Tubes getting hard to come by?


Hi All,

I've noticed that both Upscale Audio and the Tube Depot are running out of tubes, or, at least, they are limiting buyers to ONE TUBE PER MONTH (UPSCALE) or simply out of many popular tubes.  Am I imagining this, or is the pandemic, or something else, causing a dearth of available tubes?  Might this be a bad time to buy a tube amp because of this?

rustler

I agree you can still find good and honest sellers on ebay, with positive transaction ratings and at least you know that you will get a refund in case something is not as advertised.

But for common tubes like ecc81/ecc83/ecc88 chances for getting true NOS are dramatically low so you trust the test data the seller provides.

Better double check after receiving even on a different tube tester.

 

Unless you cannot operate without a particular tube, it might be best to wait until the hysteria\hording abates.  Fortunately (or unfortunately) for me, there is no change in the availability and price of the tube types I need (348, 349, 310)--they remain rare and expensive.  I have not seen a recent listing for a 348, and the offers I have received are $2,000 each for pulls that test good; the 349s are about the same.  The 310s are, fortunately cheaper, but I don't need as many of them.

With NOS, this is simply law of supply and demand. There is a finite supply and  continuing depletion of that finite supply over time. There will come a day when NOS will cease to exist, I can't predict the day. I assume the larger stashes from closed down factories and hoarding individuals are fast disappearing. Pre-boomers and boomers both had access to large stashes at cheap prices, these guys dead or dying off, where will these stashes come from in future? At some point, end of nos will bring about price pressures on new tubes unless manufacturing ramped up.

 

Hopefully we'll see both innovations in tube manufacturing which will create new tubes with improved quality over nos, and increased production capability. If not, the future may become grim at some point. As for myself, I mostly now use unusual tubes not in high demand or have my own stash of both NOS and more common tubes.

Case in point @rodman9999.

Prices are high though but what can you do.

Always keep some spares.