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Topic: Amplifier Tubes |
Carl Gallagher
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 2 May 2022 7:03 am |
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| I had that same head, 65 Bandmaster and a similar looking cab back in the 80's.Was a blonde tolex cab with an EV speaker.I put a master volume in the head.That master was pretty much useless, it was always on ten.I eventually took it out. |
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Cappone dAngelo
From:
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Posted 5 May 2022 11:57 am
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| Tim Marcus wrote: |
its because Sweetwater pulled their entire tube inventory and re-directed it to their suppliers of tube amplifiers so that they can continue to sell them. Makes sense. I was able to get some from them because they sell one of my models but I actually declined and cancelled that order because there is still an abundance of tubes.
The tube shortage was mostly just a panic caused by retail customers buying all of the retail tubes a few weeks ago. More are being produced and the shelves are starting to fill back up again. Its the same thing that happened with toilet paper back in 2020. Most tubes are sold wholesale not retail - just like toilet paper was - now the retail tubes are gone but they will be back soon at music stores and everyone who paid 2x the price during the panic will probably feel great about that panic based decision.
Regarding Western Electric - they have invested in some tooling from what I understand and can easily adapt one of their designs to the 12AX7 pinout. However in my opinion the market is going to force their hand. We are too used to $20 12AX7s (or less) its going to be hard to adapt to a $120 tube even for the made in the USA diehards. Hard to compete with the factories abroad that make good 12AX7s day in and day out and sell them at 1/5 the price retail.
We are also down a factory in China (closed since 2019) but that factory is coming back online next year. That means Ruby and TAD will have their factory back and not have to rely on JJ anymore. I think in about 6-7 months we will have an abundance of tubes and prices will probably float back down again on the retail side.
The hi-fi 300B crowd is in a different universe than the guitar amplifier crowd. I am cheering for Western Electric but not very optimistic about US made tubes. |
Re China, it looks like the Psvane tubes are now readily available - Amplified Parts just announced additions to their inventory:
https://www.amplifiedparts.com/products/vacuum_tubes?filters=2341a4285 |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 5 May 2022 4:35 pm
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I've used Shuguang triodes that I like better than the original RCA's (2A3s in my case). That factory is apparently one that has been offline for a time. But there are good Chinese tubes out there. Hopefully the Psvane tubes are among those.
Dave |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 16 May 2022 1:24 pm
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As a tube amp tech I'm shocked by players who replace tubes yearly, or after "x" hours of playing, or because they read tubes have to be changed every 5 years - all because they read some bunk in a guitar magazine or a tech in business since 1990 told them so.
I have 3 Fender blonde amps - a '60 Twin, '61 Showman, and '62 Bandmaster, and know the history of all 3.
I also have a 1948 Pro - I can't say they are original, but it has either original or NOS RCA power tubes and RCA & GE metal preamp tubes.
The others have all their original tubes except the power tubes in the Bandmaster, which are 20 year old Svetlanas. Preamp tubes in all 3 blondies are original Sylvania, GE and RCA branded (but typically, not all made in those factories);
The power tubes in the Twin and Showman are the original GE 5881's (the Showman even has the original Altec!).
They've been gigged, used in the studio, traveled coast-to coast and still sound great; the power tubes bias to within 4ma, and the preamp tubes are all fine.
I have a calibrated Hickok tube tester, but like 90% of those in use it is useless for power tubes because of its low plate voltage output - 185 volts. But all the preamp tubes check out fine.
They all have had the filter and bias caps replaced several times (I replace both every 15 years), but other than one trem cap and driver caps in the Twin and a few misc bypass caps in all, the electronics are original.
RARELY do 1950's, '60's and '70's tubes need to be replaced. Most of those amps I have serviced - that are well maintained - have original tubes.
And if replaced, most have NOS tubes. Most of the players I do work for take care of their gear. And in amps with newer tubes, only in a few random cases have new tubes be required - and I always suggest NOS tubes because of the lifespan.
I find most Russian tubes in well-maintained amps last 10-20 years (except very early wafer-base 5881's and black glass 6V6's), and Chinese tubes 5-10 years. European tubes are what I recommend if the player jus can't afford NOS tubes from a recognized source (KCA, Lord Valve etc). And they have generally not failed yet.
I just do not understand the panic, because most players who use other techs, have called me because that one "can't get new tubes" - if I can convince them to bring their amp over - don't NEED new tubes!!
They have just been replacing them for years at set intervals. No other reason.
It saddens me how many perfectly good "pulls" have been tossed in the trash! I started collecting pulls from friends who could not be convinced they didn't need to replace tubes and did replacement themselves (and had me adjust the bias, or check the preamp over) - so I have a good stock for myself and a few friends.
Who probably won't need them.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Ethan Shaw
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 17 May 2022 10:44 am
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| Jim, I'm a big fan of your approach of if it ain't broke... (and I'm jealous of your amps)! My issue is that I always develop issues with the metal inside the tubes rattling, especially with low notes- sometimes after using them for a while, sometimes straight out of the box. Dampeners don't seem to help- it seems to be the little metal discs inside the tubes that are rattling. That's why I tend to replace them. I've never used real high-end tubes. Do they not have that problem? Or is there another solution I don't know about? |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 17 May 2022 11:19 am
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| My ‘75 100 watt Twin Reverb still has the original tubes and they still sound great. Still original cone JBLs too. |
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Carl Gallagher
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 17 May 2022 12:14 pm
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| I go with Jims school of thought.My oldest amp, a mid 60's Ampeg Gemini still has the original Bugle Boy preamp tubes.I mentioned it before that I have about 150 NOS preamp tubes and about 50-60 used preamp pulls and there is no need to use them in this amp.I had it since 71 and it has been fully abused forever.Used as a bass amp for years then gigged for a few years by a popular band in the late 70's and about 5 years ago I put a bass speaker back in it and my son has used it extensively.Those tubes are still as good as any in my huge stash. |
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