Trump’s tariffs are affecting guitar builders and musicians

Trump’s tariffs are affecting guitar builders and musicians

Trump’s horrific tariffs are costing Americans billions of dollars

By Lynda Carson - August 30, 2026

Note: This story is dedicated to all the struggling musicians and luthiers/guitar builders, and my friends at Ancient Future.

Oakland, CA - Trump’s tariffs are affecting guitar builders and musicians.

The convicted felon President Donald J. Trump’s tariffs have negatively affected guitar builders and musicians. Especially low-income musicians that rely on cheaper Fender guitars made in Mexico, and elsewhere.

Reportedly, “Recent U.S. tariffs and global trade shifts have raised import taxes on musical instruments to an average effective rate of over 16%, driving up consumer prices for imported guitars, amplifiers, and parts from major manufacturing hubs like Mexico, China, and Europe.”

Impact on the Guitar Industry:

• Higher retail prices: Importers pass border taxes down the supply chain, making entry-level and imported instruments significantly more expensive.


• Strained supply chains: Even domestic builders like Fender and Gibson face higher production costs because they rely on imported electronics, hardware, and specialized timber.


• Disproportionate burden: Entry-level and student instruments have seen the steepest cost increases and supply drops, as little to no beginner production exists domestically in the U.S.

Additionally, reportedly, in an May 26, 2026 article with Pile.com, in part it says, “The Trump administration argued that steeply higher tariffs on imported goods would spur a wave of reshoring and reinvestment in US manufacturing. For musical instruments, that hasn't happened. Instead, higher tariffs have raised prices and suppressed imports—particularly of instruments for beginners—without boosting domestic production. And if the trend continues, the effects will narrow the pipeline of players who would eventually become customers for the higher-end instruments the United States does make.

In the first quarter of 2026, the average effective tariff rate on musical instrument imports was 16.6 percent, up from 15.9 percent in 2025 and nearly three times the effective rate in 2024. The tariff pain has not fallen equally on different instrument classes (see figure below). Pianos and acoustic keyboards, strings (violins, cellos, etc.), wind (horns, reed instruments), and parts and accessories saw the steepest increases in tariff burdens, with effective rates for each more than tripling.”

“Estimated effective US tariff rates more than tripled on many musical instruments and their parts from 2024 to 2026.”

Even the price of machine heads for guitars have risen sharply since 2019. As an example, Stew Mac, Schaller gold machine heads with ebony knobs presently cost $278.85 for 6 machine heads. During 2019, German made Schaller gold machine heads with ebony knobs cost only around $100.00 for 6 machine heads.

Master Luthier / Guitar Builder, Linda Manzer, of Canada.

A quote from the famed master luthier, Linda Manzer, https://manzer.com/ , in Canada, on August 30, 2026.

A special thanks to the great luthier / guitar builder Linda Manzer for sharing a quote with me for my story about the Trump tariffs that are harming so many people, including the American public.

Linda Manzer has built some exquisite beautiful handmade guitars for some great guitarists including Pat Metheny, Bruce Cockburn, and Carlos Santana, https://manzer.com/artists/ .

An August 30, 2026 quote from Linda Manzer, in Canada. “The uncertainty of the tariffs is affecting every business in Canada. 

And because they are on again, off again, then on again, it’s very hard to plan a future or do business with a moving target. So people here are looking for markets outside of the US. Sadly. 

We have so much history together.  It’s heartbreaking honestly. 

Also as you probably know, we don’t pay Trump’s tariffs, Americans do.

And day to day we have no idea what is affected and what isn’t. It’s impossible to have a business relationship under those conditions, which is why our government walked away from negotiating with Trump last week.
 
And our Prime Minister has the support of the entire country for doing that.

And we are well aware this is hurting Americans as much as Canadians.

It’s not a good situation.”

A little bit more about Linda Manzer.

In a quote by the great jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny, he says, “Linda Manzer made me a 6-string. It was the instrument I used to record ‘Lonely Woman’ on Rejoicing. That tune just sparkles because of that guitar. She made me that one guitar, which I immediately fell in love with, and then I said ‘Well, how about you make me a 12-string?’ The night I got it, I wrote four tunes. It was a totally inspiring instrument.” Pat Metheny.

On her website, in part Linda Manzer wrote, “I spoke at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC March 14 2026 at a wonderful seminar called “Instrumental Women” We were celebrating Women’s History Month with panels, presentations by myself, Rachel Rosenkrantz, and emerging stars such as Gabriela Guadalajara, Jeemin Kim, Jayme Kurland, and Mamie Minch. A chance to dIscover the incredible contributions of women to musical instrument collecting and making.

D’Addario Strings visited me last summer and did a nice documentary of me, just released March 2026 https://youtu.be/LkDXr2_2qOo?si=UtiAtC8V-efT9wU5


The Sunflower Guitar for Ukraine

For the past several years I have been working on a very special project involving the entire music community. The Sunflower Guitar for Ukraine is a guitar made by me to give to the people of Ukraine, and to inspire others around the world to donate towards vital humanitarian aid. As the guitar journeys to Ukraine it will pass through the hands of many wonderful people including famous musicians, letting them express their solidarity while encouraging their fans to donate to the cause. Please join them and donate at: sunflowerguitar.com
 
The Pat Metheny Page

https://manzer.com/artists/the-pat-metheny-page/

The Bruce Cockburn Page

On this page you can see/hear Bruce Cockburn playing various Manzer guitars.

https://manzer.com/artists/the-bruce-cockburn-page/

A little bit more about Linda Manzer:

“I’ve been making guitars for over 45 years. I love what I do. The most important thing to me is that the player is inspired by the guitar. And plays it.” Linda Manzer

Linda Manzer, b Toronto, is a Canadian luthier renowned for her archtop, flat-top acoustic guitars and has designed many multi stringed harp guitars.

“She received her training for flattop guitar construction from Canadian master Luther Jean Larrivée between 1974 and 1978 and later arch top guitars with Jimmy D’Aquisto in New York. Her greatest claim to fame is that she has and still does build many custom guitars for renowned jazz musician Pat Metheny including the Pikasso which has 42 strings and three necks. Carlos Santana, Stephen Fearing, Julian Lage, Henrik Andersen, Doug Macaskill, Craig Snyder, Milton Nascimento,  Liona Boyd, Heather Bishop, Bruce Cockburn, Paul Simon, Marie Lynn Hammond, Sherry Shute, John McGale and Gordon Lightfoot have to be mentioned as special customers too,” according to the website for Manzer.

A little bit of information about Lynda Carson may be found by clicking on the link below…

https://kalx.berkeley.edu/lynda-carson-interview/

(Click on link below, for a little bit more about Lynda Carson repairing guitars and stringed instruments in Hollywood, at Guitar Villa, and Studio Instrument Rentals (S.I.R.)

The beautiful sound of vintage guitars

by Lynda Carson (tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com)
Thu, Jan 2, 2020 8:19PM

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/02/18829401.php

(A story bellow about Oakland's famed master luthier Ervin Somogyi.)

Oakland’s famed Master Luthier, Ervin Somogyi’s 500th guitar on display

by Lynda Carson (tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com)

Mon, May 18, 2020 11:51PM

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/18/18833125.php


Below is a photo of the great jazz guitarist Pat Metheny playing the handmade Pikasso guitar, built for him by Linder Manzer.

Lynda Carson may be reached at newzland2 [at] gmail.com

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