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Post by eggman on Mar 2, 2023 7:06:01 GMT -7
Howdy,
One year ago, Western Electric announced that in response to the demand of Guitarists, they are going to offer tubes for Guitar amps made in their facility in Georgia (Where they only make the 300b, currently). Forgive me for being so primitive as to not have included a link. This sure sounds like good news. Mr. Zaite?
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Post by daddyelmis (Greg) on Mar 2, 2023 8:42:52 GMT -7
Here the link to WE’s announcement last March (2022) exploring the opportunity to expand into making other tubes - www.westernelectric.com/expandDoesn’t look like much has happened since then (at least that they are publishing). I wonder if there’s enough market/margin for them to make competitively priced guitar amp tubes. They currently make $1,500 per pair hifi tubes, and $15,000 amplifiers.
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Post by GuitarZ on Mar 2, 2023 9:23:05 GMT -7
I had to look that up. I was scratching my head knowing that the telecom/electronics giant Western Electric had ceased to exist back in the 80's. I didn't realize the name continued.
Dang! Their 300B tube is $700. Their stereo amp is pricey. But, Dang (again), it looks very cool. I'm sure their electronics design is A+++. I'll give their design aesthetics the same grade.
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Post by John on Mar 2, 2023 11:13:07 GMT -7
Dang! Their 300B tube is $700.
This is my big issue (or question) Western Electric can DO this....but they're going to have to charge BIG money for each tube. I just don't see it working out.
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Post by John on Mar 2, 2023 11:19:20 GMT -7
I wonder if there’s enough market/margin for them to make competitively priced guitar amp tubes. They currently make $1,500 per pair hifi tubes, and $15,000 amplifiers.
If they think guitar players are going to shell out that kind of money for tubes, they're crazy. Some cork-sniffin' audiofile maybe....but guitar players...no way.
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Post by daddyelmis (Greg) on Mar 2, 2023 11:56:01 GMT -7
Western Electric's current market, which appears to support manufacturing in Georgia, is a hyper-niche, hyper luxury market of audiophile's who will pay $1500 for matched set of hi-fi tubes, and and a $15K amp. i don't know diddly about tube manufacturing, but if their current capital equipment can be used to manufacture guitar amp tubes (with a bit of capital investment for molds and such), then maybe they could find a way to manufacture those tubes at a price that musicians would pay (assuming quality on par with JJ, EH, etc.). People always say they'd pay a bit of a premium for US-made alternatives, so perhaps this would a good test case. According to this very good article on the tube industry - audioXpress Article -- it seems Western Electric has the equipment they need, but raw materials and trained workforce are obstacles. Go to last 1/4 of the article for a good write up of Western Electric and what they are up to (under the subheading "Made in USA" in the article).
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Mar 2, 2023 14:28:28 GMT -7
Yeah, they’ll probably have to set up a factory overseas to pull it off, but there goes the whole made in USA thing. ☹️
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Post by eggman on Mar 2, 2023 15:05:30 GMT -7
I wonder if there’s enough market/margin for them to make competitively priced guitar amp tubes. They currently make $1,500 per pair hifi tubes, and $15,000 amplifiers.
If they think guitar players are going to shell out that kind of money for tubes, they're crazy. Some cork-sniffin' audiofile maybe....but guitar players...no way.
From what I've read from WE, amp tubes obviously won't be so costly as the massive 300b, but they'll be more expensive than any other current production tube (From Russia, Slovakia and China).
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Post by Seńor Verde on Mar 2, 2023 21:59:55 GMT -7
From what I read on their website, They will warrant the current tubes for 5 years, (don't know if that would apply to a 6L6 or any other popular guitar tube) if you submit the warranty card. At $1.500 per pair, a 5 year warranty is not long enough to me for that cost. They would not lose any money honoring the warranty after that long, regardless where the tube is manufactured. Many manufacturers count on most consumers not sending in the warranty card. I'd rather spend $60 every year for a total of $300.00 over 5 years for the actual tube Z, or any other amp manufacturer recommends for their amps.
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Post by eggman on Mar 3, 2023 9:51:23 GMT -7
From what I read on their website, They will warrant the current tubes for 5 years, (don't know if that would apply to a 6L6 or any other popular guitar tube) if you submit the warranty card. At $1.500 per pair, a 5 year warranty is not long enough to me for that cost. They would not lose any money honoring the warranty after that long, regardless where the tube is manufactured. Many manufacturers count on most consumers not sending in the warranty card. I'd rather spend $60 every year for a total of $300.00 over 5 years for the actual tube Z, or any other amp manufacturer recommends for their amps. Howdy, Currently, WE offers only the massive and expensive 300b tube, which is for home audio. As i mentioned earlier, WE made it clear that when they offer tubes for Guitar amps, they'll be more expensive than current foreign offerings, but nowhere near so expensive as that big 300b.
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Post by Rockerfeller on Mar 3, 2023 10:03:04 GMT -7
I wonder if there’s enough market/margin for them to make competitively priced guitar amp tubes. They currently make $1,500 per pair hifi tubes, and $15,000 amplifiers.
If they think guitar players are going to shell out that kind of money for tubes, they're crazy. Some cork-sniffin' audiofile maybe....but guitar players...no way.
I think there are guitar players out there that would pay high dollar for Tubes IF they market it right. I remember seeing the $20 picks a few year ago and thinking the same thing. But there are a lot of non-pro players who think "THAT'S what I need to take me to the next level, a $20 pick!" And they sell a LOT of them.
But is there enough of those kind of players, in this current economy? I don't think so.
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Post by Seńor Verde on Mar 3, 2023 13:52:56 GMT -7
From what I read on their website, They will warrant the current tubes for 5 years, (don't know if that would apply to a 6L6 or any other popular guitar tube) if you submit the warranty card. At $1.500 per pair, a 5 year warranty is not long enough to me for that cost. They would not lose any money honoring the warranty after that long, regardless where the tube is manufactured. Many manufacturers count on most consumers not sending in the warranty card. I'd rather spend $60 every year for a total of $300.00 over 5 years for the actual tube Z, or any other amp manufacturer recommends for their amps. Howdy, Currently, WE offers only the massive and expensive 300b tube, which is for home audio. As i mentioned earlier, WE made it clear that when they offer tubes for Guitar amps, they'll be more expensive than current foreign offerings, but nowhere near so expensive as that big 300b. "Nowhere near so expensive" could still mean hundreds of dollars for a pair. I'm skeptical, but hopeful they do it, the tubes are good and not cost prohibitive.
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Post by driventone on Oct 31, 2023 9:29:26 GMT -7
Has anyone found any new information about this? I’ve checked in a few times and I haven’t seen anything.
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