Anybody who plays a musical instrument knows how difficult it is to find quality instruments and accessories in Cairo. Although there are many music shops in the city, the range and quality on offer is not comparable to what you would find abroad. It's not a surprise since there is no burgeoning market for musical instruments, as is the case abroad. It's also cheaper to buy them overseas. But while you may probably not find something like a banjo or Chapman's stick, Cairo does provide your run-of-the-mill instruments such as guitars in all their forms, drums and keyboards. It's the quality of instruments on offer that leaves a lot to be desired. They are usually made in Taiwan or China, offering low-end instruments at affordable prices. The reason for this is the high customs duties levied on musical instruments coming into Egypt, a whopping 32.5 percent and that's before the mandatory 10 percent sales tax. All in all, with other customs and duties added, it amounts to around an additional 50 percent on the price of any instrument. This explains why it is rare to find a top end guitar such as the Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster available here. Musical amplifiers have escaped this hefty tag however, because they are classified as power operated electrical machines, which means a customs tax of between 5 and 10 percent; which means you can get Marshall amplifiers for as little as LE 2,000. The down side is that they are on the low range with no tubes or valves in sight, but rather a transistor, means they are more reliable but lacking in quality. One music store proprietor told The Daily Star Egypt "Musical instruments are an integral part of a country's culture, yet the government applies all these taxes which they should remove. He added: "The market is weak, especially now because of the prevailing economic conditions, people can't put food on the table at the moment. I sell these instruments because I love music, because someone needs to do this for the kids. If we all think the money is not worth it there will be no one left. If there is one up side to all this, it's that prices are affordable for beginners. A classical guitar can cost as little as LE 220 and an electric in could start from LE 850. An entire drum kit made in Taiwan could go for LE 2,900. This doesn't mean that there aren't any quality instruments in Cairo. If you're looking for acoustic guitars, head to the Yamaha shop in Heliopolis. Prices start at LE 800 but a high end acoustic will run into the thousands. For keyboards and pianos there is Al Fanny Trading in Heliopolis. Korg and Roland are amongst the brands you will find, but you'll have to pay a lot for it. An entry-level keyboard would run for at least LE 3,000. And if you're thinking about a digital piano, be prepared to cough up no less that LE 30,000.
