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Made In USA

#21
Of the half-dozen basses I've owned, the best build quality was the MIA Fender P Std. The fretwork was truly outstanding. That bass was overall *way* above the others in build quality, including a MIJ Fender Aerodyne & a MIJ Mustang.

Unfortunately, one of the lesser builds was a Gibson SG Reissue which I think is MIA (correct me if I'm wrong). The bridge ground strap wasn't connected to anything and the thing hummed like crazy. Easily fixed, but come on, how could they miss that? It was cosmetically gorgeous though, have to give it that.

Anyway, I do pay attention to country of origin, and if I have a reasonable Made in USA option, I will go with it even if it costs a little more.
 
#23
Jinro said:
I haven't seen pilots, teachers, or translators being outsourced. It doesn't effect all jobs. Many jobs yes, but not all.
Click to expand...

As manufacturing jobs disappear...and tech jobs also, relocating to the Phillipines, India, whatever...people from those traditionally higher-paying lines of work are forced into the (lower paying) service sector. The glut of people in the service sector causes wages to fall even further, as there is an oversupply: one of the reasons places like WalMart can pay minimum wage for full time workers. You think people want to work for those crap wages? Of course not, but in some (many) cases, they have no choice. No the jobs you mentioned haven't been oursourced...yet...although I'm sure someone's working on it.

And...people making less spend less. Less products bought, less sales taxes paid, less revenue for the government, cutbacks to your aforementioned teachers, arguing over infrastructure repairs, needed but unable to fund...and on, and on. Look up the situation in Wisconsin if you want an eye-opener on funding for education. Yes, it affects teachers, pilots...translators...in short, everybody. Maybe not their jobs directly, but the quality of life, certainly.
 
#25
mmbongo said:
Too bad Americans won't be building it.
Click to expand...

Whoever builds it will be making a helluva lot more $$$ than their bretheren across the Rio Grande. And paying taxes here. And spending their pay, buying products here. Americans will be maintaining the factory, producing more jobs. And the bass itself will be held to a higher standard. Good for the buyer also. More money, to be sure, but a lot of good comes from it.
 
#26
No matter where you live, if you buy used, you help your local economy.

If you feel good about buying that MIA Fender, you're right to feel that way.

But what about somebody wanting to help their local economy who's reasonable price range would closer to an MIC Affinity Squire?

In that case, buying a pre-owned MIC bass is every bit as "locally-correct" as buying a pre-owned MIA.
 
#28
As much as I would love to support this great country in everything I purchase sometimes it is not possible. Like others have mentioned, I too buy the gear I want based off of what sounds and plays the best. Sure factors like weight, size, and of course price come into account. My bass is a Fender (American company), however was Made in Mexico. From what I have generally understood is that most parts are Made in America, however assembled in other countries. Of course I am sure they also assemble parts in those factories as well. I am happy to say though that my rig is 100% USA. I do agree as well that when you buy locally you are benefitting your local economy. You really can't blame consumers for the economic crisis, blame these big businesses who choose to operate mainly over seas or out of the USA because of cheaper costs. Also I am not a very political person and I hate talking about it and am not trying to get political here, however I am sure it is easy to blame political pasts as well. In the end in business it is always about the $$$.
 
#29
From my industry, try this angle, speaking about the few million containers that come in to the West Coast ports.

If you buy imported freight, a US captain guides the ship to port. US Longshoremen (ILWA), the highest paid union (double the average benefits of any union worker) with an average salary of $115K (up to $500K) unloads the vessel. A US licensed driver picks up the freight from the dock. The truck delivers to my warehouse, where my people (Must be US citizens) unload, verify, scan, store, retrieve and pick orders, then another outbound delivery with another driver going to another Distribution Center (run by the retailers) where the same process happens before it gets to the store shelves. (unless a DC bypass program is used, but that's only .02% of all freight)

Also to be noted, US Customs employees (CBP - part of Homeland Security) sometimes stop this freight and inspect (about 3-4% hard cargo) along with US AG in warehouses run by US companies and US Customs Brokers and Forwarders clear the freight (documentation).

For every large foreign company that I can get to import product to US stores and have the distribution done on US soil, we have to hire about 100-200 people to run the operation.

Just something to ponder.
 
#31
As for not affording US-made bass products: cables, strings, straps....

As for not affording US-made bass guitars, amps, cabs: Well, it's amazing what one could save together by being frugal for a while or not being in the business of purchasing lots and lots of gear, most of it gathering dust or being displayed on the wall.

Or, you could sell some of the stuff and concentrate on few quality MIA gear.

But I must admit, it's sometimes tough to find MIA products in some areas...
 
#32
Buying American made is important. Yes. But quality comes first. Very soon I plan on buying either a P bass or J bass. I want to save up to buy a MIA standard bass, but I'm gonna go the store and play a couple first. If the Squire CV or MiM plays just as well, or better, than the MiA one, guess which one I'll buy?

I buy all of my gear at a small, locally owned shop about 15 miles from my house. I'd love to be able to buy all MiA gear, but that isn't always possible. But at the very least I am putting money into my local economy, and buying from people who live here.
 
#33
6jase5 said:
From my industry, try this angle, speaking about the few million containers that come in to the West Coast ports.

If you buy imported freight, a US captain guides the ship to port. US Longshoremen (ILWA), the highest paid union (double the average benefits of any union worker) with an average salary of $115K (up to $500K) unloads the vessel. A US licensed driver picks up the freight from the dock. The truck delivers to my warehouse, where my people (Must be US citizens) unload, verify, scan, store, retrieve and pick orders, then another outbound delivery with another driver going to another Distribution Center (run by the retailers) where the same process happens before it gets to the store shelves. (unless a DC bypass program is used, but that's only .02% of all freight)

Also to be noted, US Customs employees (CBP - part of Homeland Security) sometimes stop this freight and inspect (about 3-4% hard cargo) along with US AG in warehouses run by US companies and US Customs Brokers and Forwarders clear the freight (documentation).

For every large foreign company that I can get to import product to US stores and have the distribution done on US soil, we have to hire about 100-200 people to run the operation.

Just something to ponder.
Click to expand...

Good post!
 
#38
Sorry. I do believe in supporting our own economy and all that stuff (that I ain't gonna talk aout 'cause someone might take it as a political rant or some such). But I can't buy gear based on its country of origin.

First off, let's say I'm GASing for a Squier VM J (which I am). Now, show me a MIA Squier VM J. Can't do it, can ya? So, am I supposed to buy something I don't want, because it was made in California? Or do I go with what I do want, even though it was made elsewhere?

Second, even if they were making Squier VM basses in the US, how much would one cost? I'm not taking out a bank loan to buy another bass.

So, even though I'm as much a patriot as the next guy (sometimes more), here are my choices: I can either A) buy something I don't want, in order to Buy American, B) buy nothing at all because what I want wasn't made in America, or C) take out a loan or rob a bank in order to pay for something because it was made in America.

Or option D, which is to buy what I want, at a reasonable price, and be happy with it. I'm simply following the market: cost goes up, quality (the "what I want" factor) goes down, and my money goes overseas. When US manufacturers produce what I want at a price I can pay, let me know.
 

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