Have you noticed any prices going up for guitars or other hardware?

[Reid Rosefelt]

One of my favorite companies is Eastwood Guitars. They make re-imagined versions of classic guitars, with different designs, pickups, colors, etc. I bought a beautiful 12-String electric from them last year called the Classic 12. It listed at $699. I got it for 40% off, or something like $420. I think their stuff is made in Indonesia. The Classic 12 now lists for $849, although I'm sure it will be discounted.

I go to this site regularly to drool over the guitars I'd like to buy. All the $699 guitars are now $799 or more. I don't want to talk politics, but this happened at the same time that tariffs were announced. It could be a coincidence. Prices have risen before. I think the Classic 12 started at $599.

Another guitar company contacted me and told me to buy before they go through their current inventory.

Anybody else notice things like this?

 

[Louie]

I just bought a new 88 key Roland keyboard last weekend and got a pretty good price on it. It is designed in Japan and manufactured in Malaysia. It was ball park around the same price or less as a Kurzweil I bought around 25 years ago! And is a much better controller/digital piano. Other than that I’m not buying gear much these days so hard to say from just my own limited perspective whether tariffs or anticipation of tariffs have started to kick in. On the other hand, I do have some used gear that I want to sell. It is pretty high end hardware (a pair of 8351a Genelec monitors, and a mint RND master buss processor) that I’ve decided to hang onto for a while, in anticipation of tariffs. I’ve found the stores that will buy used gear want to double their money as standard operating procedure, so if new gear starts becoming prohibitively expensive, I figure at least I’ll get a better price than rock bottom for used—isn’t going to cost me to sit on it for a while.

 

[Spirit Groove]

Admittedly anecdotal, but after tariffs were announced it seemed companies across the board started raising prices.

 

[Glenn F.]

Some of my guitars have appreciated in value. This began before the pandemic, but went further after. I can sell my Martins, Guild, and Lakewoods for quite a bit more than I paid for them. I won't do that, though. Ever. I don't think anyof my electrics have appreciated this much, but they are more expensive new, now. And European dealers are far less likely to haggle than they used to, but they were never fond of cutting their own throats like Guitar Center, for e.g., anyway.
My guitar buying days are behind me. Last year and a half, I've been focusing on keys ('twas my first instrument) and orchestral stuff. My new midi controller cost €298, which I thought acceptable for what it offered. Just have to see how long it lasts.

 

[David Cuny]

Late to reply, but I was looking at mandolins, and instruments that had been reviewed on YouTube earlier this year as listing $300 are now $400.

So... now isn't a great time to buy retail.

 

[proggermusic]

Two Roland keyboards I'd been eyeing for the past year went up pretty significantly (the RD88ex and Jupiter XM). I got an open-box deal on the RD88 which put it down closer to last year's price, and that's theoretically on its way to me now (if FedEx can figure out how to do... well.. the only thing they're supposed to know how to do), but I'm gonna have to wait on the wee Jupiter.

US policy does, unfortunately, affect this a lot... if nothing else, it gives companies a concrete reason to raise their prices across the board. And as soon as they get to do that, it's very hard to convince them to lower those prices.