The meat of the video seems to start around 5:40. He's basically saying that even though the guitar may be 100% made in the USA, all of the surrounding equipment, machinery, sandpaper, light fixtures, etc, is made in other countries.
Which basically means "Made in the USA" is an illusion that glosses over the realities of manufacturing.
America has basically zero actual industrial capability at this point.
Actually, he said that the machinery had been there forever and used since the company was founded. His mention of sandpaper and light bulbs to light the room was ignorant nonsense. If it is made in America, the main cost is probably the labor, not the lightbulbs. And he did mention some of the rules on labeling something as "Made in America". That means the majority of the cost of the product must be American. That includes the labor costs that go into the product. The lightbulbs are nothing in the cost.
This guy is a stereotype example of a leftist, bleeding heart musician, who doesn't know anything about economics or math, but gets worked up by political propaganda. It's "OMG, this poor guy may go out of business. What about the children!". I know plenty of people like this.
The video was like watching a junior high school kid who is explaining his first lesson in economics.
The (US) guitar industry has long had "Made in USA" as their premium, most expensive line of guitars. Then they have their less expensive lines of guitars made (at first) in Japan, then Korea, some in China, then Vietnam.
Musicians have long bought cheaper equipment outsourced from a foreign manufacturer, or went premium with made in America equipment. Nothing is changing. If people want to buy a boutique pedal made in the US, then they will continue to do that. If they want to buy a cheap knock-off from Vietnam, they will do that.
The price of light bulbs has nothing to do with it! That is a drop of water in a swimming pool. And a US import tariff will increase the cost of the cheap import, not the one made in the US. But it won't change the purchase decision at all.
Made in USA pedal: $250.
Made in Vietnam knockoff: $25. Add a 10% tariff, it's $27.50. Hell, add a 100% tariff. It's still $50, vs. $250 for the US one.
The calculation for the purchaser has hardly changed.
