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Post by radarlove on Aug 26, 2009 16:57:20 GMT -7
Earlier this decade, Groove Tubes touted its buy of old GE 6L6 tube making gear with the intent to start making tubes in the US. I went through a duet; they were okay but not the same as NOS GE 6L6GC. Recently, I've seen these tubes being sold online at several places at a signficant discount. Also seen threads/discussion to the effect that GT was getting out of making these tubes, they were never entirely made in the US, etc.,.
Anybody know the real story on these tubes? Were they made in the US, offshore, or a combination of the two? Fate under the new owners of GT?
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Post by myles on Aug 27, 2009 10:19:28 GMT -7
These were made with mostly USA parts at the Shuguang factory in China. GT was sold to Fender in August of 2008 and I do not know if these are still being produced. The 6CA7 was never fixed when things closed at GT and the 12AX7M still had issues as well.
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Post by radarlove on Aug 28, 2009 20:41:09 GMT -7
So, they were never made in the US? Contradicts some of GT's press at the time.
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Post by myles on Aug 29, 2009 9:36:17 GMT -7
So, they were never made in the US? Contradicts some of GT's press at the time. Yes .... the press was not accurate. In fact, the tube used to say "made in USA" on the side and legal action was mentioned to Aspen Pittman and that was quickly removed from the tubes. Here is a photo I took at the very first version of these
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Post by radarlove on Aug 29, 2009 12:00:00 GMT -7
Thanks Myles
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Post by myles on Aug 30, 2009 8:17:51 GMT -7
You are welcome. It was a spectacular 6L6 regardless of where it was made. It is a shame that it may no longer be available in the same way, if at all.
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Post by hdahs143 on Aug 31, 2009 5:39:19 GMT -7
T.A.D. 6L6WGC STR is pretty close in tone and build and is widely available. Always a close match, and sound great especially in old Fenders!
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Post by myles on Aug 31, 2009 8:38:42 GMT -7
T.A.D. 6L6WGC STR is pretty close in tone and build and is widely available. Always a close match, and sound great especially in old Fenders! I will agree with you on your selection. These are excellent tubes and in fact, at one point the factory in China broke their agreement with GT and was using some GT parts to make these TAD tubes. There was a bit of fighting that insued and 400 or so of these were taken by GT from Shuguang. The plates were the GT plates but had been treated to turn them into black plates. The plates were also vented. TAD was selling these as EL-37 tubes. In the end they tested great, sounded great, and worked great. GT took the 400 they had and sold them as 6L6C (their name for a 6L6 from China). I tested a set of these in a THD Flexi 50 and even posted photos of the amp and tubes at one point. I had a set in a tweed bassman at one point as well. Bottom line ... they are a great tube and follow the design parameters of the General Electric tube from the sixties with a few updates to boot. If you loved the GEs and cannot get them anymore these may be a consideration. thetubestore.com/tad-6l6wgc.html
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