Western Electric announced yesterday that they will begin manufacturing common guitar amplifier vacuum tubes like the 12ax7, 12at7, 6L6, 6V6, el34, KT88, EL84, etc., in their US facility. This comes in response to the current tube shortage due to supply chain issues from the three main manufacturers, Shuguang, New Sensor who make Electro Harmonix (EHX), Tung-Sol, EH Gold, Genalex Gold Lion, Mullard, Svetlana and the Sovtek brand, and Jamona who makes JJ tubes, and the overwhelmingly positive response they received from their online survey/questionnaire. Are made in America, MIA, tubes coming?
Guitar.com Article Referenced in This Video:
https://guitar.com/features/interviews/exclusive-western-electric-confirms-plans-tube-georgia-factory-crisis/
https://www.westernelectric.com
New US made vacuum tubes? FTC Legal Disclaimer – Some links found in the description box of my videos may be affiliate links, which means I will make commission on purchases you make through my link. This is at no extra cost to you, it’s just one more way to support me and my channel.
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Would love to support this American company in their efforts.
I’m excited and I appreciate the shout out! I’m just happy you put the word out! I want people to get on this. The more feedback that company get, the faster money would get to work on obtaining what they need to get these things in our amps with an American logo on it. I’m ecstatic for that alone. I’d pay $100 a pair of 6L6 that are GOOD and made in my neighboring state. All this talk of “pollution” is silly to me. There has to exist the technology to do the job clean. Respirators, exhaust units and filters. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
I'm not sure why we think that just because it's made in the US, that's its well made and/or high quality?! It makes little difference. We'll see if they are good quality and perform well after they are produced. There is plenty made in the US that is junk.
If they are good quality tubes, we should not care if they cost a modest amount more—we all need to buy American when we can—not just for old fashioned vacuum tubes but all sorts of things—especially medical equipment and pharmaceuticals—we need to bring back our manufacturing base for essential goods. Allowing our manufacturing base to all be moved abroad seriously impairs our national security. The world is still a dangerous place with many countries that are not our friends. Depending on overseas factories to supply us with goods we need puts us at risk of being cut off from those supplies if the country where they are made suffers a natural disaster, gets involved in a conflict/war, suffers a major economic downturn, or if shipping overseas to us becomes disrupted by conflict or other issues. Reason we won WW2 was in large part because we had all of the natural resources we needed to build a massive military force and the energy resources to fuel said forces, and the manufacturing base to ramp up and produce the weaponry not only for American forces but also for all of our allies (UK, Canada, Australia, and yes even the Soviet Union who we sent warplanes, tanks, trucks, and small arms.)
So when you consider the current vacuum tube shortage realize that it is because we have been depending on China and Russia as primary sources of these products—two countries that in reality are our political and geo-economic adversaries—its no wonder why we are in this predicament. (Recall the shortage of masks and PPE we had at start of Covid pandemic—and we had been getting most of it from China.) We should all be grateful that somehow US still has a company with tech skills to still manufacture vacuum tubes for amps—even if they had to build a factory in Canada or Mexico to expand production that is far better than having to buy and ship them here from China or Russia. So if Western Electric is able to produce good quality tubes for amps—support them and buy them even if they cost a bit more—better to have American workers getting paid and knowing we will be able to get them without being interrupted by events in other side of the world.
Some years ago I bought a quartet of German made NOS Siemens EL 34s from Tube Amp Doctor. These are good tubes – but are they any better than new ones? Certainly not! This NOS-thing is a commercial topic more than a tonal one. But it will be interetsing to see how the Western Electric guitar tubes perform.
I’m willing to pay for tubes made in the U.S. if they’re good. people will pay. Tube amps aren’t going nowhere in my opinion.
Discussion: I love heavy gain. That said, I have a classic rock sweet tooth that needs to get satiated every day by a few different songs but lately I find it being Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac. The intro is so warm and growly. Tubes are so hot in that tone. I like that as the song carries on, I believe they’re finger picking harder and a natural breakup is had. I’m going to be working on getting some pedals to replicate this sound. Anyone tried this at home yet?
How’d you do it?
Songs with similar tones to listen to?
Thanks for following the situation and for the informative video. I went to their website and submitted my support for their plans.
Electron tube circutry was my passion when I was in highschool! Beam power tubes, half wave rectifiers, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd stage audio amplifiers. Bringing back memories here!
NOTHING COULD COMPARE TO THE OLD AMERICAN TUBES FOR GUITAR AMPS!!! NOTHING!! I DONT CARE IF THEY COST MORE I WILL BUY THE AMERICANS IF THEY SOUND LIKE THE OLD SCHOOL ONES DID!!!
VERY EXCITED…THIS IS WHAT ALL OF US HAVE WAITED TO HEAR FOR YEARS@!!! SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST BUT HEY THIS REFLECTS WHAT ALL MY MUSICIAN FRIENDS ARE SAYING!!!! I GUARANTEE I AM NOT THE ONLY GUITAR PLAYER THAT VIEWS THIS AS THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND IT AINT A FREIGHT TRAIN HAHAHA!!
go go go! I'll pay more for AMERICAN MADE absolutely. Of course, they should be the best tubes made in the world.
I'm freaking out. I never kept spare tubes around and only now just realized you cannot buy tubes anymore. Egad!
With things going south between the us and china and unstable situation in eastern europe we need to bring tube manufacturing back to the usa if it cost more i ll pay its that simple el34's and 6v6's of old were mutch better
If good quality American made tubes were readily available, I would never buy anything else. The extra cost would be worth it to support an American company
fantastic news !
Guitar amps are NOT sustainable
And will be banned, you will own nothing and be happy…or ELSE!!!
Finally! I hope they are good and cheap 👍
I would support them. We need American tubes.
That's alright I'll pay more American made I'm in come on folks this is what we need please support this American company
IF the price wasn't a high as high goes, I would rather buy USA. China and Ruskyville are not on my bucket list to do. People are spoiled with 138.00 tv's. They might help china build another island to expand their country and change the international waters distance from land and or help them build another bomb. No, in case you ask, you can't remove politics from business anymore than God from man's eventual outcome a the End of Days. Oh, does anyone know anything new about when WE might get started on the amplifier tube manufacturing process?
I called today, Black Friday and they said 1 year min start up for the amplifier tubes.
They are considering it.Nothing more…Sadly.
Not quite right. They are "looking into" making popular types. And if they do make them, which I at least hope they do – you can bet your buttons that they'll be expensive. Very expensive when compared to Russian, Chinese, or Slovakian made offerings
If Western Electric can make tubes that last anywhere close to old US made tubes AND be in spec, I don’t care how much they cost within reason. Two to three times the cost of Russian/Chinese/Slovakian tubes is something I would be willing to pay.
Can’t wait AB test it against Russians and Chinese.
Hopefully Mesa Boogie can make a arrangement with Western electric and continue supplying tubes
would much rather buy tubes from USA. Happy to pay x3-4 the price of Chinese or Russian stuff, piss off dictators
I was so happy when GE started making 12AX7's and 12AT7's in the early 2000's . I bought 4 of each for $9.oo a piece . They made 6550's but the price was really high, they were talking about making others then stopped again out of the blue.
Western Electric never made a 6CA7, 6L6xx, KT66, KT88, 6550, or any other audio amp PO tube. Be prepared to pay $400 -$800 for a quad of 6L6GC's.
if you think this ompany can build or expand a factory that manufactures all these tubes ,,,your living in a dream world ,,,unless this company has 100s of millions to invest, and years to get it going,,this is no simple undertaking
Companies like Fender, Marshall and Gibson need to invest in this company to produce domestic.
I’ll pay more for Made in American any day
welp, can someone drive by the factory and check to see if there is any construction or remodeling? not sure why they won't make amp tubes long as the price is competitive we know where everyone in the USA is going to by their tubes.. absolutely, I can't lift anything heavy but I can read blueprints all that if they need some guidance let's do this! yes BACK TO THE USA!!!
also amp tubes will be industry standard as the 300b is an AUDIOPHILE tube, totally different ball game.. they should be less than you can get anywhere due to using all USA materials and not paying any IMPORT fees.. also to take up slack and keep their shop running they can sell to fender and american amp makers in bulk…
what happened was foreign competition wasn't able to stay in business due to the way politicians allowed them to export tubes to the USA for literally no fees, so american tube makers couldn't compete, all that has changed and will change permanently in 2024 when Trump gets back in, puts PERMANENT tariffs on foreign imports, these demonrats make shady deals in exchange for kickbacks with these companies and leaders in their countries, total BS, and it ran almost every single company out of the USA and made commie nations stronger..
trump in 24' and its game over… BETTER tubes made in the USA by a better company… myself I am so sick of these not inexpensive garbage tubs with no consistency and or longevity..
the USA was BOSS in making everything, we've forgotten nothing, no matter how many ties you ask the question
We need power tubes! Not just for guitar amps but for tube audio in general. There are plenty of affordable NOS small signal tubes out there.
About time USA is back in the game
I will fully support you as a amplifier builder
Russia Tubes are garbage worse then China
German tubes are good and any military USA tubes
American tooling was so far advanced that’s was the reason we won ww2 the tubes powered machines making aluminum and they made radar that took out the German airforce
Thanks! Very interesting, people here i Europe pay a lot for fx Telefunken nos tubes – so why not make tubes in usa, the Wesern Electric have I guess, all materials, and a lots of knowledge. Good luck 👍
Yes, LBP like RCA, Sylvanias are best tubes.
How bout 6L6s?
Support them with 200eur for ONE mediocre 12AX7, they will be hand made in US impregnated by snake oil. 6L6 will cost about 3x more, 300B like 1000eur or more 🙂
Nothing will come out of this except for audiophile stuff.
There are huge stocks of NOS and good "new" Russians tubes, the problem is resellers holding them until Russia sent new tubes month ago or so 🙂 This cost less than 30eur…
I found like 6 of these tubes the other day in an old abandoned property.
🎵😎👍🎵
I hope they will start selling 12AX7's this July as predicted. There is always room for better quality tubes no matter who makes them, but it would be great to have an actual American company joining the fray. But its all up in the air how good these tubes will be. If they are TOO GOOD, sterile sounding, too HIFI sounding, guitar players won't buy them.
apparently the politicians stepped in and said oh no you cannot do this, we are gearing towards chyna supplying everything for the USA.. so clearly we need to get rid of the politicians first
I would pay 2x the cost for American made.