Western Electric considering guitar amp tube production
- Thread starter Wattage
- Start date
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
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.
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.
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
One of Jerry's Kids
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
New member
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
Well-known member
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
Well-known member
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
New member
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
Well-known member
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.
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
yep i read it, its all conjecture. Marketing bling.
Wattage
High Voltologist
They were overwhelmed with the response from manufacturers alone, then the aftermarket response hit. The market is huge and there aren't going to be as many competitors out there going forward.
I can't see any of this as a bad thing at all. A quality company that has the ways and means to make tubes for our needs, I totally support this.
I can't see any of this as a bad thing at all. A quality company that has the ways and means to make tubes for our needs, I totally support this.
Gtrjunior
New member
Where did you get $1300 as a price?
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Will you stop making up numbers? These aren't stupid people. They know guitar players won't spend $100 on 12AX7s en masse.
NegativeEase
New member
He's saying that because they currently sell matched Quad 300Bs tubes for 3100.00 and their amp for 16,000.00
It's esoteric audiophile gear, and their tubes are handmade in USA.
So while he's guessing -his point is still valid
If they make tubes for guitarists in USA -they will be prestige level tubes -and very very expensive. granted not as expensive as a 300B which is about as complicated as a damn Klystron tube to make.
chadd
Well-known member
Western Electric is selling their 300Bs for $1499 per matched pair. They're either going to target the high end market for guitar players or alter their business model.
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