[kjam22]

Rather than allowing government to become more oppressive over businesses... there is a market approach that is already in use for some products. Consider the Fender Stratocaster guitar. The Strat is the top of the line for Fender. Each guitar has where it was made printed on the guitar by the logo. You have Mexican Strats, you have strats made in Korea, Japan etc. And you have the American Made Strat. Made in USA. The USA strats are known to have better electronics, better fingerboard etc. They cost a few times more than the others because the market will bear those costs. Beginners wanting a strat will often buy the cheap ones. Accomplished and professional musicians wouldn't play one. But the market and the manufacturer control it.

In King Trumpy's world, we would tax the ones coming in from Mexico and Korea, and Japan.... then beginner guitar players would be required to pay the same cost for a guitar that a professional is willing to pay.

[Rebelbase]

Samick hurt the most.

[FrankR]

A beginner should get a used guitar until s/he demonstrates the will to stick with it.

My former neighbor went out and bought a new Fender for his star-struck 12-year-old. The kid lost interest in it about a month later because his “fingertips got sore”. Wasted money.

When it started playing trumpet in 8th grade, my dad bought me a old cornet for $50. Later, in the 10th grade I was promoted to first chair first, I got top of the line Olds trumpet. Same with the guitar, he started me out on a used guitar and tiny amp. After playing in bands for years, I bought me a 1965 Fender Jaguar, and a Fender Super Reverb amp.

A few years ago I tried a new Japanese Jaguar, they’re crap compared to my ‘65 model.

Moral: start off slow until you see you’re going to stick with it, then upgrade.