Perhaps higher sales prices for Clavia Nord products in USA

[tsss27]

What I found crazy was the price difference for Nord in Europe vs USA even before the new tariffs. When I looked, an Electro 6D 61 was something like $1750 (without VAT) and in the USA it was $2700 (without sales tax.) Even accounting for currency conversion (the Euro is much higher now) and the larger percentage of taxes required in Europe, it's still far less.

[Wolfgang T]

What I found crazy was the price difference for Nord in Europe vs USA even before the new tariffs. When I looked, an Electro 6D 61 was something like $1750 (without VAT) and in the USA it was $2700 (without sales tax.) Even accounting for currency conversion (the Euro is much higher now) and the larger percentage of taxes required in Europe, it's still far less.

When considering the price difference between Europe and America, we shouldn't forget the different freight routes and their associated freight charges. The distance between Sweden and Germany is just 1,000 kilometers. In contrast, the distance between Sweden and America is a good 6,000 kilometers, six times longer, and this is certainly reflected in the higher freight costs and the selling prices.

[Gambold]

>we shouldn't forget the different freight routes and their associated freight charges.<

Shipping is higher but not by much. The distance isn't so much an issue as the steps and services that need to be used. Even so, I've shipped cased guitars to Europe from Chicago for about $100 more than it would cost me to ship to California.

The difference between Nord keyboards in Europe and USA is usually a lot more than that. Nord is also shipping in bulk to their distributors so they will get bigger discounts than me selling one item off Reverb.

See the two charts below, from 2023. The top one is New York to Los Angeles, the bottom is New York to London. Both are for a guitar - a keyboard is heavier, but you see the comparison. And again, Nord is shipping in bulk.

[Wolfgang T]

>we shouldn't forget the different freight routes and their associated freight charges.<

Shipping is higher but not by much. The distance isn't so much an issue as the steps and services that need to be used. Even so, I've shipped cased guitars to Europe from Chicago for about $100 more than it would cost me to ship to California.

The difference between Nord keyboards in Europe and USA is usually a lot more than that. Nord is also shipping in bulk to their distributors so they will get bigger discounts than me selling one item off Reverb.

See the two charts below, from 2023. The top one is New York to Los Angeles, the bottom is New York to London. Both are for a guitar - a keyboard is heavier, but you see the comparison. And again, Nord is shipping in bulk.

According to my investigations, one shouldn't compare a guitar with a heavy stagepiano when it comes to shipping costs, especially since an 88-key stage piano, including packaging, is in a completely different league in terms of weight and packaging dimensions.

It should also be noted that larger packaging and heavier packaging drastically increase international shipping costs. Furthermore, Europe is not the same; if you calculate shipping costs from Sweden, i.e., northern Europe, they are even higher.

It's also important to consider that shipping costs from the USA to Europe are different than shipping costs from Europe to America, especially if the starting point is Stockholm, Sweden.

[analogika]

Weight is irrelevant if you're not shipping individual boxes.

From the first quote I could find without needing to register, a 20-foot shipping container from Rotterdam to the U.S. looks to be about $2400. Shipping from Hamburg is about $3200. I imagine shipping from Stockholm adds another $1000 or so, but I haven't checked.

Divide by however much stuff fits into a single container.

[Gambold]

We can speculate about shipping costs all day, but I'm not ready to believe they are the singular reason Nords cost so much more in the USA. Actually the more I think about it, the more I really doubt it. It's likely taxes and customs and all that crap.

Of course now, the USA is basically East Berlin of old as far as commerce. Everything is going to get mighty expensive here as our Dear Leader continues to lose his marbles...

[WannitBBBad]

It's interesting that Nord decided to not allow its Stage 4 HA88 to exceed $6,000 in the U.S.A. The HA73 went from $5,399 to $5,899, while the HA88 went from $5,699 to $5,999; only $100 more to move from the HA73 to the HA88.

[Wolfgang T]

Latest update:

As part of the trade dispute between the United States of America and the European Union, today an agreement was reached after lengthy negotiations on the introduction of tariffs amounting to 15% on almost all goods from the EU to the United States.
The tariffs will take effect on August 1, 2025.

Consequently, all products from Clavia Nord that are to be exported to the United States seems to be also affected.

(As of July 28, 2025)

[ZeroZero]

I love the Nord stuff, but I was at the NAMM show last week and saw and played the new Roland V Stage keyboards which appear to be NORD clones. Laid out like the Nord with the Organ section to the left, the Piano section in the middle and the Synth section and Effects on the right, with a better display and buttons to select more patches, even the keyboard casing is red. 76 and 88 note versions. I LOVED them, they sounded and felt great. They are a little heavier than the Nord keyboards. If Nord prices skyrocket, I would have to check out the pricing on those keyboards. I agree with what Gambold said a few posts above this one.

Of course it's always possible that we are jumping the gun on big Nord price increases. The Roland might have bigger increases and still be cheaper, who knows at this point?

I bought a Roland Stage 88 and had it in my Studio alongside the Stage. My view is that it outshines the Nord stage in almost all ways. The improved vdu, does not rem8nd me of a 1990s keyboard (like my RD700NX.). it’s large and because the resolution is not absolute minimum like the Nord, it’s capable of showing destabilise like graphs. Overall control is deeper and its well thought out. TBH I don’t like Nord Pianos much and stuck with TruePianos Diamond module, which is better than all my other VSTs. However the Stockholm 9 on the Nord is superb. This and the Hammond is what I play. I have both a real Hammond and a real Rhodes too. The Nord Hamm9nd is too bright. One thing Almost all Digitals lack is the mission critical crackle when the bus bars go down on a real Hammond. This introduces a fuzz on the note attack. Of course all digital Leslie’s are lacking. If you have them both in the same room it really shows.
I likes everything about the Roland the sounds we’re not the best I have heard, but either are the Nords. The deal breaker for me was the keybed. This was typical Rhodes piano which is not at all suitable for Hammond playing, esp sweeps. So it was returned. It was close though and the Roland won most criteria. ONone of this faffing around with tiny memory.
iMo the Nord has benefited from the Triple sensors,it makes it more expressive, but only with the right program. The Stockholm 9 let’s it really sing. I give this sound at least four hours a day. The Hammond is adequate ish, no more, though I would say it gives the closest Whiter Shade of Pale, except for those big major Full drawbar chords, which are way too hard and bright.
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