our Canadian partners,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a separate social media post.
In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the postponement of tariffs would last until the end of the day Friday.
“Substantial progress has been made, although there is important work still to be done,” he said.
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Haven't checked the acoustics but the baseline quality of cheap electric guitars from Indonesia and the like is stunningly good compared to the past.
yeah, not saying that all chinese acoustic guitars are bad...I have a Yamaha LL-TA that is a great guitar and it's made in China. It will hold it's own with my Martins, especialy using the transacoustic. it's just that they are literally making almost exact visual knockoffs of the higher price Martins only using laminate backs and sides, knock off grovers, etc. You can get a Chinese D45 for $350 instead of $10,000 for a real one. Obviously they don't sound the same but they are being sold to unsophisticated buyers on craigslist and facebook marketplace as "real" Martins. I just saw one on marketplace in New York guy was asking $2000 for a fake D41. I nailed him on it and and he took it down.
I have an Indonesian-made Ibanez ATK bass
Love it
.
Yeah, THAT is bull -- but if you know what you're looking for there are decent solid panel Asian acoustics out there as you said.
All we need to do is tariff the imported beef.
People are saying it will fix everything!
Not that close...
Those Hsienmo guitars that rival a D41 - are more like $1800-2200 ish...some are just as good - some missing the mark-still a good deal but nowhere near $250
Art of the Deal guy doesn't know how deals work or he thinks you don't
In commercial trade, money is exchanged for goods and services
We bought stuff we need and want from Canada, like electricity, potash and heating oil -- under deal terms negotiated by Trump in his first administration -- how is that a ripoff?
Last edited by Winehole23; 08-25-2026 at 09:21 AM.
Trump has lost his ing mind. Just totally deranged. An not a ing one of his flunkys has the balls to stand up to him and tell him he is ing up.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/27/trum...h-tariffs.htmlU.S. considers fresh round of tariffs on semiconductors, report says
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is reportedly considering new tariffs on U.S. semiconductors, as tech giants race to beat China in the AI infrastructure buildout.
The duties will be imposed on an expanded range of tech products made alongside chips, including laptops, data center servers, and gaming hardware, eight people familiar with the matter told Politico in a report published Thursday.
The measures, which are still in the early phases and subject to significant changes over the next few months, will be introduced via a staggered roll-out period, according to the report.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC, but told Politico: “Reshoring semiconductor manufacturing is a top priority for President Trump, whose policies have already secured hundreds of billions of dollars of investments in this key sector.”
...
I hope he does it
Trumplandia isn't ready for the swiftness of Trump's descent into loserdom
Trump is ing US industry
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business...ariff-threats/Canada’s aluminum industry is not worried about U.S. tariffs continuing into the new year.
While Canadian domestic producers will absorb the loss of U.S. business and find other customers, the U.S. will find it nearly impossible to replace its cheapest supplier, says Jean Simard, president and chief executive officer at Aluminum Association of Canada.
“We wish them good luck,” says Simard.
The U.S. depends on Canada for 75 per cent of its imported primary aluminum, covering 60 per cent of its yearly usage, the association says.
With 50 per cent tariffs in place, he says American industries, not Canadian smelters, will bear the brunt of the financial pain, as U.S. manufacturers face soaring production costs.
“They’re pricing themselves out of export markets because, basically, they’re paying US$1500 to US$2,000 a tonne more for the metal than their compe ors in Europe are paying for,” says Simard.
what a dumb , literally does not know how capitalism works
"you can be a food processor now"
"you need to build processing facilities, hire more people and do way more work -- problem solved!"
encouraging ranchers to take out massive capex loans might not go over so well with a cohort already squeezed by tariffs, high fertilizer and fuel costs -- and long accustomed to compensatory government subsidies
Last edited by Winehole23; 08-28-2026 at 10:51 AM.
NO TRADE, NO PROBLEM
We don't need their product... So, if we cut off trade with that country, we just made $40 billion.
You do a few countries like that, and we become a big money machine.
(no potash, no heating oil, no electricity for New England, no tar sands crude for midwest refineries, no problem)
https://africa.businessinsider.com/l...rtners/kcfvnscThe world’s second-largest economy just decided, with one of its top African partners, to do away with the use of the US dollar
The East Asian nation presented this idea to Egypt, one of its largest trading partners in Africa, after the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, made a historic visit to Cairo.
In a joint statement, the two heads of state advocated for an increase in trade and investment settlements denominated in their respective national currencies, as seen on Xinhuanet.
Additionally, both countries agreed to increase their local currency swap agreement, as reported by DailyNewsEgypt.
As earlier reported, China's President arrived in Egypt on Tuesday, his first visit to the Arab world's most populous nation in a decade.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Xi at Cairo International Airport, where they walked a long red carpet flanked by uniformed soldiers, folk dancers, and young Egyptians waving Chinese flags.
During the visit, both presidents discussed cooperation across several sectors including construction, energy, manufacturing, and agriculture.
Both leaders also witnessed the signing of several memorandums of Understanding between business en ies from both countries.
The event, which marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China, also saw them agree to trade in their local currencies.
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Trump is a dunce, commercial trade is not zero-sum
Trump thinks that if you pay somebody $10 for a burrito than you have lost the $10, like it has been stolen from you. He's not pretending; this is literally the basis of his trade policy
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