Building Instruments in America — and Fighting Tariffs at Every Step

Cosmodio Instruments is a five-person company in Bedford, Massachusetts, designing and hand-assembling electronic musical instruments in the United States. It’s exactly the kind of small manufacturing business policymakers often say they want to support.

But tariffs are making that work harder, not easier.

While Cosmodio designs, builds, and assembles its products domestically, it relies on materials like PCBs and electronic components that are largely unavailable in the U.S. — or only available at prohibitively high prices. As those input costs have risen, the company’s cost of goods has climbed steadily.

As the founder explained:

“It’s difficult to forecast. It’s difficult to price new products. We’re trying to build an American manufacturing business, and instead we’re fighting tariffs, rising costs, and unpredictability.”

Cosmodio has held prices steady on existing products, absorbing higher costs internally. For newer products, those increased costs have been baked into pricing — a decision made out of necessity, not preference.

What makes the situation especially frustrating is the disconnect between policy intent and reality. These tariffs are meant to support U.S. manufacturing, yet they penalize small companies that are already producing domestically and sourcing globally only where there are no viable alternatives.

For Cosmodio, the goal is simple: focus on building great products and growing a business in Massachusetts — not navigating unpredictable tariff costs.

📢 If your small business has been affected by tariffs, sign onto our open letter. These stories help show how trade policy is affecting real manufacturers trying to grow here at home.