PSA : Western Electric tubes

Amp Mad Scientist said:
Sometimes it's the amp design which makes the tube microphonic. Any tube stuck into the socket squeals.
Sometimes it's the pick up or guitar which is microphonic.
Sometimes the tube becomes microphonic with aging over it's lifespan. That has been observed many times before.

But it might be unfair to characterize un-used / new Western Electric tubes as being microphonic...

We don't have any new ones to evaluate.
Generally Western Electric has been an upscale hi fi manufacturer with prices to reflect high quality.
But generally not a guitar amp tube.

Selected lab tested tubes would be evaluated for microphonics and do cost a lot more, that's nothing new.
Click to expand...
They did sound good. Just noisey.

I believe The Tube Store were selling them. 12AX7's.
 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
I would rather buy tubes that support USA manufacturing and USA jobs.
The question is
can a manufacturer produce tubes of sufficient quality (for guitar amps), which is affordable enough to buy?
Or
will the cost of manufacturing price the tubes out of the market - affordable only to the few?

The question will be answered eventually.
Click to expand...
I'd be willing to pay a little more for a US made quality tube that lasts a long time like the old ones & sounds better than just good..

I imagine if Western Electric decides to tool up for guitar amplifier tubes, they will be at a premium considering the cost of labor/living and any regulations they may have to overcome.

I'm hoping and rooting for them! Maybe The Great British Valve Project/Brimar will finally gain some traction too. We can hope!
 
Last edited:
Amp Mad Scientist said:
Sometimes it's the amp design which makes the tube microphonic. Any tube stuck into the socket squeals.
Sometimes it's the pick up or guitar which is microphonic.
Sometimes the tube becomes microphonic with aging over it's lifespan. That has been observed many times before.

But it might be unfair to characterize un-used / new Western Electric tubes as being microphonic...

We don't have any new ones to evaluate.
Generally Western Electric has been an upscale hi fi manufacturer with prices to reflect high quality.
But generally not a guitar amp tube.

Selected lab tested tubes would be evaluated for microphonics and do cost a lot more, that's nothing new.
Click to expand...
I accidentally found a way to make almost any tube microphonic. Just switch your high gain amp off standby while you have your guitar (with high output humbuckers) sitting about 2 feet in front of your amp, with amp volume turned up and guitar volume up full.

Unfortunately I sometimes forget and repeat this accident. :facepalm:
 
StrumerJoe said:
I'd be willing to pay a little more for a US made quality tube that lasts a long time like the old ones & sounds better than just good..

I imagine if Western Electric decides to tool up for guitar amplifier tubes, they will be at a premium considering the cost of labor/living and any regulations they may have to overcome.

I'm hoping and rooting for them! Maybe The Great British Valve Project/Brimar will finally gain some traction too. We can hope!
Click to expand...
Northern Electric is Western Electric Canadian Label.
Yup,
we're gonna need at least 6 X Northern Electric 12AX7s sent right over here for long term evaluation, immediately.
I mean face it, we need to be fair and balanced - in all of this !
 
Last edited:
Amp Mad Scientist said:
I would rather buy tubes that support USA manufacturing and USA jobs.
The question is
can a manufacturer produce tubes of sufficient quality (for guitar amps), which is affordable enough to buy?
Or
will the cost of manufacturing price the tubes out of the market - affordable only to the few?

The question will be answered eventually.
Click to expand...

Most people will not pay U.S. labor rates, even as deep into poverty levels as they are. Even paying an employee $20.00 an hour which is obscenely low (try living on that in the northeast), it's still twenty times more than someone is being paid in China. If people would pay U.S. labor rates, and supported their neighbors and other local businesses, then you would maybe see businesses like Amazon and Walmart start to hurt. They won't, plain and simple. Why, because they're paid common U.S. labor rates. Unless you're in high tech (or other managerial roles), you're not making it. Even then, you're living someplace un-godly expensive to live. Anything you spend on something other than basic living expenses is a luxury. (As a side note, I was shocked and unhappy to find out I make almost twice as much as some of my friends who I thought had good jobs. The "good" paying blue collar, private sector, manufacturing jobs are not really there. Even Union scale is not that high these days. Wages have been stagnant for thirty years, and not caught up with anything as far as most people are concerned.)

The first words out of most people's mouths are, "Look it up on Amazon" or Let's go to Walmart." Also lately, it's harder to find U.S. made products. You need to go someplace like Grainger to get something stupid like U.S. made zip ties. You won't find them at Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace, or True Value. They're not much more, and half the bag doesn't break when using them like the Chinese ones do. So, actually... you're saving money buying the more expensive U.S. made product. Just like tubes. They last ten times longer, and you don't need to replace them as often.
 
I voted on their site. Regardless of their 300B tubes being super expensive, it would be a bad move to retool a factory for new tube types and they end up pricing themselves out of business.

if...IF they end up building common tubes, they will definitely be priced above the standard, but only time will tell what that premium will be.
 
Most don't realize raw materials just had a major price increase. NOS 300B start at $10,000.00 each how many years did it take
WE to set up and produce product after the move from Kansas to Georgia their main product is for the US Navy not the 300B.

www.tubedepot.com

NOS Western Electric 300B, Black Plate, 1961, Matched Pair

We have discovered a perfect matching pair of 1961, black plate, "D" getter, Western Electric 300B with the special <> Diamond mark on both the boxes and tubes. Not since JFK was president have these seen the light of day. In the nearly pristine original dark blue and white boxes with original
www.tubedepot.com www.tubedepot.com
 
67plexi said:
Most don't realize raw materials just had a major price increase. NOS 300B start at $10,000.00 each how many years did it take
WE to set up and produce product after the move from Kansas to Georgia their main product is for the US Navy not the 300B.

www.tubedepot.com

NOS Western Electric 300B, Black Plate, 1961, Matched Pair

We have discovered a perfect matching pair of 1961, black plate, "D" getter, Western Electric 300B with the special <> Diamond mark on both the boxes and tubes. Not since JFK was president have these seen the light of day. In the nearly pristine original dark blue and white boxes with original
www.tubedepot.com www.tubedepot.com
Click to expand...
Insane!!! I like how it says that people who viewed this bought...tubes between $20-$30!!!
 
Pissed Plexi said:
They did sound good. Just noisey.

I believe The Tube Store were selling them. 12AX7's.
Click to expand...

What I found out was:
The Brand name is "Northern Electric, Canada" which is licensed by Western Electric.
However,
The Northern Electric 12AX7 is actually not a Western Electric tube.
It is a "reissue" of the WE tube, made in China.

So, the "Northern Electric" label (currently being sold) is not actually a USA or Canadian tube at all.
Surprise it's made in China.
 
SG John said:
Most people will not pay U.S. labor rates, even as deep into poverty levels as they are. Even paying an employee $20.00 an hour which is obscenely low (try living on that in the northeast), it's still twenty times more than someone is being paid in China. If people would pay U.S. labor rates, and supported their neighbors and other local businesses, then you would maybe see businesses like Amazon and Walmart start to hurt. They won't, plain and simple. Why, because they're paid common U.S. labor rates. Unless you're in high tech (or other managerial roles), you're not making it. Even then, you're living someplace un-godly expensive to live. Anything you spend on something other than basic living expenses is a luxury. (As a side note, I was shocked and unhappy to find out I make almost twice as much as some of my friends who I thought had good jobs. The "good" paying blue collar, private sector, manufacturing jobs are not really there. Even Union scale is not that high these days. Wages have been stagnant for thirty years, and not caught up with anything as far as most people are concerned.)

The first words out of most people's mouths are, "Look it up on Amazon" or Let's go to Walmart." Also lately, it's harder to find U.S. made products. You need to go someplace like Grainger to get something stupid like U.S. made zip ties. You won't find them at Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace, or True Value. They're not much more, and half the bag doesn't break when using them like the Chinese ones do. So, actually... you're saving money buying the more expensive U.S. made product. Just like tubes. They last ten times longer, and you don't need to replace them as often.
Click to expand...
This is the damn truth right here! Thank you!
 
SG John said:
Most people will not pay U.S. labor rates, even as deep into poverty levels as they are. Even paying an employee $20.00 an hour which is obscenely low (try living on that in the northeast), it's still twenty times more than someone is being paid in China. If people would pay U.S. labor rates, and supported their neighbors and other local businesses, then you would maybe see businesses like Amazon and Walmart start to hurt. They won't, plain and simple. Why, because they're paid common U.S. labor rates. Unless you're in high tech (or other managerial roles), you're not making it. Even then, you're living someplace un-godly expensive to live. Anything you spend on something other than basic living expenses is a luxury. (As a side note, I was shocked and unhappy to find out I make almost twice as much as some of my friends who I thought had good jobs. The "good" paying blue collar, private sector, manufacturing jobs are not really there. Even Union scale is not that high these days. Wages have been stagnant for thirty years, and not caught up with anything as far as most people are concerned.)

The first words out of most people's mouths are, "Look it up on Amazon" or Let's go to Walmart." Also lately, it's harder to find U.S. made products. You need to go someplace like Grainger to get something stupid like U.S. made zip ties. You won't find them at Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace, or True Value. They're not much more, and half the bag doesn't break when using them like the Chinese ones do. So, actually... you're saving money buying the more expensive U.S. made product. Just like tubes. They last ten times longer, and you don't need to replace them as often.
Click to expand...
Yup, that's why a 300B costs $700.
But the WE tubes from China don't cost that much. Instead they are about average, same price as Sovtek, Tungsol, etc.

In case these guys hadn't noticed, a preamp tube costs $50 now. Even a JJ is $35.
 
I got 20 12AX7 for $25.00 each went through over 30 last year will see how it goes.
Sweetwater called today said I cleaned them out and don't know when they will restock told them I made a order
from China they canceled my order and raised the prices from $49.00 to $95.00 each basically my $12,700.00 order would be $24,130.00
Now not including EMS shipping. I'm telling my customers I have to sell at replacement cost now.
My best friend and I are planning a trip this summer so when I run out of stock OH well.
 
67plexi said:
I got 20 12AX7 for $25.00 each went through over 30 last year will see how it goes.
Sweetwater called today said I cleaned them out and don't know when they will restock told them I made a order
from China they canceled my order and raised the prices from $49.00 to $95.00 each basically my $12,700.00 order would be $24,130.00
Now not including EMS shipping. I'm telling my customers I have to sell at replacement cost now.
My best friend and I are planning a trip this summer so when I run out of stock OH well.
Click to expand...
What 12AX7 is $25? Is it new? or used?
 
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heres a bunch
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Horde som TP while your at --- so I can pack and ship this million dollars worth of tubes to you
 
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