tommy wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 2:52 pm

DaveA wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 2:24 pm Tell me I'm not the only half-geezer here who...sorta panic-bought some back-up tubes in the past 24 hours.

Tell me where and maybe I'll join you by buying less than 10 tubes.

I bought a set of bass tubes cause I only had one set of tubbies in my thumpadump amp

Wasn't Groove Tubes making 6L6s here in the US? I think that must not be the case now, and I don't know if it was ever up and running.

if someone told me I would have to get rid of all my tube gear and go full solidstate in the next 5 years or so I'd say meh. I've had to do it in the past when things were in the shop and been fine.

modeling amps aren't getting worse... they are getting hard to argue with.

not really bothered by the idea.

Far as I can remember?

This was recorded direct with the old "MKI" Sansamp.



Worse came to worse, and one had to settle for that sound?

Not the worst thing that could happen.

twelvepoint wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:13 pm Wasn't Groove Tubes making 6L6s here in the US? I think that must not be the case now, and I don't know if it was ever up and running.

Groove tubes never made tubes, they just rebranded them.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:30 am

twelvepoint wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:13 pm Wasn't Groove Tubes making 6L6s here in the US? I think that must not be the case now, and I don't know if it was ever up and running.

Groove tubes never made tubes, they just rebranded them.

There was an interview posted up thread is like 15 years old but apparently GT put quite a bit of money into spinning up US production.
In a twist though, I think they were bought out by Fender later that same year so it's not like Fender was ever going to continue the investment into us production tubes. It's just not what a large company that is primarily focused on selling to the big box stores would want/need to do...
...however if since they bought GT, that purchase should have included all assets - Fender may still have the equipment in mothballs? Maybe they might try to spin this back up? Hopefully they didn't just sell it all off.

This next bit could easily also go into "little questions" thread but I remember years ago when that douche from Metasonix released the Fucking Fucker* he talked in an interview how he was able to use weird old radio tubes that he was able to get by the bucket full for pennies.

Makes me wonder if this might be an angle that could be pursued: cheap, out-of-favor NOS tubes repurposed for different functions?

*Edit: that PDF on that amp is awful & cringy to read. 20 years ago I might have gotten a chuckle but goddam dude dial it back

Garth wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 10:13 am cheap, out-of-favor NOS tubes repurposed for different functions?

Its possible, but for what end? It doesnt help people retube their existing amps. A builder could use them for a new design and get something great, but me personally i'm not into selling an amp based on used, out-of-production tubes. So it seems like it'd really be for home-brewed personal use.

Oof,

I'm seeing JJ 12AX7s going for $40. I can't remember normal prices but I know they're much less.

The weird Tung Sol 7591s my combo uses are gone everywhere except for where they're $90 a pop.

EH just announced that they're taking orders and will be shipping new tubes in April.