The real scoop on winged C future/availability??

[iknowjohnny]

The winged C el34 are my fav 34 by far. But as i'm sure you all know by now they were said to be going the way of the dinosaur. But from what i've read it seems as tho they are NOT stopping production, but just not selling them to the USA anymore. Can anyone confirm this? And secondly, if that IS true wouldn't you think that we would still be able to get them somehow via retailers in other countries that will ship to the states or some such thing? I'm trying to decide what to do. Stock up on them with a lifetime supply, (which at my age isn't all that many) or don't worry about it because they will always be available, if not a bit more $ and a bit harder to come by. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't object to the idea of spending a lot to stock up if they ARE going to be gone, but for one problem. You buy a lot of them and by the time you eat thru one set the warranty is all gone on the rest, and from my experience with any tube, some percentage usually die within hours.

[selloutrr]

Stock up pay to have them tested (not good bad but really tested) and be set regardless of the future outcome.

[Leo_Gnardo]

You buy a lot of them and by the time you eat thru one set the warranty is all gone on the rest, and from my experience with any tube, some percentage usually die within hours.

Same problem here but I have only myself to blame.

Note to self, whatever else is going on, when a box o tubes arrives, stop everything and spend the next couple days running ALL of 'em thru test - in a real amp.

Few people will do that, but it's the only way to avoid being stuck with dud tubes out of warranty. Test all on arrival.

There has been some rumor of a lawsuit involving New Sensor & "The Real" Svetlana but I haven't seen any details or substantiation of this suit. I'd take it as gospel that =C= "Real" Svetlana are out of the consumer tube manufacturing biz. Still making giant transmitter tubes and maybe light bulbs. FWIW there was an earlier report of Svet shutting down 2 -3 years ago. Maybe they will be like the haberdashery that always has those giant "Going Out Of Business" signs in the windows.

[iknowjohnny]

I gotta think that either they will be available in other countries as i seemed to have read and we will still be able to get them, or if they truly are shutting down then someone I would think will buy the rights to that design because it's the overwhelming favorite as EL34's go and has been for a good while. I can't see that design being shelved when it's a gold mine for someone. If the manufacturer isn't going to use it then they surely would be able to sell it for a tidy sum. In short, it's a gold mine in waiting and unless there were govt regs standing in the way, there's always going to be someone to capitalize on it. But I could be wrong and if they do go away i really don't want to be stuck using anything else because the way my amp cuts in a mix with the SED's is just so perfect and nothing else thats current (read affordable to mere mortals) does it the same. I've tried them all and i know. (for me at least)

[Leo_Gnardo]

Our friends at Music Electronics Forum have been kicking this problem around. Read what Stan "km6xz" has to say about it. He lives in St. Petersburg Russia and knows what he's talking about. Here's a link:

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t32158/

[iknowjohnny]

I asked tubedepot what they know and this was thier reply...

Thanks for contacting us. We know that SED has stopped production on the KT88's. However, we have not heard about halting production of the EL34's. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
Thanks again,

[selloutrr]

You forget guitar amplifiers are not that large of a profit market for the costs of producing tubes. Tube technology outside of hifi and musical amps is pretty much extinct. Figure the average tube lasts 5years. Maybe 10 or more in an amp. That's not making a lot of need to buy / build more. Granted professional musicians can burn up a set of tubes in a day doing dumb shit in the quest for tone zen. But even the professionals only make up 1% of the user base.

I'm sure if its sold it'll be purchased by electro harmonics / sovtek / new sensor corp. or by china.

I think the reality is like all good things they must come to an end.

[Leo_Gnardo]

I'm sure if its sold it'll be purchased by electro harmonics / sovtek / new sensor corp. or by china.

I think the reality is like all good things they must come to an end.

True 'nuff.

The production machinery maybe. The skilled personnel. no. We've seen it all happen before.

Stock up on your fav =C= tubes now, check every one for proper operation upon arrival, sort out any issues immediately, & enjoy your lifetime supply.

=C= had a 12AX7 that sounded unbelievably good (to me anyway) but many of them were defective right out of the box. Huge plates. Oh well another one done gone...