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Post by LeftyMeister on Mar 16, 2022 13:13:40 GMT -5
I just spent $100 on a set of Mullard 12AX7's because it's all I could find.
What will we do with our amps once tubes are no longer available? Dang it!
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Mar 16, 2022 13:24:36 GMT -5
See my thread about the Boss IR-200. I know, you already did. I just purchased a Headrush FRFR-108 to go with it. Haven't decided to sell all my tube amps, but some of them will be on the block soon.
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Post by LeftyMeister on Mar 16, 2022 13:43:08 GMT -5
See my thread about the Boss IR-200. I know, you already did. I played for a decade at church through modelers without an amp. I didn't enjoy it and really prefer an amp, especially with acoustic drums. I guess when tubes are no longer available, I'll switch to a solid state amp like the Boss Katana.
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Post by Leftee on Mar 16, 2022 13:49:31 GMT -5
At our church it’s Kemper all the way.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 16, 2022 13:50:53 GMT -5
I considered snagging a pair of NOS 6V6s for $100+ at KCA Tubes (Mike, Bluestrat(?))from the old place. But too many variables and I'm holding it off. Truthfully, I'd probably sooner invest in a Quilter Block than tubes I may or may not ever need.
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Post by larryguitar54 on Mar 16, 2022 16:40:51 GMT -5
There is another thread on this. But I spent a good part of the day looking at this realistically. I ordered as many extra 6L6s, 6V6s, 12AX7, 12AT7 snd EL84s as I could. My guess is tubes will not be available for the rest of 2022. The JJ facility in Slovakia might retool but I'm certain the amp manufacturers have ordered their entire output for the duration. The tube shortage was already in effect last year but the Ukraine situation has made it worse.
Tubes will be around. There is enough demand people will build factories to meet it. But I have already accepted tubes will be at least double and more. You can be certain Fender will pass it on and the prices will be on par with handwired amps.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on Mar 16, 2022 17:24:53 GMT -5
See my thread about the Boss IR-200. I know, you already did. I played for a decade at church through modelers without an amp. I didn't enjoy it and really prefer an amp, especially with acoustic drums. We all prefer amps. Lugging them around is another thing. But I didn't really expect you to get an IR-200. I thought you were playing a Dr Z at church?! Maybe my memory is failing, I just recall thinking that was a pretty loud amp for church. Didn't know you ever did the modeling thing.
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Post by zenland on Mar 16, 2022 18:19:04 GMT -5
I've got my Helix plus a Headrush FRFR-112 and a 2500 watt Turbosound power amp if all my amps blow up! Don't have a lot of spare tubes and not really concerned about it for the moment!
I spoke with Willie a few days ago on this subject and asked him if I should sell my tube amps. Basically said only I can answer that! He is a 'tube guy' but things changed for him and he is quite happy with his Katana amp! Maybe he will chime in?
For me, now? Nah! I'm going to let it ride and keep what I've got.
ymmv
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Post by cedarchoper58 on Mar 16, 2022 20:40:26 GMT -5
what about fender tone master amps
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Post by reverendrob on Mar 16, 2022 21:31:18 GMT -5
I'd consider a tonemaster amp if...they did a tweed Deluxe.
It'd have to sound better than the one in the Eleven Rack though, and interact with the controls as it does or better (which is nigh impossible to do "better" per se, since I've been able to take exact dial positions from the Deluxes I've worked with and make patches that are 98% there or better).
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Post by LeftyMeister on Mar 17, 2022 3:58:33 GMT -5
We all prefer amps. Lugging them around is another thing. But I didn't really expect you to get an IR-200. I thought you were playing a Dr Z at church?! Maybe my memory is failing, I just recall thinking that was a pretty loud amp for church. Didn't know you ever did the modeling thing. I leave my amp and pedalboard at church. I agree that I wouldn't want to lug it every week. I'm playing my Maz-18R. I point it at me (ie, away from the congregation) and mic it. It can get VERY loud but the Master volume allows me to keep it at a manageable volume. Years ago, I had a Yamaha DG-Stomp and then a Zoom G7.1ut (weird name).
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DrKev
Wholenote
It's just a guitar, it's not rocket science.
Posts: 418
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Post by DrKev on Mar 17, 2022 5:52:08 GMT -5
If everyone already had spares (which you should) and nobody ran out to start panic buying tubes, I think we'd have enough for everyone. Now a small number of people with the cash to spare have a stockpile of tubes they'll probably not need for amplifiers they barely use. If the current situation doesn't last more than year I don't know if this will make a major difference long-term in the popularity of tube amps. But the decline is already there, I think the shift to digital is unstoppable. The prices of new and vintage tube amps will remain firmly above the cost of digital amps and plugins, which will only decrease further. The only new kids that will choose tube amps will be those with old fart tube-loving parents like us.
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Post by reverendrob on Mar 17, 2022 6:14:47 GMT -5
EHX announced it's back in the game starting sometime in April - they're taking orders and filling backorders again.
Russia lifted the 'can't export tube" limit.
They'll be more expensive, of course, and subject to whatever tariffs your country has in place - US is 35%.
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Post by samspade on Mar 17, 2022 18:06:03 GMT -5
yep, tube amps will always continue, only if they serve as the watermark to what an amp should sound like. Then we can eat our synthetic meat and jam in virtual realities!
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Post by rickyguitar on Mar 17, 2022 18:36:19 GMT -5
^yeah dog.
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Post by cedarchoper58 on Mar 17, 2022 22:08:38 GMT -5
i just heard from a amp repair person the problem is people buying them all up in panic that soon as the panic ends things should be back to normal by the end of April. Hope there right. I have kept all my old tubes for decades when i just changed them for safety after about 60 gigs
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Peppy
Wholenote
Guitar gear guru at Milano Music Center
Posts: 180
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Post by Peppy on Mar 18, 2022 7:53:32 GMT -5
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 18, 2022 8:09:16 GMT -5
Western Electric? I thought they were defunct since the late 90s.
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Post by zenland on Mar 18, 2022 11:07:30 GMT -5
Peppy-Done
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Post by Leftee on Mar 18, 2022 11:09:11 GMT -5
Western Electric? I thought they were defunct since the late 90s. They re-emerged to produce de-funky tube.
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Post by Taildragger on Mar 18, 2022 11:56:15 GMT -5
Kind of reminds me of the panic-buying of "Beanie Babies" and "Furby" back when our kids were little.
OK, OK: not the same but, to a degree, some similar psychology is at work here.
Easy for me to say: being mostly a bass player now, I've pretty much gone all SS (though I do still own a couple of tube guitar amps).
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 18, 2022 12:45:36 GMT -5
There are some curious omissions on the form template, like 6V6s, 12AT7s. Good that they can be added in the comments section.
Groovy that there is a potential for a domestic manufacturer. I thought the process of tube production moved overseas because of EPA restrictions.
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Post by Seldom Seen on Mar 18, 2022 14:17:00 GMT -5
I just spent $100 on a set of Mullard 12AX7's because it's all I could find.
What will we do with our amps once tubes are no longer available? Dang it!
I’ll hook you up Leftee. I have a couple of old RCA tube caddies loaded with NOS and As New vintage tubes. I started collecting tubes twenty years ago but stopped after the caddies were full. I keep telling myself I need to get rid of a few.
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Post by budg on Mar 18, 2022 20:44:21 GMT -5
Well I checked my stock and it appears I’ll be ok for now. I have a 6v6 , 6l6 and el34 amp. I’ve got a dozen 12ax7s , a couple rectifier tubes and at least a spare set of power tubes for each. I run Tung Sols in my 59 Bassman , everything else is JJs. I just retubed my drri and bassman completely less than 6 months ago. Hopefully things shake out eventually.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Mar 19, 2022 14:37:26 GMT -5
Blame the hoarders.
Talked to some sales people - people are going online and ordering as much as the online forms will let them order, spending stupid amounts of money, cleaning out the stock. Tubes don't realistically sell all that fast, and if people weren't hoarding, there would barely be any noticeable hiccup in the supply unless you work on amps professionally or have a specific preference for Russian tubes.
Toilet paper eventually reappeared, but it was gone for a while although no one had poopier butts during covid than otherwise. Supply/demand was carefully balanced before the hoarders kicked in and it is carefully balanced now. Get the hoarders and resellers out of the picture, and it is all fine.
Not sure how long it'll take with tubes. The people hoarding might toss their tubes back up on eBay once they realize it was senseless, and they might not. It probably won't be instantaneous. It'll probably also cause price hikes that won't come back down, too. Many of those buying up the tubes probably plan on holding them and reselling at peak value.
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Post by rickyguitar on Mar 19, 2022 14:43:52 GMT -5
I need some Charmin 6L6's.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 19, 2022 14:51:35 GMT -5
I need some Charmin 6L6's. NOS or slightly used?
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Mar 19, 2022 15:42:51 GMT -5
I need some Charmin 6L6's. NOS or slightly used? The secret to the "brown sound"?
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Post by reverendrob on Mar 19, 2022 17:10:43 GMT -5
They'll go up in price simply because of the 35% tariff and other "supply chain" issues as well.
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twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
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Post by twangmeister on Mar 19, 2022 18:18:04 GMT -5
I ditched my tube amps in the late seventies because tubes were getting scarce and more expensive. Replacing a quad of KT88s more than doubled in price win about a year. I wonder what a quad of those milk bottles would run nowadays. Getting rid of the stupidly heavy tube bass amps occurred about the time I stopped gigging with two or four JBLs and Altec Lansings. I switched to (still heavy) SS combos with a matching extension.
I mostly missed tubes for guitar amps. I still keep a couple to make me feel good.
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