Tube ban

[EBK]

The world needs to pause until after I finish my Archibald build. 

[Martan]

My hunt for a quad of 6L6's led to Sam Ash who took the order and then went silent. If looking for preamp tubes check out Brent Jesse (https://www.audiotubes.com/). Its mostly NOS but full of great info and shockingly high prices on some rare tubes. They've been great for me getting (somewhat) inexpensive tubes for fancy builds. I've even sent in a set of tube measurements from a pair I had and they matched them with a new set so I could go stereo with an eq build.

[Martan]

I actually got a shipping notice on these. Went back for more and they are gone

[pickdropper]

It would be hilarious if virtue signaling would accomplish what digital emulation couldn't do, finish off the vacuum tube in guitar amplification.

I'll probably regret asking this, but what does virtue signaling have to do with the current tube shortage?

Folks weren't unwilling to buy Russian tubes, there was an export ban.  That coupled with the Shuguang factory in China burning down, left JJ as the only large producer.  Fear of supply issues caused panic buying which depleted much of the available stock worldwide.

Now, EHX (which owns the New Sensor Russian tube factory) seems to have worked a deal to secure supply (or maybe just released their existing stock) at higher pricing because the demand is outstripping the current supply.

This scare could certainly push some folks towards modelers and other solid state options.  It'll be interesting to see if the Shuguang factory is rebuilt.  If Russian tubes prove difficult to source and Shuguang isn't rebuilt, it might be really tough for tube amp manufacturers.   

[culturejam]

I'll probably regret asking this, but what does virtue signaling have to do with the current tube shortage?

Nothing. This guy is a shirt-stirring wind-up merchant. 

[cooder]

And just like that EHX announced that they are getting tubes again and that the issue has been resolved, there will be a price rise though (surprise...).

[jimilee]

Why even bothering announcing something pretty major, and then recanting it two days later???


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[EBK]

Looks like it's viral marketing, and we all took the bait. 

[matmosphere]

Looks like it's viral marketing, and we all took the bait. 

Ugh, I hope not. I don't really begrudge EHX, but something like that would be lame.

Also I'm trying to actually give a crap about this. I've used the same tube amp as my main amp for twenty years. I replaced the tubes exactly one time, well over a decade ago and it still sounds great.

I've had more than one conversation with techs that don't get why people replace their tubes so much. Their thinking was if the amp is working well then don't mess with it. I tend to agree with that mentality.

It is also a miracle that tubes aren't already way more expensive than they currently are. Think we've all been working on borrowed time with that one. Not to say I want prices to go up, just that I think a price spike was pretty inevitable one way or another.

[peccary]

Looks like it's viral marketing, and we all took the bait. 

Ugh, I hope not. I don't really begrudge EHX, but something like that would be lame.

Also I'm trying to actually give a crap about this. I've used the same tube amp as my main amp for twenty years. I replaced the tubes exactly one time, well over a decade ago and it still sounds great.

I've had more than one conversation with techs that don't get why people replace their tubes so much. Their thinking was if the amp is working well then don't mess with it. I tend to agree with that mentality.

It is also a miracle that tubes aren't already way more expensive than they currently are. Think we've all been working on borrowed time with that one. Not to say I want prices to go up, just that I think a price spike was pretty inevitable one way or another.

I haven't used my M/B 400+ much in the past eight or so years, but I played and gigged (locally) it regularly for about a decade and I never re-tubed it. Mainly because it'll cost a billion dollars, but also because it always sounded awesome and I never felt the need. I always did feel like I was playing with fire every time I brought it to a gig since I didn't have a backup, though. Now I'm wishing I'd bought a replacement kit because I don't know what they'll end up costing after the dust settles on this.

[pickdropper]

Looks like it's viral marketing, and we all took the bait. 

Ugh, I hope not. I don't really begrudge EHX, but something like that would be lame.

Also I'm trying to actually give a crap about this. I've used the same tube amp as my main amp for twenty years. I replaced the tubes exactly one time, well over a decade ago and it still sounds great.

I've had more than one conversation with techs that don't get why people replace their tubes so much. Their thinking was if the amp is working well then don't mess with it. I tend to agree with that mentality.

It is also a miracle that tubes aren't already way more expensive than they currently are. Think we've all been working on borrowed time with that one. Not to say I want prices to go up, just that I think a price spike was pretty inevitable one way or another.

Yeah, other than a single 12AT7 in my '65 Vibrolux, I've haven't changed any tubes in it for 20 years.  The power tubes will need swapping out, but the old glass in there seems to last forever.

I did have a pair of current production EL34 tubes go bad my JMP 50, but those were a lightly used pair that were given to me and I don't know how much life they had on them.

Other than that, I've only changed tubes when I was messing around (generally preamp tubes) and I kept the ones I pulled out as they still worked.  For most amps, under most conditions, tubes last a while.  I do like having a backup set of power tubes for each amp and some common preamp tubes, but that's more out of caution as they *can* go bad without notice.

[davent]

Apparently Western Electric (US based tube maker of 300B's) has the equipment necessary for making other common tubes if the demand is there.

https://www.westernelectric.com/expand

[pickdropper]

Apparently Western Electric (US based tube maker of 300B's) has the equipment necessary for making other common tubes if the demand is there.

https://www.westernelectric.com/expand

I filled out the form as well.  Their 300B tubes have been highly regarded for a long time in the audiophile world (and have a 5 year warranty).  I'd like to see some more commonly used tubes from them.

The interesting thing will be price point.  WE's 300B tubes are $700 each, which is pricey, but the NOS equivalents are significantly more expensive and even overseas produced 300B tubes aren't exactly cheap ($235 each for JJs).  If WE can make quality power tubes (like EL34/6CA7 or 6L6GC) for 3x the pre-panic buy import pricing, I think they might be able to do well with them.

[EBK]

Apparently Western Electric (US based tube maker of 300B's) has the equipment necessary for making other common tubes if the demand is there.

https://www.westernelectric.com/expand

I filled out the survey, but I'm not very sophisticated, so I told them I want 12AX7 and 6V6, which is all that I have firsthand experience with.   

[imjonwain]

I'll fill that out as well. 

Maybe I'm a fake hippy but I'd really like to see people as a whole move towards buying less and willing to pay more for higher quality goods made "more locally" that may put less strain on the environment & the "system" in general.  The current race to the bottom price expectations make for a hard market for everyone.