As of last week there is a new tariff on soft wood lumber and some wood products, apparently this is a national security issue and America has plenty of its own trees it can cut down. We can all sleep better tonight now that the scourge of foreign wood is no longer threatening us.
Original Message:
Sent: 10-05-2025 19:13
From: Tremaine Parsons
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Well the tariff situation can seemingly change overnight and there is litigation going to the Supreme Court but I just learned that the removal of the de minimis exemption does not yet apply for piano parts sourced from Canada. They still have an exemption for orders under 800.00 under the CUSMA (CanadaUSMexico Agreement) So, currently, no 15% tariff. Would I be surprised if this changes? No
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Tremaine Parsons RPT
Georgetown CA
(530) 333-9299
Original Message:
Sent: 09-06-2025 13:04
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
👍
Peter Grey Piano Doctor
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
(603) 686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 09-06-2025 11:14
From: Gregor Heller
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Hello Peter!
Yes ... the system is the same if sender is located in the European Union.
But of course, I am referring to direct delivery to customers in the USA.
I don't know how wholesalers in the USA handle orders for large quantities from the EU, which they then resell individually within the USA. They have paid the tax (either via DDP or DDU) and will then probably have to add these costs to the price of their goods.
cya
Gregor
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Gregor Heller
Hellerbass Strings
Eschelbronn
49-6226-42444
Original Message:
Sent: 09-06-2025 10:57
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Gregor,
Good clarification. Thank you!
Edit: Can we assume this will be essentially the same for any other purchases originating from Germany (except for the fact that you will be absorbing some of these extra costs)?
Peter Grey Piano Doctor
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
(603) 686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 09-06-2025 09:08
From: Gregor Heller
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Hello all!
Gregor here - owner of Hellerbass - piano bass strings - Germany ... just a brief explanation of the current tax situation.
As far as tariffs are concerned, we are fortunate that Germany is part of the European Union and imports to the US are only subject to 15% tariffs (instead of 35% as in some other countries).
I have already emailed my US customers about how we are handling these duties and that I will even contribute to the costs so that my existing and future US customers are not burdened even more.
At the moment, UPS only allows shipping with DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). This means that the sender in Germany must pay the customs costs, including a DDP handling fee, directly to UPS... and UPS pays the 15% customs duties to the US government. The US customer receives their new bass strings as usual from UPS Express within 1-2 days. They do not have to make any payments to UPS or the US government, as I have already paid these to UPS.
I have not increased my prices for bass strings and will only show part of the above-mentioned costs on my invoice... but less than the actual costs incurred.
In a few weeks, UPS will be able to ship packages with DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid). In this case, customers in the US will receive an email one day before delivery with a payment link for the 15% customs costs (including a small processing fee). After online payment, the package will be delivered one day later. In this case, there will of course be no additional costs on my invoice – the amount is the same as before the introduction of customs duties.
Incidentally, this type of shipping with DDU is very common for many other countries we ship to... all customers there must pay customs duties (and/or import sales tax) online to UPS before the package is delivered (even if we ship from Germany to our neighbor Switzerland).
It can be said that the US has been a notable exception in all previous years (up to $800 USD duty-free). It is also worth mentioning that there is no additional import sales tax in the USA ... in some other countries this can amount to over 20% in additional costs which have to be paid to UPS before delivery.
Kind regards - Gregor
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Gregor Heller
Hellerbass Strings
Eschelbronn
49-6226-42444
Original Message:
Sent: 09-04-2025 22:24
From: David Love
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Jessica
Thanks for getting into the weeds on that.
So I can see where that could create some confusion in terms of transparency. If you're somebody receiving goods directly from a supplier outside the country, subject to tariffs, you'll get a bill from customs before the shipping company will deliver your product. But if you buy from a supplier here, like Renner USA, who ships into the country in bulk, pays the tariffs themselves, they have to bill you the additional amount in the form of price increases to cover the cost of the tariffs.
So with respect of transparency, the company that's in Renner's position would have to disclose what those amounts are, which to their credit they've done, but there's no requirement to do that. On a product shipped directly to you and for which you have to pay the inbound tariff in order to get the own delivered, it will be obvious what that amount is.
It seems that most items shipped into this country would fall into the 2nd category, which is, companies that are importing in bulk and pre-paying the tariffs in advance of then passing that on to the customer.
I can see where some companies would not necessarily want to disclose what those tariffs are if their goal is to, perhaps, inflate their prices, in addition to the tariffs, which, unless they disclose with the tariff values are, would remain unknown to the retail buyer.
Not trying to suggest any conspiracies here, but since there is a trend toward lack of transparency on the part of the government and what the tariffs are that also seem to change from day-to-day, it creates a barrier for customers to know just where the price increases are coming from.
Does that sound correct?
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David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
Original Message:
Sent: 09-04-2025 20:13
From: Jessica Masse
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Hi again,
This is not directed at anyone.
A manifest sheet has to be completed- by a broker a shipper, a supplier or yourself. It is very complicated. Customs requires exact wording (sometimes the wording doesn't make any sense) (making it more complicated)from there documents. There are favored nations reducing duties and lower tariffs. There were no fees if you do it yourself. If anyone else does it there will be a processing fee.
Years ago I paid 35% duty on an Italian piano artist bench, i did not where it originated from-my bad. It was a quality bench.
The duty and tariffs are collected by customs. I hope this helps.
If you order at this time make sure you keep all paper work.
All of this might get worked out through the courts. There were specialist at customs that can
Help you over the phone. Don't try to find the information yourself.
Original Message:
Sent: 9/4/2025 3:20:00 PM
From: Norman Brickman
Subject: RE: Tariffs--they're here
Since the patchwork of all tariffs should be in the public domain, and since the set of them has gotten pretty complex from what you are saying, I would think that a good AI tool like ChatGPT would be the most definitive way to keep up with the latest. Anyone try it? Regards, Norman.
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Norman Brickman
Potomac Piano Service
Potomac, Maryland
potomacpiano@verizon.net
https://potomacpiano.com
(301) 983.9321
Original Message:
Sent: 09-04-2025 11:14
From: Jessica Masse
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Hi, Having imported my own parts and brokered them myself, I can tell you that until the free trade agreements it was more complicated and now it is worse. Remember the tariffs were supposed to begin earlier but there was a pause, mostly because the duty and tariffs had to be changed at customs. It is a huge book! It is the governments of countries that collect the tariffs not the businesses. USA businesses have to cover these costs and the time to do the paper work by adding to their price of goods the cost to import goods as you purchase them not the seller. So the buyer of your ie. parts should pay for the tariff and or duties and you time to figure all of this out on the money collected by the government at customs.
In my opinion, this started by up-ending the (tariff/duty) free trade agreements, as a consequence we are being encouraged to purchase USA made goods. In our trade and for many other goods, there is not much production of USA made parts.
It appears to me that it will again be the wealthy that will be able to afford your finished products and there is your disparity. If you aren't accurate with the costs it will take you in time to do this paper work and pass tariff/duty costs on, your business will suffer.
Without the raw materials to make the goods that Americans consume and no manufacturing of some if these goods that we consume in the USA, we will all (except most of the wealthy) be forced to make decisions that we are not used to making.
Original Message:
Sent: 9/3/2025 10:46:00 PM
From: David Love
Subject: RE: Tariffs--they're here
Well you did reply to my reply and made reference to what I had written.
But I may have been mistaken. I admit, I'm a little tired. I'm 73 and I just cleared three hectares of old growth trees and had to carry them out barefoot and not only was it alternating between snow and 100 degrees, but it was uphill both ways! Oh to be 65 again.
PL
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David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2025 19:24
From: Chris Chernobieff
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
Poster Love,
You keep reading between the lines and responding to words i haven't written. None of what i wrote was pointed in your direction.
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On the page, it looked....nothing.
The beginning, simple, almost comic.
Just a pulse - bassoons, basset horns, like a rusty squeezebox. And then suddenly, high above it..an oboe, hanging there unwavering, until a clarinet sweetened it into a phrase of such delight.
This was no composition by a performing monkey!!
865-986-7720 (text only please)
Original Message:
Sent: 09-03-2025 16:58
From: David Pinnegar
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
With the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform party in the UK we face idiocies which have already caused councils run by Reform to ban the press from its meetings :-(
What we were given to understand in the US was the idea was that by introducing tariffs on imports, Income Tax would be abolished . . .
Sadly I think that taxes only move in one direction and abolition of any taxes won't come any time soon. In the UK before long there'll be nothing else to tax
Best wishes
David P
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+44 1342 850594
Original Message:
Sent: 9/3/2025 12:48:00 PM
From: Paul Williams
Subject: RE: Tariffs--they're here
This outgoing $ goes to all of us US taxpayers. We are all doomed to pay for this crap! It isn't the outside countries!! They're laughing at us about now.
There. I said it and stand by it.
Paul
Original Message:
Sent: 9/3/2025 12:37:00 PM
From: David Love
Subject: RE: Tariffs--they're here
It does seem like the tariffs are really starting to kick in now. GC Strings in Canada announced a 45% increase in their prices, Gregor Heller announced that while that are trying to accommodate as best they can, the <$800 exemption has passed, Renner has announced a 15% increase, I have not checked with Bolduc but imagine they are subject to the same requirements. Just FYI. I do hope the home office is representing our interests in this matter. I imagine the list watchdogs might take exception to my posting this, but this is not an attempt at politicization, this is a practical matter.
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David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
Original Message:
Sent: 08-16-2025 01:04
From: David Love
Subject: Tariffs--they're here
FYI Renner USA advised impending price increases due to tariffs of just under 15%.
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David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320
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