How much does purchasing products made outside of the U.S affect out economy? Over the last 50 years our foreign neighbors have taken advantage of first, more expedient travel and second, the coming of the internet age to flood the American market with their products. The success of these foreign-made products in terms of sales has been in some part, due to the failure of the newly made American products to remain at high quality levels. This began as early as the late 1950s and occurred most noticeably in the auto and electronics industries. In the piano industry, I witnessed first-hand in the early 1970s, the progressive lack of caring and dedication that had already crept into most American laborer's thoughts. We were using "made in Japan" as a derogatory term, not realizing that our lackadaisical attitudes regarding quality would soon put us in a defensive position where we still manufactured the best American-made piano (Steinway), but were now fighting for survival. Kawai, Yamaha, Sojinm Young Chang - and before we knew it - the "American" companies that were being acquired, operated and manufactured overseas (Knabe, Weber etc) became our competition. These countries have since been accompanied by China, Indonesia and Eastern European, among others. The piano industry in the U.S not that long ago boasted Sohmer, Baldwin, Steinway and Mason & Hamlin. among others. With the influx of foreign piano makers using fierce marketing strategies and cheaper part and labor. We are left with Steinway, Baldwin and a few others.
