Western Electric USA considering expanding their tube operations due to the current global pandemic

  • Thread starter Thread starter 311splawndude
  • Start date Start date
Filled it out.

I commented on the need for quality winged C replica EL34 and 6550s both.
 
Filled the form all the way from Finland.

No matter if they're going to cost a fortune just save us from the tube ampocalypse(giddit?).
 
I’m all for this venture but something that gives me pause is that to the best of my knowledge no USA produced tube of any sort has ever been known to have the British EL 34 EL 84 type of tone or even European flavors of preamp tubes. The American tube tone is its own thing, great, but not British. Have EL anything ever been produced in North America?
 
thegame said:
I’m all for this venture but something that gives me pause is that to the best of my knowledge no USA produced tube of any sort has ever been known to have the British EL 34 EL 84 type of tone or even European flavors of preamp tubes. The American tube tone is its own thing, great, but not British. Have EL anything ever been produced in North America?
Click to expand...
6CA7
 
EL84 American name is 6BQ5. First amp I owned in 1969 had one. About no one calls it by that name.
Ironically my main amp these days uses a quad of EL84.
 
Rex Rocker said:
What tubes do WE currently make?
Click to expand...
Apparently there is 7 tube factories worldwide. Maybe 3 of them make tubes used in guitar amps.

There is hundreds of tubes that could be used in guitar amps. But there is only a handful that are common.
 
The tube they currently make goes for less than half everywhere else. So hopefully it will be 40 -50 for a 12ax7. I would pay that. And for power tubes depending on quality I would pay double.
 
Holy crap!
Been looking at the prices for matched pairs and quads on their website....
I hope it happens, but if the guitar amp tubes are as much as the 300B they are known for, that's gonna really sting!
As Clint said, I'd certainly be willing to pay more, probably quite a bit more, but OUCH!!
May not have any choice at some point....
 
Hate to say it but if the only option for tubes becomes a very expensive, niche manufacture. I'll go digital when the time comes. I don't care for modelers etc and love turning on my amps and smelling them too...lol but now that it's just recreation in the basement, I couldn't justify that expense. But hey, the cheap, supposedly crap 34's I have in my MK V have lasted over 10 years, so there's that. I don't deny the modelers sound very good, I just like the immediate reaction and aesthetics of guitar to amp to speaker, add volume and enjoy your balls being stroked by sonic majesty. I'm counting on arthritis having sway before I give up tube amps anyway.
 
With tube costs increasing five fold over pre-Ukrainian war and pandemic prices, there will be a wedge driven between people who play to play, and play to produce material/songs. People who play to play could go modeling but prefer tubes and don’t need the immense power, but like it anyway. Those who produce are going for a certain sound that only micing can provide.

Honestly it is sad because it will further drive people away from tube amps making them even more unobtainable for many and the rarity of them will go up with lower overall production or increased entry costs into the market for the mass.

I feel like demand will always be there but I may not play my tube amps as much or leave them on standby as often as I used to.
 
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