Small potatoes, compared to what's going on elsewhere in the world.
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For the OP: yes, you are correct. I was looking for some tubes on line yesterday after a backorder placed a month ago was cancelled and it was with one of the largest suppliers. I couldn't find any tubes (12AX7) yesterday, or at least none within my budget. I was thinking the same thing, that some individuals no doubt bought up as many as they could find over the past few weeks. |
Guilty as charged! I hoard vacuum tubes, and ammunition. At 65 years old I’ve calculated the amount I’ll need of both for a guesstimated life span and made multiple purchases. Living in California it’s also prudent to stock up on items that are banned and/or heavily taxed. Now before passing judgment as you all will, I purchased my items to consume in a normal manner of usage, and not to speculate and turn a profit. I’ve been into firearms and tubes for 55 years. I remember buying guns and ammo at the hardware store and the self serve RCA tube tester with the lower cabinet stocked with new tubes at the Thrifty Drug Store. I do wish I’d bought some KT 150’s to try. I added the ammo and California to this for simple illustration, please do not go political and ruin this fine man’s thread. Regards , Mike. |
I must admit that the tube shortage caught me flat footed.I had to scramble to get what I thought I might need. I needed backups anyway. But in my time of looking for tubes, I watched one big tube seller on Ebay (also a website) who is in new England start the gouge early on. IE, TungSol 6550's went from $189 a quad to $329 the last I looked.I will not buy from that dealer in the future. As far as I am concerned, their ethics are in the toilet
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At some point in the not too distant future, it seems rational that a few equipment manufacturers will band together to create a facility to build vacuum tubes. It isn't rocket science (it's actually pre-rocket science). Those who choose to use vacuum tubed equipment can pay the price of their decision. That's not to say that there will be a wide variety of tube types, just that a handful of tube types would be created to satisfy demand in those manufacturers' electronics offerings. Remember what happened to vinyl production to satisfy demand. |
I spent $750 on glass in the last couple of weeks..... no way my gear will be boat anchors in my lifetime.... fortunately I paid pre embargo prices. I bought a replacement set of tubes for my headphone amp, 2 sets for my mono amps, 2 sets for my pre., a back up spare 12at7 for my back up preamp..... yesterday I bought 4 pair input tubes for a 300b I having built for a total of 8 pair.... 8 rectifiers.... should have all the bases covered for a while.
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Didn’t worry much about TP… just installed Bidet seats. I guess the analogy would be Solid State instead of tubes. Imagine an embargo or a Cold War initiated by China, almost everything would be scarce. Scarcity can be created by “hoarding”, but isn’t “hoarding” just an increase in demand that outpaces production? Just-in-time manufacturing assumes America actually has a supply chain that is secure in a global economy. Globalism espoused by a political party has its weaknesses and National Security/Sovereignty implications. The system only works well when there is peace among the manufacturing giants of the world. Please don’t go political” …. Kinda difficult to accomplish when the problem is Is a symptom of geopolitics
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@jonwolfpell - 🤣🤣🤣🤣 - Thanks, needed a laugh to start the week! |
@ghasley , I wrote my statement on a 4th grade level, but apparently it went over your head. The invasion thing is political and that has no place here . In making the comparison of ammo to tubes, consider that like tubes, ammo involves toxic materials and is fairly specialized. Tubes like ammo is very limited to country of origin and therefor subject to availability and price spikes. As a former hunter and still a recreational target shooter, I wanted to avoid problems like availability and price gouging. My pre amp takes 2 - 12AU7’s, I have about 10 pairs of various NOS sets. My power amp takes 1 rectifier, 1 driver and 2 power tubes. I have 8 different drivers, 5 rectifier, and 8 or 9 pairs of power tubes. All are NOS, except for half of the power tubes. My ammo is a result of a lifetime of shooting and figuring out the loads I like. Now considering that, I purchased enough ammo to occasionally go shooting and not be inconvenienced by availability . As far as a pending invasion, only an idiot would say that. You don’t know me and obviously don’t care. So feel free to be a Jackass, but do it at your own expense. |
I was actually making fun of any and all irrational hoarding. Had I been directing my comment directly toward you I would have put your name in my post. I didn’t. I didnt call anyone names nor did I refer to their educational attainment or lack thereof. We can certainly compare CV’s if that is something you typically do…no insecurities here.
You are welcome to believe my post was directed to you and you alone. While that wouldn’t be factual, you may need to believe that so it will fit your narrative. |
@razorbraun , good move on the seats, our tp use plummeted. And for the less squeamish that do laundry anyway, washcloths. 🤷♂️ Geopolitics....as in, lets' hope no one does anything blatantly stupid. Cheers (really) J |
@thecarpathian Agree 200%. @artemus_5 Agree 200% Viva Tubes is dead to me!
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