I find it a bit ironic at times that I, an American merchant - can't buy American goods to sell. They're too high priced and too low a margin and have their exclusivity clauses with other nearby music merchants and minimum buy-in quantities that I can't sustain. But I can buy anything from China - day or night; in any quantity and at 1/4 the cost of the American goods and usually comparable quality. These aren't the flimsy imports of ten years ago. These things rock. We're still in the beginning phases of Chinese manufacturing expertise, but they're proving quite adept. And I hate to say it, but just the fact that they're willing to even talk to me gives them points above their American counterparts.

Still the best musical instruments are being made in Korea. Their expertise oftens surpasses the European and American masters and give it a boost with computer-aided manufacturing. Things like laser-cut inlays. Purple saxophones. Electric cellos.

This all goes to show why the country is in perhaps a permanent state of economic decline. More and more people are buying imported and sending their money elsewhere. More and more Americans let politics get in the way of business and make doing business impossible. They're still high priced. I can buy guitars for 30 bucks. Nice guitars. And I don't have to promise to buy 38 more in the coming six months.