Russia war about to cut vacuum tube supply

[øøøøøøø]

Past hoarding of vacuum tubes looks pretty prescient right now, you have to admit.

I don't have a "hoard," but I do have a few spares in a tube caddy which might keep me up and running for awhile.

[Scout]

In addition to environmental regulations you have the added cost of American labor.

We exited the mass manufacturing market decades ago .

[JSett]

Well, my usual tube supplier started showing an increasing number of 'out of stock' and the list was growing every day so I caved a little and blew a chunk of change on a smattering of nice tubes for my main amps before it gets silly. I didn't go nuts, just a couple of pairs of each power tube, a spare rectifier and some 12AU7s. All NOS ones so likely to last a while if I have to swap them in.

[s_mcsleazy]

well, i'm already starting to see reddit posts saying something like "buying them all up while i can" and showing them with a few sets of tubes. unrelated but i just remembered i need to get a 12ax7 for my tube overlord...... might buy 10 just in case.

[tammyw]

So is now a good time to get into tube amps, or better to avoid it? I think my TRRI still needs some new tubes, but the last time I looked into it I just ended up buying a new amp instead.

[Arthon]

Tubestores (primary web tube store in Canada) is close for too much high demand.
Many tubes are back order on Tube Depot.

Hope my tubes will last the war...

I have a bunch of 6v6 in the closet, but I dont have a Princeton Reverb anymore

[øøøøøøø]

I have a bunch of 6v6 in the closet, but I dont have a Princeton Reverb anymore

Sell while the irrational panic is underway. Then when everyone comes to their senses and stops freaking out, buy whatever tubes you need

[Arthon]

I have a bunch of 6v6 in the closet, but I dont have a Princeton Reverb anymore

Sell while the irrational panic is underway. Then when everyone comes to their senses and stops freaking out, buy whatever tubes you need

I was thinking buying a Princeton Reverb to justify my pack of 6v6, but your advice makes more sense!

[JSett]

I was thinking buying a Princeton Reverb to justify my pack of 6v6, but your advice makes more sense!

No no no no, buying a Princeton makes WAY more sense.

[jthomas]

This from the Electro Harmonix website this morning:

Attention All EHX Tube Customers

The export restriction on Russian tubes has been resolved for now. We are accepting new orders, processing backorders, and hoping to resume shipping in April. Priority will be given to the oldest orders.

Considering various economic pressures, we must raise our wholesale prices. This price increase, to be announced separately, will apply to all back- and new orders. Also, there will likely be a further price increase once the U.S. implements heightened tariffs against Russian goods.

You can cancel any backorder, but we do not recommend this; there is a tremendous shortage of tubes.

Mike Matthews


Here is the link to the EHX notice. It's buried in the shop section.
https://shop.ehx.com/item/5881%20tungso ... -tung-sol/

[JSett]

Looks like they've found a back-door route, no surprise.

But can we, with good heart, indirectly, support Russian production/economy? I know EHX is an American company but it's a little close to the bone

[jthomas]

Yes... I agree: There is a major ethical problem buying Russian-made tubes imported after the war started. (Agreeing with the new posting rules, I won't discuss the politics and if my musings violate the new rules, please delete this post.) I have had no qualm with the idea of buying Russian tubes that were made and imported before the war. That would not have an impact on the effect of the sanctions. That said, considering buying tubes imported after that point... that is morally complex.

Yes, it's an American company. Getting around the Russian export ban, my guess (and its only a guess) is that EHX found a Russian middle-person who was willing to accept dollars in compensation to facilitate business. That person is not the Russian govt. and that money won't go back to the govt. (unless the bribe climbs higher and higher in the system, I guess). The prolitarians making the tubes are probably the hardest hit by the US sanctions as they are paid in rubles. Keeping them working might make the USA look better than the current Russian govt and be a positive propaganda-wise. That may be a moot point as I suspect that many Russians would rather not live in a totalitarian state.

These points noted, personally I do not plan on buying newly imported tubes till the Putin is deposed and the war ends. But I can see how an amp company or a touring musician would choose a different path.

[soggy mittens]

But can we, with good heart, indirectly, support Russian production/economy? I know EHX is an American company but it's a little close to the bone

Not really, the people of Russia are not to blame for Putins actions or the insanity that has blanketed their country for so long, they are just people like us trying to get by. A tube factory is not going to sway anything in the big picture, let alone any such production. Also for all we know EHX might be looking into ways to change how they go about this, like moving production to a new location so this is all very up in the air tentatively as far as I see it.

[BTL]

It's an interesting update that asks more questions than it answers.

[øøøøøøø]

But can we, with good heart, indirectly, support Russian production/economy? I know EHX is an American company but it's a little close to the bone

Not really, the people of Russia are not to blame for Putins actions or the insanity that has blanketed their country for so long, they are just people like us trying to get by. A tube factory is not going to sway anything in the big picture, let alone any such production. Also for all we know EHX might be looking into ways to change how they go about this, like moving production to a new location so this is all very up in the air tentatively as far as I see it.

I’m far from an expert in geopolitics and how economics factors in, but:

Given that much of Putin’s power flows through wealthy business interests, and that there have been threats to nationalize certain businesses to retaliate/combat economic sanctions, I’m not sure we can disentangle business enterprise (even the probably-modest vacuum tube production) from foreign policy so easily in this case.