Guitar Journal: Trump Tariffs & Blues Driver 30th Anniversary
30th Anniversary of the Blues Driver and Neural DSP announces price hike for US customers
4,7 / 5,0 | 
This week, we look at the Trump Tariffs and the huge impact they are having on the world of guitars and the industry as a whole. Now the guitar industry has met with Washington, and Neural DSP has raised prices for US customers. Finally, we look at a rare one-off Boss BD-2 Blues Driver pedal to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the blue overdrive.
Guitar Journal
Trump Tariffs
Leading figures from the guitar industry, including representatives from Fender, Gibson, PRS, Taylor, and Martin, alongside NAMM CEO John Mlynczak, have descended on Washington, D.C., to address concerns over the potential “devastating” effects of global tariffs previously enacted.
The delegation has already met with Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty and intends to engage with several other elected officials to advocate for policies that support the musical instrument sector.
Global Supply Chain
The industry, which operates within a highly interconnected global supply chain, has expressed apprehension about the lasting consequences of tariffs, particularly those impacting major exporters like China, which currently faces a 145% tariff (subject to change in the latest daily news) on certain goods.
Many guitar manufacturers produce instruments or use components sourced from these tariff-affected nations, highlighting the broad impact of such trade measures on both international and domestic operations.
The number of small and large US businesses in the guitar industry being affected by the uncertainties of high tariffs is growing daily, and it looks like the guitar industry now has to make a stand.
Neural DSP Raise US Prices
Following on from this now Neural DSP has just announced a $100 price hike for US customers. Sttaing the following: “Due to new tariffs introduced by the US administration, the Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) of the Quad Cortex has increased from $1,699 to $1,799 as of May 7th.”
US Pays More
They then go on to say that “These tariffs have significantly raised our import costs, and this adjustment helps us maintain the quality, ongoing development, and long-term support you’ve come to expect. This change affects US pricing only. International pricing remains unchanged.”
Prices outside the US are not affected, so this only has a negative effect on US customers.
Boss Celebrate 30th Anniversary of the Blues Driver
To end or more positive news this week, Boss has just announced a on-off Blues Driver pedal at the recent Soundmesse 2025 in Osaka.
“To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the BD-2 Blues Driver we are showcasing a very special version we’ve made, along with a few other collectible Blues Drivers. Sorry, this one won’t be for sale!”
It has gold knobs and a gold plate with 30th Anniversary, along with a shiny blue finish for th emain pedal housing.
That Blue Overdrive Pedal
Of course, expect to see even more celebrations this year involving everyones favourite blue overdrive pedal and potentially some more special editions could appear.
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3 responses to “Guitar Journal: Trump Tariffs & Blues Driver 30th Anniversary”
If you are sourcing everything from China, the only country facing those extra high potential tariffs when they’ve been stealing intellectual property, hoodwinking and destroying US and other country’s companies for decades, using various hostile tactics. It’s sad that it took Trump for the industry to rethink such stupidity. Are they rethinking it? Not sure, but they should have been rethinking the myopic lemming like strategy a long time ago. BTW , New potential tariffs have dropped in the latest deal to 33% not %155. That is also subject to change. Thank you Trump for making moves to wean short sighted manufactures off the Faustian bargain that is over dependance in Chinese factories and moving to bring manufacturing back.
No tariffs are in effect.
But let’s raise prices, and blame it on them.
I concur with Daniel S, couldn’t agree more … thanks DJT !