PSA USA tube maker gauging interest

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Not sure if this is a duplicated post or not, but.

Western Electric is gauging interest of musician consumers in popular amplifier tubes.
Western Electric is in the USA.

They have a quick questionnaire that takes less than 10 seconds to fill out.

https://www.westernelectric.com/expand

 

[Masta' C]

Very cool! I threw in my 2-cents and suggestions. Would be awesome to see US-based tube production return, but I'm not going to pay NOS (New Old Stock) prices for NUS (New U.S.) tubes, LOL!

 

[jeremy]

ya might

 

[dave74]

They put that out a couple months ago iirc. I was actually wondering if any traction had been gained yet.

 

[formula73]

I can’t wait for 12ax7s at $1000/each

 

[chadd]

They put that out a couple months ago iirc. I was actually wondering if any traction had been gained yet.

Three months and they're still at the survey stage?

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Yah, I gave 'em my input several months ago. Maybe there wasn't enough interest and they're asking again?
I suggested 12AT7, 12AU7, 6V6, and EL84 as well as the standard 12AX7, 6L6, and EL34..

My comment was, I thought it's a great idea - as long as they can bring them out at a reasonable price point.
Very few musicians have a premium-audiophile budget to play with.

 

[beaubrummels]

I don't think they are doing another survey. I think people are just finding the same survey again. Haven't heard any outcome. But I also haven't heard any recent screaming for tubes, either.

 

[JMP/HBE]

That was 6 months ago they have made nothing.
$500 preamp tubes how does that work ?

 

[Masta' C]

Yah, I gave 'em my input several months ago. Maybe there wasn't enough interest and they're asking again?
I suggested 12AT7, 12AU7, 6V6, and EL84 as well as the standard 12AX7, 6L6, and EL34..

My comment was, I thought it's a great idea - as long as they can bring them out at a reasonable price point.
Very few musicians have a premium-audiophile budget to play with.

Your feedback and mine were pretty much identical.

They're welcome to make $500+ tubes if they want to, but the average player simply won't bother with them. Shame, because it would be great to see a truly competitive option coming out of the U.S.

Here's their current tube option: https://www.westernelectric.com/300b

 

[devastone]

Workers at McDonalds around here start at $18/hour and an American manufacturer will be able to make affordable tubes? I really don't know how. I could be wrong, happens alot, but I don't see it happening.

 

[NegativeEase]

Workers at McDonalds around here start at $18/hour and an American manufacturer will be able to make affordable tubes? I really don't know how. I could be wrong, happens alot, but I don't see it happening.

I know this company well, they make ultra high end full bandwidth hifi tubes near me -like $2-4k each

I just don't see this as possible (at a price point worth it) unless they do some offshore mfging.

But I hope they pull it off.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I think the important factor is volume. The tubes they make now, sales can be counted in dozens.
Popular guitar tubes, they'll sell thousands - assuming the price is reasonable.

I think most of us would willingly pay a bit of a premium for tubes as good as the ones made in the 50 & 60s.
But not much more than 150% the price of today's Chinese & East European ones.

 

[devastone]

I don't think the volume of tube sales will be enough to make them affordable, us guitar players, especially the subset that is interested in high end tubes is a pretty small market.

 

[Securb]

I am starting to see matched quads everywhere in stock. Some sets going for just over $100. Is this really a thing to be concerned about anymore?

 

[NegativeEase]

I am starting to see matched quads everywhere in stock. Some sets going for just over $100. Is this really a thing to be concerned about anymore?

Yep -Tung Sol, EHX, Mullards are available again.

 

[Securb]

So we no longer have to run around with our hair on fire?

 

[LLL]

I know this company well, they make ultra high end full bandwidth hifi tubes near me -like $2-4k each

I just don't see this as possible (at a price point worth it) unless they do some offshore mfging.

But I hope they pull it off.

Bingo. Western Electric has been marketing snob tubes for decades for the audiophools.

 

[beaubrummels]

You know, if they can make a 10M Mullard XF2 and 10M Mullard ECC83s, I might consider it, once. I could get 'that' sound and not have to change tubes for quite a long while.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Yep -Tung Sol, EHX, Mullards are available again.

Link to these "plentiful" & "affordable" quads ?
Only thing im seeing is still double & triple priced.