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Russian Tube/Valve Shortage for Guitar Amps
Posted on 3/15/22 at 7:37 am
Posted on 3/15/22 at 7:37 am
By Matt Parker - Guitar Worlld
Is a tube shortage imminent? Mike Matthews confirms Electro-Harmonix brands are subject to Russian export ban.
The EHX founder says the company won’t be shipping in any more Russian tubes for the foreseeable future as the country’s export sanctions bite. His statement:
“Yesterday, Russia imposed a ban on the export of some 200 goods in response to the sanctions imposed on it over the current conflict in Ukraine. We have confirmed that the ban applies to our seven brands of Russian tubes. Currently, the ban is set to remain in effect until the end of the calendar year.
Given this export ban, we will not be receiving any further tube inventory for these brands. A myriad of pressures — including continued strains on the supply chain, escalating internal expenses, mounting inflation, and an ever-evolving legal landscape (particularly in light of the Ukraine conflict) — have created a very fluid and ambiguous environment.”
Guitar World
Is a tube shortage imminent? Mike Matthews confirms Electro-Harmonix brands are subject to Russian export ban.
The EHX founder says the company won’t be shipping in any more Russian tubes for the foreseeable future as the country’s export sanctions bite. His statement:
“Yesterday, Russia imposed a ban on the export of some 200 goods in response to the sanctions imposed on it over the current conflict in Ukraine. We have confirmed that the ban applies to our seven brands of Russian tubes. Currently, the ban is set to remain in effect until the end of the calendar year.
Given this export ban, we will not be receiving any further tube inventory for these brands. A myriad of pressures — including continued strains on the supply chain, escalating internal expenses, mounting inflation, and an ever-evolving legal landscape (particularly in light of the Ukraine conflict) — have created a very fluid and ambiguous environment.”
Guitar World
2
Posted on 3/15/22 at 11:48 am to Telecaster
I'm inclined to reply "meh." The same thing happened in the 1990s for about a year, I can't remember if it was the Bosnian or Kosovo war or both. But I recall it was the Ei tube factory in Yugoslavia, who made a huge number of USA-bound current production tubes. I remember they supplied Boogie, whose amps I've used dating back to then and before. Took me a good year to eventually source 12AX7s ... Boogie was holding what they had for amp production.
Ei's plant fell victim to a UN trade ban and I think they ended up getting bombed out at one point as the factory was deemed a military asset. Anyway, demand kicked in and all of a sudden, China was absolutely on the map as a tube supplier.
If demand is there, China will step up. Or Slovakia, the factory that produces JJs. It will just take a while for supply to even out with demand.
Like the toilet paper crisis a coupla years ago :)
Ei's plant fell victim to a UN trade ban and I think they ended up getting bombed out at one point as the factory was deemed a military asset. Anyway, demand kicked in and all of a sudden, China was absolutely on the map as a tube supplier.
If demand is there, China will step up. Or Slovakia, the factory that produces JJs. It will just take a while for supply to even out with demand.
Like the toilet paper crisis a coupla years ago :)
Posted on 3/15/22 at 12:07 pm to TheFretShack
The latest crisis is also a great reason to explore vintage glass for your amp via respectable NOS, ANOS and quality used tube dealers. "They don't make them like the used to" ABSOLUTELY applies for vacuum tubes. If you're going to be shopping diligently and paying big bucks, might as well make it count right?
USA, UK and German tubes from the 40s, 50, 60s in particular not only sound better, they were built better and they last longer. The military, the communications world, the medical technology world, all electronics globally, relied on vacuum tubes to perform well and perform reliably. The stuff made today is MUCH more lackluster because they realize the only thing riding on tubes are our guitar amps haha. And environmental laws and regulations and manufacturing compliance two generations ago were a helluva lot looser in yesteryear. Tube manufacturing is hazardous, messy stuff ... just one reason we don't see it stateside nowadays.
Old tubes from RCA, Sylvania, GE and Westinghouse will make a NIGHT AND DAY difference in your old OR new Fender amp. The same for Mullard, Tung-Sol, RFT and Siemens in your old or new Marshall or Vox. And the old tubes will outlast current production glass by a mile.
If you're so inclined, start with vintage preamp tubes since they are the most readily available and the most affordable. There are TONS of resources online to help you - one Google search query can have you learning via reading and clicking for weeks.
USA, UK and German tubes from the 40s, 50, 60s in particular not only sound better, they were built better and they last longer. The military, the communications world, the medical technology world, all electronics globally, relied on vacuum tubes to perform well and perform reliably. The stuff made today is MUCH more lackluster because they realize the only thing riding on tubes are our guitar amps haha. And environmental laws and regulations and manufacturing compliance two generations ago were a helluva lot looser in yesteryear. Tube manufacturing is hazardous, messy stuff ... just one reason we don't see it stateside nowadays.
Old tubes from RCA, Sylvania, GE and Westinghouse will make a NIGHT AND DAY difference in your old OR new Fender amp. The same for Mullard, Tung-Sol, RFT and Siemens in your old or new Marshall or Vox. And the old tubes will outlast current production glass by a mile.
If you're so inclined, start with vintage preamp tubes since they are the most readily available and the most affordable. There are TONS of resources online to help you - one Google search query can have you learning via reading and clicking for weeks.
Posted on 3/15/22 at 2:17 pm to Telecaster
Oh well, got what I need.
Posted on 3/15/22 at 3:07 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
The latest crisis is also a great reason to explore vintage glass for your amp via respectable NOS, ANOS and quality used tube dealers.
I agree that NOS is the way to go if you can. And that is fine if you just need a 12AX7 preamp tube. But, if you have to retube a Mesa 400 or Ampeg SVT, that will get really expensive. I think it is almost $300 to retube one of those just with standard Russian/Slovak tubes.
Main reason I have never bought a good tube bass head. The sound is out of this world, but don't want to have to drop $300 every few years to keep it sounding great. I'm just too cheap. I'll drop thousands on a bass, but that thing will be playing great decades from now most likely with little maintenance to be done.
This post was edited on 3/15/22 at 3:09 pm
Posted on 3/15/22 at 3:32 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
Took me a good year to eventually source 12AX7s ... Boogie was holding what they had for amp production.
That’s what’s in both my Rectoverb and VOX AC. That’s not good.
Guess I need a new amp. Dang.
Posted on 3/15/22 at 6:06 pm to TheFretShack
That’s part of the reason why Marshall used 5881 tubes in the JCM900’s when they were released in the early 90’s. Most people converted to EL34 but there are a few rare EL34 factory tubed JCM900’s out there.
Posted on 3/15/22 at 7:18 pm to mwlewis
Main reason I have never bought a good tube bass head. The sound is out of this world, but don't want to have to drop $300 every few years to keep it sounding great.
I feal your pain, same scenario for me with my Boogie Mark III and modern glass, but re-read my post ... one of the advantages of old skool tubes is they last significantly longer than the new glass circulating today without significant degradation in output or tone. Going back to what I said about bulletproof build qualities decades ago, versus today's "it works, it's good" tube manufacturing mentality.
Unless you are playing at excruciating volumes and/or intentionally saturation overdriving your power section, and/or intentionally using an improperly hot-biased power section ... you should get absolutely no less than 10-15 years out of reputable NOS or ANOS power amp glass in an SVT and/or Mesa bass head with no significant loss of low end or high end. Ask a few reputable techs who service those amps and who who know old tubes and how to test, measure and match power tubes. They will likely say the same thing.
I feal your pain, same scenario for me with my Boogie Mark III and modern glass, but re-read my post ... one of the advantages of old skool tubes is they last significantly longer than the new glass circulating today without significant degradation in output or tone. Going back to what I said about bulletproof build qualities decades ago, versus today's "it works, it's good" tube manufacturing mentality.
Unless you are playing at excruciating volumes and/or intentionally saturation overdriving your power section, and/or intentionally using an improperly hot-biased power section ... you should get absolutely no less than 10-15 years out of reputable NOS or ANOS power amp glass in an SVT and/or Mesa bass head with no significant loss of low end or high end. Ask a few reputable techs who service those amps and who who know old tubes and how to test, measure and match power tubes. They will likely say the same thing.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 4:23 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
Old tubes from RCA, Sylvania, GE and Westinghouse will make a NIGHT AND DAY difference in your old OR new Fender amp. The same for Mullard, Tung-Sol, RFT and Siemens in your old or new Marshall or Vox. And the old tubes will outlast current production glass by a mile.
Might be a good time to sell my extra NOS GE RCA and Sylvania 12AX7s and 12AT7s, tubes that I will probably never need.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 6:50 pm to Mike da Tigah
quote:
That’s what’s in both my Rectoverb and VOX AC. That’s not good. Guess I need a new amp. Dang.
There are very, very few amps that do not use 12AX7s in the preamp section.
Posted on 3/16/22 at 10:02 pm to TheFretShack
Good info. Thanks Fret. That said
Yes.
Yes.
LOL
quote:
you are playing at excruciating volumes
Yes.
quote:
intentionally saturation overdriving your power section
Yes.
LOL
Posted on 3/17/22 at 7:49 am to EA6B
quote:
Might be a good time to sell my extra NOS GE RCA and Sylvania 12AX7s and 12AT7s, tubes that I will probably never need.
Yeah I have a bunch as well, but i've never been able to tell much of a difference between nos tubes and modern tungsols and JJs.
Posted on 3/17/22 at 9:02 am to Easye921
Knew this was coming ... to reiterate my "meh," EHX put this out late yesterday ...
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 will apply to all back- and new orders. Also, there will likely be a further price increase for tubes shipped from our NYC headquarters once the government implements heightened tariffs against Russian goods, akin to the 35% rate Canada is now imposing. Other territories, including EU, UK, and Japan, are expected to follow suit.
For all non-US customers facing such heightened tariffs and with combined Russian tube orders of $3K or more: Consider having our Russian warehouse directly ship such combined orders to the nearest international airport in your country. That will avoid our having to pass along the cost of the heightened US import tariff. Otherwise, you will, in effect, incur a double tariff on shipments imported first to NYC and then to a country with heightened tariffs.
You can cancel any backorder, but we do not recommend this; there is a tremendous shortage of tubes.
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 will apply to all back- and new orders. Also, there will likely be a further price increase for tubes shipped from our NYC headquarters once the government implements heightened tariffs against Russian goods, akin to the 35% rate Canada is now imposing. Other territories, including EU, UK, and Japan, are expected to follow suit.
For all non-US customers facing such heightened tariffs and with combined Russian tube orders of $3K or more: Consider having our Russian warehouse directly ship such combined orders to the nearest international airport in your country. That will avoid our having to pass along the cost of the heightened US import tariff. Otherwise, you will, in effect, incur a double tariff on shipments imported first to NYC and then to a country with heightened tariffs.
You can cancel any backorder, but we do not recommend this; there is a tremendous shortage of tubes.
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