Is this the end of the tube amp?

DanTravis62 said:
it actually drives me completely postal to have to hear these type of vocalists.
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Me too. I'm pretty good at picking up on trends. And I saw that trend coming from a mile away.

I listen to techno music sometimes and I notice the trends in that genre too. The latest fad within the last year or so is to slow down someone's voice to make it sound super super deep, but it's the most awful thing and idea I've ever heard.
 
So I sucked it up and actually watched the video. The tube amp is going away, everyone's turning to modelers. Wasn't this fucktard shilling the quad cortex not too long ago? Rhett Shull (or is it Rhett Shill?)...... what a bitchy little turd fucker trying to spread panic. His "inside source" says Fender is cutting production down by more than half because of tube shortage. Didn't Fender already slow production to that rate because of other component shortages? It's not like major components like transformers are flowing into the market like water. Nope, It's all because of sudden tube shortages. Then he basically kills his whole point by saying there's always going to be a demand for tub amps and tubes. Yet this is the death nail and no one will produce or buy tube amps anymore. This jackass is is a perfect fit for mainstream media.... quick someone get a CNN contract for him!!!
 
And it was probably the tan pants brigade over at the other forum that panic bough all the tubes. The same cork sniffers that scoff at the thought of using anything but NOS from the 50's
 
Seems as though we will have better luck buying new tube amps than tubes. Guess I will pick up those amps I’ve been wanting or at least ordering them. Lol
 
MadAsAHatter said:
And it was probably the tan pants brigade over at the other forum that panic bough all the tubes. The same cork sniffers that scoff at the thought of using anything but NOS from the 50's
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and will hold on to them a little longer before they list them in the classifieds at a profit because, "divorce sale" or "medical emergency" oh and *price does not include shipping or paypal fees
 
Monomyth said:
I’m going to reach out to Craig Ness and send him a nice bottle of whiskey, post Covid he was the only seller that didn’t gouge his prices, even last month I was sourcing matched quads of eh el34s for 42$ from him, he’s a fucking champion.
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Craig is the man. Just ordered 40 12ax7’s from him. And 7 quads of power tubes with 15 more quads pending.

Granted, I’m not panic buying for myself. I have builds to build.
 
RedPlated said:
Craig is the man. Just ordered 40 12ax7’s from him. And 7 quads of power tubes with 15 more quads pending.

Granted, I’m not panic buying for myself. I have builds to build.
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Yea he’s really great. I just bought 20 Chinese 12ax7s and a few quads as well. I’m pretty sure I got the last 6 genelex KT77s from the tube depot too haha.
 
I was also listening to the panic on youtube and I'm thinking, if manufacturers are behind 20-24 months big deal. My amps have been rocking the same tubes for years. Now that said, if you are a gigging musician, I'd think now you grab a kemper or axe or hell even a Hotone. Most people aren't going to know, they will sound find in medium sized clubs or venues where acoustics are shit anyways. A great player is awesome through a pignose and an off the shelf OD for the most part.

Long term, Russia may suspend exports but you've got to think there are some old factories in Bulgaria or elsewhere in that part of the world that could kick up with some know how. Or more obviously, the chinese will roar back with even more production lines. If there is a market for something, someone is going to jump on it.
 
For boutique amp builders that can't get their product out the door without tube availability, it's going to be grim for months, they are the ones who will bear the brunt. Barring WW3 engulfing Europe, JJ is going to keep on chugging & might even be able to expand production capacity based on increased demand/price to fill the Russian/New Sensor void. The Chinese Shuguang factory relocation/restart delay could get sped up big time now that demand & prices have skyrocketed. They have the equipment, skilled labor, any regulatory red tape will go away at the right price point. Big tube amp makers like Fender/Gibson(Mesa) might push & agree to pay more to speed up either Chinese or JJ production, pass cost onto customers with a special "tube shortage surcharge" like fucking Uber does with gas prices. There will be spare new tubes available again eventually for the masses (at inflated prices), I doubt that it's the "death" of tube amps overall, it might be the death of new cheap tube amps. Who's going to pay $1k for a bottom of the line tube head when the incremental cost of a much better one is small?
 
Looks like I will be repairing mostly SS amps now for the near future, but what happens when I get get the Silicon for those either. Ugh
 
RedPlated said:
Nesstone branded. Shugaungs. They’ve actually beat out pretty much every other tube in my amps. I think I like them even better than the KT77’s. They’re very punchy and solid in the lows.
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They must be sold out of those power tubes. Which preamp tubes do you like from Nesstone?
 
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