brandnew E-H Tube Boxes displayed @ MusikMesse Frankfurt

[TELEFUNKON]

[Coriolis]

Eh? Whats with the Mullards? NOS, or did someone start using the name again?

C

[NoFi]

"Someone" started using the name again, and those tubes dont have much in common with the old ones.

[Peter Snowberg]

I'm quite saddened by old names being recycled into new product with no relation to the original.

I've heard Ei got some of the original Mullard production equipment.

[Coriolis]

It was too good to be true. On another note, that RoHs thread that came up lately, I got the impression that the whole tube market (or perhaps mostly NOS?) would be hit hard by that? So I'm wondering if some tube manufacturers will fold as a result, if attaining compliance proves to be not worth the cost...
Does anyone here know enough about the making of tubes, to say whether a RoHs compliant one could even be made?
The whole tube-market seems very fragile...

C

[The Tone God]

I believe one of the clauses of RoHS is that you can get an exception if there are no compliant equivalent parts available. I think tubes would qualify under that along with some other parts like Ges, LDRs, etc.

Along those lines just from the wording RoHS seems to really be targeted toward manufactures whos stuff will end up in a landfill so those that are freaking out over things like solder for our hobby should not be that worried. I think that standard lead solder will still be available after the deadline for our hobby and repair work.

Andrew

[Dave_B]

I'm quite saddened by old names being recycled into new product with no relation to the original.  

Reminds me of the G**tar C*nter catalog I just received with an $8,000US Hendrix Flying V on the cover ($12,300 list price!).  At least he used one, I suppose. 

[JimRayden]

I'm quite saddened by old names being recycled into new product with no relation to the original.  

Reminds me of the G**tar C*nter catalog I just received with an $8,000US Hendrix Flying V on the cover ($12,300 list price!).  At least he used one, I suppose. 

On an extremely rare occasion. I think I've only seen one concert of him with the V. I can't remember the place or the year but I have a lucid picture of him on the stage with that axe. Oh yea he was doing "Like A Rolling Stone" too.

Hah, it's just the matter of time a white "JH SG" with golden hardware and three humbuckers comes out 'cause he played that one in a TV show, which name I can't remember either (you know, the time he was in a blue kimono). I reckon god wasn't kind enough to give me brain cells to save names.

Oh boy is that offtopic or what.

Back on tubes, why can't they just make tubes to vintage specs? Kinda like the Celestion Heritage series. Expensive but at least in production. What do you think is the biggest problem about today's tubes, construction-wise?

------------
Jimbo

[aron]

I'm quite saddened by old names being recycled into new product with no relation to the original.

Is it just a rebranding or?

Aron

[Coriolis]

Well, I'm pretty wet behind the ears when it comes to tubes, but I do know, that on the the rare occasions that I've had my Ampeg (V2) retubed, the repair guy didn't put in Sovteks, JJ's or whatnot, but stuff that is no longer in production. I assume he does that because he believes they're good stuff (because I never told him what kind I wanted). I also know that all you old-timers around here (and elsewhere) frequently complain that they don't make them like they used to.
So why don't they? Is it because it's a lost, black art, or is it just a matter of digging out the old manuals and committing to better quality?
I'll bet a good tube, made to "old-quality" specs won't be half the price of some of the vintage stuff out there (glad I'm not into tubes in the hifi-kind of way - I shudder just to think of the price of a pair of 300B's or similar legendary triodes).

But I'm just about to get into tube diy, and I would hate to miss out because of something like RoHs...

C

[cd]

I'll bet a good tube, made to "old-quality" specs won't be half the price of some of the vintage stuff out there

You're right, it would probably be double or even the same price.  Take a look at the "USA made" Groove Tubes 6L6.  Cheaper than an RCA Blackplate but not by much.

[NoFi]

I have an old Ampeg too, it still has the magnavox tubes inside from the seventies. Old tubes last really long, the new ones get eaten up really fast. I noticed the old tubes dont glow as bright as the new ones, so maybe for instance the filament is better quality in the old ones...
I guess they dont or simply cant make them the same as in the golden years of tubes, because the manufacturing materials have changed, the equipment is old or some of the chemicals have been replaced by less dangerous stuff. I guess the art was also lost when the big old companies were sold, and the older people retired etc.
There is some talking about all that on the plexipalace forum.

[rockgardenlove]

What is this RoHS stuff?

[JimRayden]

Restriction of (so-called) Hazardous Substances, also known as the main hobby of our cute little European Union.

------------
Jimbo

[The Tone God]

What is this RoHS stuff?

Google is your friend.

Andrew

[Peter Snowberg]

I do have to say that I am VERY VERY VERY glad that Mike Mathews has succeeded in bringing these products to the market for our use!!!



Even if they're not the real thing, they are as faithful a copy as we're ever going to see. I'm nit-picking about the name perhaps but don't mind me.

See Eric Barbour's comments on his stock list: http://www.vacuumtube.com/tubes.htm

Be sure not to miss this page.

[Coriolis]

Cd, I guess I gotta eat what I said about prices, I see a matched pair of JJ 300B's are 219 $, and that ain't small change...
However, I'm sure the Mullard and TungSol names could be a lot worse off, than they are with Mike Matthews - if he's not the guy to do it, then I can't think of anyone. But I wonder where  Marshall, Fender, etc are in all of this. Do they actively work to get better quality tubes, or do they just go "cool, cheap chinese tubes, now we'll make more money, even if the amps sound worse, and the tubes don't last as long"...

C

[puretube]

...But I wonder where  Marshall, Fender, etc are in all of this. Do they actively work to get better quality tubes...

that`s what Mike Matthews, and his terrific crew
are doing for them

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=39989.0

[TELEFUNKON]

nobody noticed the datestamp of the topic?

[Dave_B]

I think the datestamp is an unfortunate coincidence.  Mike Mathews owns the names and has created some well-reviewed reproductions.