Import Guitars = No American Job Creation

[MrSandMan]

I just read a debate on another message forum about buying imported guitars is helping to destroy American economy. Other folks provided a valid argument with "if you buy anything from Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, then you have no right to judge or talk"

I wrote a long spew on my thought on the matter. It'd be fun to hear your opinions.

Here's my argument--

It's interesting reading other opinions on guitars that are being imported into the United States. Personally, I don't blame people looking for value products for a bargain price. I think we should throw a little blame at USA guitar makers (such as Gibson) who could easily build an equally quality guitar for a more realistic price. But since their guitars are stamped "Made in USA" on the headstock, it automatically gives them entitlement to sell the guitar for over $1,200-$1,500.

I think if any player walked into a guitar store to buy a guitar and checked out two axes; one stamped "Made in China" priced $399. And the other stamped "Made in USA" priced $599. I'm almost willing to bet that guy would pay the extra $200 to walk away with the USA made guitar...

There is no reason why USA guitar makers (with CNC technology) can't make and sell guitars for under $600 and still flip a decent profit.

China think our politicians are stupid... and they're right. They export their products to sell to us... we buy it up like crazy as our dollar goes to China, and then they loan our dollar back to us for interest. All this while American made products don't export to China. Think about it. They get our dollar, we get their crap, then they loan our money back to us.

We should tax the living hell out of China (imports) and cut taxes on American production factories and American businesses. Who's with me?

Sorry, thats just my soap box of the day.

[stvnford]

In the British Politcal response.....

HEAR HEAR...

I'm with ya!!!

[nomadh]

The other side of this is: We get great stuff , like guitars, and we give them worthless paper. What a bunch of suckers.

What you are saying is true and what I'm saying will become true. If we keep treating our economy like a never ending magic well our money will become worthless and we will become a 3rd world nation. Believing that it can't happen is the guaranteed way to make it happen.
Also a lot of the cost of an american product is regulatory cost. EPA, workers beni's, paperwork compliance. Maybe we just need to say that if these things are important then they are important for any product we buy. If we buy a guitar the mfg needs to pay min wage, follow our hiring guidlines and pollution laws. Oh and then pay to prove they followed them. We will be exporting epa workers to countries importing to us.
That would be the end of my $100 guitar collecting days.
Bet that would level the playing field