According to a Wall Street Journal story:

Federal antitrust enforcers are investigating whether makers of musical instruments and audio equipment illegally blocked retailers from discounting their goods, leading to higher consumer prices.

Every time I go into a Guitar Center or Sam Ash and look at the new guitar prices, I always think, “Really? For that?” Maybe it’s unrelated. Maybe I’m getting older. I don’t know. But what I have believed for years is that you basically never buy new, big-ticket, big-name guitars at chain music stores. You can always find better value elsewhere, especially from manufacturers like Heritage or Carvin, who keep prices lower by reducing overhead from pricey endorsements, advertising, and bloated inventories (have you ever noticed how many Fender models there are? Sheesh!).