Really enjoy your videos Stuart. looked forward to this one and wasn't disappointed. Hope you are hale and hearty and continue to feel like producing these really interesting and informative videos. thank you
Fyi, for all -- looks like we may see some new US made tubes. " Western Electric has also announced that they will start making common guitar amplifier vacuum tubes, such as the 12ax7, 12at7, 6L6, 6V6, el34, KT88, and EL84, in their Rossville Georgia US facility."
An easy one there Stuart. I guess I'll not have time to learn how to knock around an amp as 50 years is a long time. Thanks again for an informative time.
Good video. I have a nice collection of Fender tube amps from 1962 to present day. They are all in great shape and I have a small stock of decent spare tubes if needed. But I'm no longer gigging at 73 and eventually these amps will all go to new owners. I'd like to think they could be enjoyed for many years to come but who knows with the current tube situation.
Thanks, I hadn't heard about the fire. I guess I should learn how to blow glass and stamp out wire parts. Shouldn't take long. But first I need to find some investors. Oh.....right
Hi Stuart..Cool video, yeah we as humans love the easy fixes.. Depressing the news about the valve situation, such a pity, mind you everything eventually moves over for so called new technology. An old relic like me is unreplaceable now..Yikes..! Take care and keep up the fab work..Ed..Uk..😄
So 1) Is that where my Ruby tubes came from? (lowest price in the world) and 2) Was that the only Chinese tube manufacturer? and 3) Thanx for all your vids, as they're always great and entertaining. Cheerios
Hi Jonny. 'Ruby' is just a rebrand. They got their tubes from all over. Russia, CHina etc. Yes as far as I know they were the only Chinese supplier, certainly the largest by far. But I'm not that knowledgeable about all this side of things.
Hmmm, give 'em time. The other outlets will undoubtly pick up the slack. If there is a market, it will be filled eventually. A manufacturer who is already in business can easily expand.
Actually both are incorrect in my view. A valve manufactiruing plant is a BEAST of a specialist plant and they usually date back to the 1950s. Nobody is going to build one of these for a declining market. Very hard to expand also. The machines were designed and built 7 decades ago and nobody makes them any more.
Great stuff Stuart.. Makes you wonder a bit that the owner managed to change pre-amp valves, but didn't try the 6V6's ? Still he got his bias checked and a new lease of life for his amp. Interesting story about the Chinese valve production facility. Maybe if they scaled the whole thing down to manufacturing all the popular guitar amp and hi-fi range it would still be viable as theirs a growing market for valve hi-fi.
🎩 Top Hat White Tie & Tails -- Western Electric is doing just that out of their Rossville Works factory... albeit, matched quads will run you $3,099.00!
Stuart- rumor over the last month or so is that Shuguang is now back in business. Not sure if they are using their own factory or if the brand name is simply being used by another manufacturer.
Here is some info from my 'secret source': "I understand that a few of the folks including the head of sales/marketing were working to get an old defunct plant back up and running. It is not Shuguang which was a wholly owned by the Chinese state. They do want to use the Shuaguang trade name and trade marks. That should not be a problem in China as there are virtually no laws covering copyright or trade marks in China. I am hearing that there are also fake JJ valves circulating in China. Causing certain folks issues. I have been working to unravel the TAD Redbase story. These are made by PSvane. I am in discussions on selling the Redbase ( guitar amp ) valves in the UK . TAD I understand has effectively exclusive rights in the EU. However, the UK is not in the EU . I am not sure if this discussion will prove fruitful".
10 million investment is nothing. Especially with a profitable factory thats been making vacuum tubes for 60 years and owns 33% of the world market. There has to be more to the story
I made up the ten million, I have no idea what it would really cost. I'm pretty sure that's the story though, not a good return on investment and a declining market.
