A One-Person Shop, Squeezed by Rising Input Costs

A sole proprietor who designs and hand-builds craft amplifiers entirely in the United States expected that making products domestically would shield the business from trade disruptions. Instead, rising tariff-driven input costs have made it harder than ever to keep building here.

Every amplifier is designed, assembled, and tested in the U.S. — but the electronic components required to build them are sourced globally, and many simply aren’t made domestically at any viable scale. Over the past year, the cost of those components has doubled.

For a one-person business, there’s no margin to absorb that kind of increase. Each amp now costs dramatically more to build, forcing difficult decisions about pricing, production volume, and whether continued growth is even possible.

This story cuts to the heart of a common misconception about tariffs: manufacturing in the U.S. does not eliminate exposure to global supply chains. When essential inputs are taxed at the border, the cost lands squarely on American builders — including the smallest ones.

For this craft amplifier maker, tariffs don’t encourage reshoring. They make it harder to sustain a business built on quality, craftsmanship, and domestic production.

📢If your small business has been directly by tariffs,add your business to ourWe Pay the Tariffscoalition. These voices help show how even the most “Made in America” businesses are feeling the impact.