This is HUGE!

[Firedome]

Good news on steroids:
https://guitar.com/features/interviews/ ... ry-crisis/

[electra225]

That is HUGE and good news for any of us who use audio tubes. You had this situation pegged, Roger. Thanks for sharing the update.

[Firedome]

The best news is that Westrex seems to understand that they can't be selling $200 12ax7s. The bulk of the market is in guitar not HiFi, those guys burn through tubes and only crazy audiophools are going to pay $1500 for a pr of 300Bs, so cost HAS to be reasonable, even if it does end up being more than the offshore brands, which would be justified by superior materials and US manufacturing. I for one would pay double for a new US made WE 6BQ5 (el84) compared to what others like JJ, EH etc charge, but there would be a limit and they seem to understand this. I can't wait to buy some new WE 'BQ5s for my Scott and console amps, even though I already have quite a few nos and used RCAs, GEs, SYL, and some offshore brands as well.

So get this!! As I am writing this in Denver I'm listening to my home NPR station WAMC in NY, and just a few minutes ago they aired a several minute story on the vacuum tube shortage!! mentioning Electro-Harmonix (in NYC) and interviewed several tube amp repair businesses in the Albany area!! ... I was, and am, amazed that this has even made the news!!

[William]

I'm always glad to hear something is coming back to the US to be built. I too will pay more of quality US produced products, and hope WE remains in the tube business once, (if ever) things settle down around the world.

Bill

[Firedome]

I think they're in it for the long haul. They have the tooling from Phillips-Mullard, some of the best tubes ever made, and have already sourced materials they say. It's an exciting development, something I've hoped for for 20 years since they brought back the 300B. They also have plans to make a WE 350, their version of a 6L6... that would be fabulous, I'd have to get a 6L6 amp just to use therm! Be a great bass channel amp tube.