When tube production ends one day...

[archetype]

If you can invent and patent that idea, you may make a fortune on it. Weber sells a solid state tube rectifier emulator that is housed inside a tube-like metal housing and plugs into a tube rectifier socket ..I use one in my JTM50 clone (my only remaining tube amp). Works great, never a problem. Can't tell the difference between it and a GZ34. I bought it when my GZ34 failed ....18 years ago.

Weber and others sell octal, plug-in, solid state rectifiers, but that doesn't provide context for solid state signal tubes. The plug-in may have resistors for voltage drop, but other than that it's just diodes that can handle HV and it's super simple. You can make one yourself.

Replicating something like a 12xx7, 6V6GT, or 6L6GC is another matter. Coming up with solid state components that can take HV in a circuit that replicates a signal tube structure is difficult.

For collectors of the Zenith Trans Oceanic and similar radios, there's a cottage industry that's making solid state replacements for the 1L6, 50A1, 1R5, 1U4, 1U5, 1S5, 3V4, 0A2, and 0B2T miniature tubes. These radios operate with a maximum B+ of 90 Volts, so these tubes are more doable than trying to replace a 6V6GT that a Deluxe Reverb hammers with 450 Volts.

 

[WireLine]

Hi end pro audio mics are really dealing with the tube supply…now.

 

[Phrygian77]

And yes, I've played professionally in the past, so your insinuations of my being a tone-deaf Thunderbird guzzler do fall very wide of the mark indeed. But hey, you do you and I'll do me.

Thanks for the Thunderbird…

Good morning here on the Third Rock…..

This is what I thought of...

 

[Alex_C]

Except that single ended Class A beats up on that tube more than other Classes. Shorter life, even if the life is long.

Yep. It was a joke, hence the emoji. Someone will step in to make tubes, (human) nature (capitalism) abhors a vacuum.

 

[archetype]

Yep. It was a joke, hence the emoji. Someone will step in to make tubes, (human) nature (capitalism) abhors a vacuum.

Got it. I'm the second person who didn't get the joke, 'cause I think you put the emoji after the rong sentence.

I agree, it's likely that tube production will continue. It may go through some drastic changes in pricing if it's relegated to small manufacturers, only.

 

[Wally]

It may go through some drastic changes in pricing if it's relegated to small manufacturers, only.

And then at some point manufacturing will end. There will only be individuals…diehard vacuum tube folk….who will be building their own tubes.

 

[telemnemonics]

Better question is will cockroaches prefer toob or SS when humans are extinct?

 

[telemnemonics]

And then at some point manufacturing will end. There will only be individuals…diehard vacuum tube folk….who will be building their own tubes.

In our bunkers...

 

[telemnemonics]

I don't waste time thinking about things that don't matter.

I waste time chatting on the TDPRI, how can that possibly matter?

 

[telemnemonics]

BRING BACK TUBE TOPS!

.

Pretty sure I saw one today, girls dressed in their summer clothes gets some NOS retro style every year.

 

[Twang-ineer]

I bought another Nu-Tube amp today. I really love them. I also watched my Carvin V3 take a dump about 30 seconds after I turned it on. I now have three tube amps in a stack, in the garage in need of repair. If anyone knows of a really good amp tech in Central Florida (Tampa), let me know. My guy retired two years ago, so nothing has been repaired or maintained. ug.

 

[msalama]

how can that possibly matter

So do I, and let me assure you, it does not. But it passes the time...

 

[ClashCityTele]

We are still playing 1950's guitars through 1950's amps with 1960's tubes.
So when exactly are we gonna run out of stuff?

 

[msalama]

Tomoz?

 

[Phrygian77]

Better question is will cockroaches prefer toob or SS when humans are extinct?

What will they play? Tele's will still be in tune.

 

[Greggorios]

Pretty sure I saw one today, girls dressed in their summer clothes gets some NOS retro style every year.

Girls dressed in their summer clothes, the smell of honeysuckle in the early evening and the a song played on transistor radio next door...all's right in the world at the end of June regardless of the year.

 

[stepvan]

The trend in audiophile products is identical to how most people who call themselves guitar players think about equipment: the actual sound itself runs a distant second place to the visual appeal of the equipment.

We see first.

Then we hear.

Best answer yet ..

 

[stepvan]

Girls dressed in their summer clothes, the smell of honeysuckle in the early evening and the a song played on transistor radio next door...all's right in the world at the end of June regardless of the year.

I thought it went the girls all get dressed up for each other and the boys buggie-wooggie

 

[slider313]

If anyone knows of a really good amp tech in Central Florida (Tampa), let me know. My guy retired two years ago, so nothing has been repaired or maintained. ug.

Gary Dahle Pro Audio Repair in Sarasota. www.garydahle.com

 

[Beachbum]

If and when tube amps become extinct replaced by solid state modelers it won't matter. Much like we compare the differences between hand wired and pc board tube amps that generation will be discussing old school solid state vs impulse response technology never knowing the glory of what was.