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The end of tubes??? Thoughts?

#41
he has a valid point.

the first minute or two i was like "yeah this is just some clickbait nonsense"

but he's kind of right. honestly, my favorite guitar sound i use is my tech21 vt bass, to get a tubey sound. the simulation technology from pedals and the like really have gotten insane over the last 10 years in particular.

by the end of the video i was kind of sold.

but at the same time, for all we know in a year tubes will be readily available with no problem, either from the original source or from new factories. there is certainly a supply/demand issue here.
 
#44
I think solid state has come a long way for bass amps. Guitar amps are a completely different story and modeling amps are just not the same as tubes. They generally "feel" different. Try playing some jangle rock on an amp modeler. Yuck!! You need that harmonic content. Bass amps not so much.
 
#46
Ask yourself:
How many tube amps do I plan to buy between today and the end of my life?
How many tube pedals/devices do I plan to buy between today and the end of my life?
How often do I intend to replace those tubes?

Now multiply that number times the number of your choosing representative of the entire market of tube amp buyers globally.

A) That’s why there are so few tube factories already and B) no, your number is still way too high.

You can still buy new in box tubes for your amp that were manufactured in the 50s and 60s. That’s how long the supply will last.
And FWIW the tubes in the tube next amp you will buy (which statistically will be never) are made in Slovakia anyway.

Point is, the tubes you aren’t currently buying and are not presently panning to buy in the future are still available through the course of your life.
 
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#47
I started playing bass in the 80s when tubes were already over for bass. Now that they're back, they'll be over again, then they'll be back. Eventually they'll be too expensive to be practical, and people will discover that modeling is pretty good, actually.
 
#48
The End of Tubes

Thoughts?

I thought due to this oft-repeated question we should be ashamed of ourselves for beating that poor dead horse. Again.
[/QUOTE]

Aghhh....I'm not a tube fanatic and I'm not in that world (mostly) and the video I supplied was to incite discussion. Nothing more.
 
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#49
Anyone old enough to remember Paratube? That was primitive solid state tech built on to a tube pin base to sub for front end tubes. The technology exists now to design a 6L6 sub or EL34 or whatever, and that’s fine by me. I gave my lower haunches a head start on arthritis with lugging bass amps and cabs that topped out at 100w back in the 80’s. I’m fine with modeling. I’m fine with keeping one tube rig for kicks.
 
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#50
chris_b said:
Most of the guitarists I know and see around are firmly rooted in 1957 for their amplification. I know many guitarists who are leaving their Twin Reverbs and AC30's at home because of the weight, so if someone comes up with a good enough SS or D class guitar amp I reckon guitarists will switch, just like bass players did. A shortage of tubes might be the thing that starts it off.
Click to expand...

There are some SS bass amps that sound very nice and have the harmonic content and "Feel" that you expect out of a tube head. I think you just need a good designer who knows how to make it work.
I think that is coming for guitar as well... Pat Quilter is doing some pretty cool stuff in the guitar amp world. Fender also has the new "tone master" amps.
 
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#51
I quit using tubes in the early 90's when it was going to cost as much to retube an SVT head as purchasing a new solid state head. The solid state head was cleaner, had more headroom, and had other items and features that were true tech developments of the time, including fx loop, tuner out, DI out, and compression, as well as a 5-band eq in addition to full tone stack with parametric mid control. I actually still use it in my party band's rehearsal hall.
 
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#53
My Ruby el34s are still going strong after 12+ years. Not getting much extended use these days, so maybe they'll outlast me.

20220126_093337.jpg
 
#54
Killing Floor said:
Ask yourself:
How many tube amps do I plan to buy between today and the end of my life?
How many tube pedals/devices do I plan to buy between today and the end of my life?
How often do I intend to replace those tubes?

Now multiply that number times the number of your choosing representative of the entire market of tube amp buyers globally.

A) That’s why there are so few tube factories already and B) no, your number is still way too high.

You can still buy new in box tubes for your amp that were manufactured in the 50s and 60s. That’s how long the supply will last.
And FWIW the tubes in the tube next amp you will buy (which statistically will be never) are made in Slovakia anyway.

Point is, the tubes you aren’t currently buying and are not presently panning to buy in the future are still available through the course of your life.
Click to expand...

You can still buy new in box PREAMP tubes from the 50s/60s. Output tubes? Not a chance unless you're willing to pay ridiculous prices. In fact, even current production output tubes seem to be going out of stock everywhere. Especially if you need matched tubes. I just checked some of the largest online musical equipment dealers worldwide plus some smaller specialist tube dealers and I can't find even a single matched quartet of EL34s anywhere.

JJ alone doesn't seem to be able to meet demands. Increasing production isn't easy when the equipment needed for manufacturing hasn't been made for decades. It will need a HUGE investment that a relatively small company like JJ can't realistically manage. Prices will most likely go insane even for current production tubes. At least for output tubes where demand will almost certainly be far greater than supply in the foreseeable future (and most likely forever).

Luckily I've got enough NOS tubes to last a lifetime but the way prices are heading I might consider selling a few some day and buy a larger house.
 
#56
Deleted member 271037 said:
You can still buy new in box PREAMP tubes from the 50s/60s. Output tubes? Not a chance unless you're willing to pay ridiculous prices.
Click to expand...
Deleted member 271037 said:
Luckily I've got enough NOS tubes to last a lifetime but the way prices are heading I might consider selling a few some day and buy a larger house.
Click to expand...


So we're in complete agreement!
It's not at all outrageous if it's new in box and 70 years old, prices are what the market will bear, yet not high enough that it would warrant any new factories.
And yes, the only people legitimately concerned about the availability of tubes are tube collectors.
I have a couple tube amps and dozens (with an s) of tube pedals and most of those tubes will last decades. Even the amp power tubes will last 10 years.
JJ can and will meet the demand. AND they will increase prices because they'd be foolish not to.
 
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#59
I have one tube amp and a few tube pedals. The amp tubes are about 9yrs old and going strong, and the pedal tubes are barely 2yrs old and going strong. I have a handful of back-up tubes. I just bought some EHX 12At7 and 12Ax7. They were not easy to get. I found some at a couple of small independent retailers in different states.
 
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