ACB Shop Updates (tariff insights)

Here at Austin Custom Brass we are excited to be able to offer so many brass instrument options for musicians. We are pleased to be able to offer you a wide variety of products to choose from and we believe that is an important service we can offer. We value being able to provide you with choices ranging from elite custom level instruments from makers like AR Resonance, Rath, or Bohme to quality playing instruments “on a budget” like Brasspire or ACB Doublers. 

We are proud to offer instruments from American manufacturers like Schilke, Getzen, Shires, Greenhoe, or Del Quadro. We are also happy and honored  to be able to offer you amazing imported instruments made by great companies like Adams, Schagerl, or Carol Brass. We believe you come to ACB to help you find the right instrument for you and we are committed to continuing that service. It is an honor to be part of the brass-playing community and we are truly grateful for your continued support. 

You may see the price of some items changing. The implications of tariffs on the price of instruments have become clearer with many deals reached with other countries. As this is the case, we can now appropriately adjust as necessary. We understand that navigating the impact of tariffs can be confusing  as different countries have different rates (and there are different rates for different types of products). Some of these rates are still evolving (as is the case with India) and may need to be adjusted over time.

We have had many internal discussions about how to best handle these tariffs with the least amount of "punitive" effect to you while also being able to afford to stay in business without cutting costs through cutting jobs or service. Some camps have proposed that countries of origin, or those companies in those countries, will eat the cost of the tariff. However, the reality for us is that tariffs are paid at the time of import and paid by the receiver. We have made our best attempt to balance this new reality in what we believe is the fairest way possible.

The true tariff rate is the old tariff plus the new additional tariff. So, for example, a brass instrument from the EU was 2.9% before the new tariffs but is now 17.9% with the additional 15%. It is these “new tariffs” that we must contend with but consider the whole “true tariff” number. The cost of imported items are often assessed in a foreign currency and then the cost/tariff is impacted by the current exchange rate. Other considerations are the cost of shipping from foreign countries, custom brokerage fees, and that some products offer more wiggle room for us to absorb some of the tariff than others. The point is, in this situation there are many parts that make the whole. We have done our best to take all of these into account as we approach the impacts of the new tariffs implemented by the US government. We do not seek to profit off of the new tariffs but we must be respectful of their impact so that we allow ourselves to continue to provide products and services to you. We wish we did not need to adjust prices but it is an impossible proposition to have our costs raised while maintaining current prices and stay open. We know that this impacts you as it impacts us. We thank you for your understanding.

No one likes to pay more but a substantial cost increase has been introduced into the music-instrument ecosystem when it comes to products imported from outside the USA. The following is a guide to offer insight into the “nuts and bolts” of what all this means to you as a consumer and us as a company. This look at “the man behind the curtain” is somewhat unorthodox for a business but we want to help you understand what is going on. Some companies import directly to us and some companies ship to themselves and then distribute to us from there. Some companies have already adjusted their prices to take into account these tariffs and some have not. It is also possible we may see a price increase from American companies depending where they get materials from.