Drumming News
US CONSUMERS FACE increased prices for e-drums, especially entry-level instruments, when President Donald Trump’s threatened tariff moves take effect.
Chinese imports were already taxed, and the new measures raise the impost to 145% of the value of the imported items.
Experts like the US National Retail Federation point out that tariffs are a tax on imported goods and are paid for by the importer. “Retailers are forced to choose between raising their prices or relying on already slim profit margins to absorb the increased cost of inventory,” according to the trade group.
And the latest tariffs may not be the last, as a trade war has been unleashed, with China quickly announcing plans to levy 15% retaliatory tariffs on some US imports.
Analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics explains that trade in musical instruments is dominated by a small set of exporters and importers with large market shares, with China and Indonesia topping the export sources.
The situation is even more strained by the fact that the United States, a large exporter itself, is one of the biggest importers of instruments from the Asian manufacturing giants.
“The implications of Trump’s tariffs for the US musical instrument market are straightforward: It will have limited impact on high-end instruments but will increase prices significantly for beginner and student models. These models are overwhelmingly made in China and are precisely the models the musical instrument industry relies on to create its consumer base of the future,” says analyst Cullen S. Hendrix.
He predicts that production may shift to other countries, with Indonesia being a likely candidate to pick up some marketshare. Roland some time ago switched much of its production from China to Malaysia.
Hendrix adds that shifting production may not help as manufacturing costs could still be 10 to 20% higher than they would have been otherwise, “and the costs of reorienting these supply chains and moving production out of China to avoid US tariffs will be absorbed by consumers – not just in the United States, but the world over”.
His final warning is that Trump’s move will especially hurt lower-income households and school music programs that need a reliable supply of relatively inexpensive instruments.
Brands likely to be affected by the tariffs include Alesis, ddrum, Donner, Efnote, KAT, Lemon, GoEdrum and Simmons.
Industry observer Brian T. Majeski, editor of Music Trades, singles out Zildjian as the closest thing to a ‘winner’ in the trade wars, noting that it maintains a US manufacturing base and faces competitors based in Canada, Germany, China and Turkey. Zildjian recently returned to the e-drum market with its ALCHEM-E line. While some of its components are sourced from China, insiders suggest that tariffs would have far less impact on the line than fully imported instruments.
Similarly, DW, now part of Roland, produces its DWe in California, and any imported components such as piezos and circuit boards would consititute a very small proportion of the overall kit costs.
While most importers are reluctant to comment on the record, Medeli’s Lancy Cheng fears the moves will force an increase in retail prices for its goods in the US. Medeli is considering moving some of its production outside of China, to South East Asia, but most of that region is also subject to tariffs under the Trump plan.
Kenric Kneckt, vice president – merchandising, Combo/B&O Division at music retailer Sweetwater, is advising customers to get in quickly, before the threatened tariffs take effect.
“US consumers of musical products have an opportunity to take advantage of current pricing in various brands and categories before any impacts take hold,” he notes.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Music Merchandisers (NAMM), which represents US music instrument manufacturers, importers and retailers, is urging the Trump administration to exempt musical instruments and accessories, along with materials used to manufacture musical products, from the tariffs announced in Trump’s executive orders.
“The back-and-forth raising of tariffs between the US and Chinese governments … will have serious business implications and create consumer turmoil for the music products industry. The effects of these sudden and unpredictable tariff actions will have a long-term effect on musicians worldwide,” says CEO John Mlynczak.
Since the announcement of the trade measures, NAMM has been urging members to lobby their Members of Congress to overturn the tariffs.
One exemption to the tariffs is personal imports, where customers are able to import items to the value of US$800 without incurring duties. Trump initially closed this loophole, but the “de minimis” has since been restored – at least until the administration works out how it will collect the tax.
Allan Leibowitz discovered electronic drums when returning to drumming later in life, seeking a solution for noise control. Unable to find reliable reviews, he launched digitalDrummer in 2010. As an award-winning journalist, Allan has reviewed most e-drum gear, advised manufacturers, and beta-tested key products.
He continues to use e-drums for practice, rehearsals, collaborations, and live performances, drawing from his diverse instrument collection. Alongside his drumming passion, Allan has had a successful career in business journalism, earning awards in motoring, travel writing, and event organization. He recently hosted the E-drum Labs at the UK Drum Show in Liverpool.
