Why I prefer gear that is made domestically


I find you have a better chance of getting parts and service if you buy a domestic product. Sure some domestic companies go out of business but nothing is full proof. If I need a part for my VPI turntable or ARC electronics I can usually get them within a week. When I had Dynaudio speakers I blew out a driver and had to wait 3 months to get one from Denmark. Since I didn't have another speaker at the time it made it inconvenient for me. No knock on Dynaudio. I really like their speakers. But if I had domestically made speaker I most likely could of got a part within a couple of weeks. 
taters
The best service experience I've had in turn around time was courtesy of Bryston. Shipped out on Monday- my amp was back on Friday! 

helps that I live in the northeast 
Schubert, you also live about 30 minutes from Audio Research.  No plastic binding posts over there, and I've delivered and picked up my amps for mod at their loading dock.  (Been down that other road you mentioned--not such a bargain, IMO).  

Schubert, I became a fan of Frank Van Alstine when he had the temerity to offer a mod for the ARC SP-3 at a time when Bill Johnson's design talents were considered unimpeachable. How dare he! The fact was, Franks mod "corrected" a few flaws in the design of the SP-3, making it more linear, with less distortion and more accurate RIAA equalization. I sent him a Dynaco PAS2 to put his tube pre-amp design of the 80's into, and it was a good one, at a bargain price.