Western Electric considering guitar amp tube production

[Demanic]

Funny how environmental concerns don't seem to hamper the manufacturers located in certain countries (cough cough).

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[Ewizard]

What is more disturbing to me is the amount the cheeks will turn dependent upon the $$$ involved in the end product. There has been for several years now recalls and warnings about Benzene being in everyday products that are made by corporations that make LOTS of $$$$. But a smaller niche market company can't make certain things because of " environmental impact " ...

I knew a company would come along and take advantage of the situation, and while I am glad it is a USA brand, I somehow see it derailing. There is bound to be some legal or environmental holdup. If not, it won't be affordable and the only thing that will add value to it is " Made in USA ".

[Ashurbanipal]

Mm, bigger companies also have more money to spend on lawyers and red tape, which smaller operations don't.

Of course, there's many other things which have huge environmental impact, like making lithium batteries (and that's just mining the lithium), and business goes on.

With WE, seeing that it's a running operation and they already have machines and tooling, the cost of expanding would be smaller (question is also how much they plan on doing so). They'll still be expensive tubes.

[Gold star]

if , in a year's time the industry decides tubes have no future, then some great sounding amps from the smaller builders will go to the wall. I'm thinking Supro, Matchless, Bartel, Carr, Toneking. Supro have been making tube amps since 1935. It's not straightforward to just switch to SS if you have not done it. Different technology . I think if the brands I mentioned are to make the change to digital they will probably go the Fender route..as with the Tonemaster. Chinese made electronics and the rest US made. Vox & Marshall could also adapt. If not then they will need the remaining tube makers outside Russia to scale up...

[dave74]

I think we will keep getting all the tubes we could ever use. Russia is going to need much money after all this.

[Top-L]

We need to invade and conquer Russia to gain control of tube manufacturing.

[JMP/HBE]

Blackburn Mullard / Amperex Holland and others from the 50's / 60's & 70's had Radioactive Isotopes in the plate coatings which many of those tube factory workers died early deaths due to a variety of cancers.
Current made tubes do not contain that material and it is banned.
Many of those workers died to give us great tone from NOS tubes and its also why those tubes still sound great 50+ years later.

[Ewizard]

Supro, Harmony, Magnatone, and any other formerly defunct, revival brands will likely fall if tubes are no longer produced. The only reason these revival brands even work out is because of the history they had. Without any tubes, they will not have anything resembling their heritage, and they will just be another stamp on the side of an over-engineered CE, and RoHS compliant OEM circuit made in a second or third world country.

Carr, Dr. Z, and few others are truly independent companies that DO NOT play much in SS circuitry. I don't think they will delve much into trying to break into printed circuit boards and transistors. Toneking was once all turret board design, but like many have sold out and in order to meet a world market, have gone to PCB, with marketing and distribution from a third party. What's the point in trying to reinvent the wheel of a format that is still not perceived well. If you could choose between a Fender Tonemaster, or a Fender Deluxe Reverb, which are you more likely to choose? I would will a good bet MOST would go DR. If you had to choose between a Freidman BE-100 or an Ibanez Toneblaster ( a damn fine amp ) I bet 99% would go Freidman BE-100. The list goes on; tube amps are the most sought after. Without tubes, you are just another name in a VERY BIG HAT.

[Securb]

LabSeries, Roland, Sunn, Quilter and BOSS all make phenomenal solid state amps. Some of them iconic in their own right. Given the choice between a Fender Twin and JC 120 I would take the Roland everyday. I happen to own both amps. Randell is also another company that makes great solid state amps. Both tubes and solid state have their benefits I do not think we can claim one is superior to another. It all comes down to the preference of the player.

[LLL]

Western Electric currently makes some tubes in USA but they are $$$ high end audio types

This is my recollection as well. Marketed towards "audiophools" who think gold plated cat turds are superior to regular cat turds (to channel a certain Lord Valve).

If these guys start pumping out guitar amp tubes, be prepared to pay a hefty price.

[ErikH]

If tubes suddenly went the way of the dodo bird, I'd be fine. There are really good solid-state options out there today. My first choice would be a Quilter. Lightweight, powerful, good sound. And honestly, with my Worship rig being DI, I could do that for anything now if necessary. As long as my Vox AV30 keeps working, I'm good amp-wise. It has two 12AX7's in it but I just swapped in new ones a few months ago so it's good for a long time.

[Masta' C]

If major corporations can continue to make fluorescent, halogen, xenon, and especially "metal halide" bulbs (like many factories, warehouses, and stadiums use) by the millions, then I doubt the "environmental impacts" of vacuum tubes is much of a concern. Tooling and machinery on the other hand might be the real limiting factor.

[Gtrjunior]

Just saw this.

https://guitar.com/features/interviews/exclusive-western-electric-confirms-plans-tube-georgia-factory-crisis/?fbclid=IwAR0u2tRs7nyqKyQnBCfrnTcnXaFBBxoIsMFpvVcMxdZgB3EEG_lGBXFRLks#l15i2p6lqorlxb7z6m

[Mincer]

If major corporations can continue to make fluorescent, halogen, xenon, and especially "metal halide" bulbs (like many factories, warehouses, and stadiums use) by the millions, then I doubt the "environmental impacts" of vacuum tubes is much of a concern. Tooling and machinery on the other hand might be the real limiting factor.

This. The price to start a factory from scratch would make the tube prices unaffordable. And in 5-15 years, there wouldn't be enough guitarists buying them to make it a viable business decision. I doubt it is viable now.

[JMP/HBE]

Just saw this.


https://guitar.com/features/intervie...2p6lqorlxb7z6m

Never happen.
They don't have the tooling or talent for guitar amp tubes
Who's going to pay $1300 for WE tubes for their Boogera.