Guitar Amp Valves are getting scarce

Slouching Raymond

Slouching Raymond

Well-known member
I have just put in a couple of orders for some 12AX7 and EL84 valves for my Ashdown Peacemaker 40 valve amp.
The amp has a problem, which sounds like additional high frequency rattling, in addition to working normally.
I'm guessing one of the valves is done for.
However, with most valves made in Russia, the supply is drying up, with ElectroHarmonix saying they won't be delivering new stock.
I saw a youtube video, suggesting this may be the beginning of the end for valve amps, and players will move to modelling amps.
My orders are confirmed from distributors' existing but dwindling stock, so I am not giving Russia custom.
 
Thanks for the heads up.

12AX7's are going to be plentiful for a while.

My VBA400 needs 8x 6550's . It was $385 for set from JJ. I am afraid to look now..I just did my EL-84s. Is there a source you like to recommend?

Also, gear prices are fluctuating wildly.
 
Right now, the only major supplier of tubes is JJ. They are basically at capacity. The Shunguang factory in China was shut down two years ago after the gov't decided to repurpose the area from industrial to residential. Now with the current restrictions from Russia, that leaves one.

There is some potential good news, in that Western Electric, who has been making 300B tubes down in Rossville GA, is considering expanding their manufacturing to other tube types. Let them know you are interested.

Western Electric
 
I want to get 100 of each type, and put them right next to the 100 cases of toilet paper that are in the garage! 😁
 
The nice thing is.... *good* vacuum tubes tend to last.

I'm 53, dont gig anymore (and even if I decide to again - I ain't lugging around my heavy ass tube amps anymore given my other options), and I just had both my tube amps completely serviced and with new tubes. Pretty sure I'll never need another set.
 
The shortage of valves could be a good thing in the long term IMHO because of several factors.

First of all, many guitar amp designs are 'thrown together' with little regard for the ratings of the valves and even less regard for their survival in the event of circuit failure...FORK! Some amps do not even have a fuse in the HT circuit! Power transformers are pooly designed so they 'cook' the valves when the amps come here to '230 volt land' and many of the transformers cannot cope with 50Hz properly.

It is entirely possible to design and make amplifiers that run the valves below maximum rating EVEN at top mains tolerance which here could be 253V rms. Also possible to build circuits that limit 'collateral' damage when a valve fails. Many PCB amp burn up so badly after valve fails that the whole amp is binned.

Dave.
 
Just received my second batch of valves, made in Czech Republic, 12AX7s.
Ordered from DV24/7, and despached from Germany.
I'm in a good position now, as all my valve amps have EL84 or 12AX7 or both.
Ashdown Peacemaker 40, Vox AC4, and the tube preamp module for Korg D16XD.
 
TalismanRich said:
I want to get 100 of each type, and put them right next to the 100 cases of toilet paper that are in the garage! 😁
Click to expand...
I do that with CDRs and CDRWs that my Philips CD recorder from the 90s will play. It's so temperamental and up its own backside, it won't just play anything. And also with the underwater earphones 🦻🏾 I use for my ipod and swimming. 🏊🏾‍♂️ I buy them in bulk to last for years. I started doing that back in 2004 with trainers. When my wife was expecting our second child, I bought 7 pairs and I'm currently on the last pair !

We're not sad. We're smart. Technology and constantly changing fads kind of force a person to keep upgrading, which can often mean keep changing the stuff you've been happy with for years. So this is one way to defeat the onslaught. I like my primitive Akai DPS 12i, so I have 4 of them. I'm hoping they'll last me until I'm too old to record anymore, because I really don't want to engage in a new recording learning curve when I'm happy with where I am. There's just enough scope for me to learn a few new things without getting so frustrated that I kick 👞 the cat. 😼
A cat I don't own, by the way. ✍🏾
 
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