Stop Freaking Out - Tube Amps Aren't Going Anywhere!

[@MrMann-gt1eh]

If you go to Western Electric’s website, a banner pops up that you can click regarding which tubes you’d like to see built and you can click them and hear more about their ramp up in tube production.

[@hoganshideout]

That's awesome info Mr. Mann, thanks for sharing. I added a link and info in the description and I'm pinning your comment.

[@MrMann-gt1eh]

@@hoganshideout I appreciate that. I hope everyone participates! I may even call their customer service tomorrow. I know one thing, demand drives price. As you’ve said, almost all performance models are tube. The modelers worth performing with are the Helix, Kemper and Axe. They all run $1500-$2000 and require a power amp & speaker, computer, and/or a full PA system. …All of which will run you another $1k bare minimum. You know, before watching this I knew the demand was high but you’ve shown the demand is COMPLETELY owned by tube technology in the world of guitars. They’re still being designed. ENGL, DIEZEL, Mesa, Soldano, Orange, Marshall. Shoot, we’ve only just entered this GLORY era of “LUNCHBOX AMPS”! 1W, 5W, 10W, 20W, 25W, 30W, 45W, 50W… tubes are still dominating. The modelers are tools to ADD to your shop but definitely not replacements for the real thing.

[@hoganshideout]

@@MrMann-gt1eh I think there is a good market for high quality US made tubes. Hopefully Western Electric will be able to get production up and be able to offer their tubes at a reasonable price. Thanks again for the info and comments.

[@hoganshideout]

@@MrMann-gt1eh If you happen to speak to customer service please post back with info. Thanks.

[@fredpgeiser728]

@@hoganshideout I clicked on it too.

[@MrMann-gt1eh]

I’m using a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier 100watt tube head and 4x12 Mesa cab in my living room. Not even joking my neighbors love it. Every one of them. It sounds as clear and incredible across the street (if the windows are open) as it does standing in front of it. If I shut the doors and window, it doesn’t bother anyone in their homes. I wouldn’t trade this for a computer or SS in a million years. It carries a tone you can feel in your spine. As you bend the strings, it captures every nuance everywhere. When you do ANYTHING regarding dynamics with fingers or picks it is captured in full.

[@justinTime077]

🤣😄 that’s the truth. Fuck anyone that’s even smiling while they pretend tubes aren’t relevant to us.

[@zachsmith3376]

Don't come knocking,if the house is rocking. I don't play anything tube wise over 20 watts and I have several but no 100watt allowed:)

[@justinTime077]

@@zachsmith3376 well Triple Rectifiers for instance that are multi watt have incredible headroom with manageable volume. I managed to play very happily in my apartment. I love that amp to death. It’s not at all like the old ones that are immediately too loud.

[@Bognerman14]

I totally agree. My amps are a modified Mesa Dual Rectifier, PRS Archon 100 and Mesa Marv V 90. Next amp will be a Diezel or Bogner XTC. Love tube amps.

[@MrMann-gt1eh]

@@justinTime077 100%. If you use the foot switch and crank the channel volumes to 11-1 and then use the output volume as the final volume, you can achieve great tone at manageable levels.

[@ShineDawg]

Perfect advice, no need to panic and play what you like! I really like your vibe. I'm off work today, so I'm gonna binge on your channel!

[@hoganshideout]

Lol, thanks Lauren G, I really appreciate the encouragement. Have a great day off from work!

[@7171jay]

As you can get about just about any new part you need for a 1960's Ford Mustang I'm confident that demand for tubes is plenty high enough that they will continue to be manufactured for a good while. Transistors and modeling might be cheap and convenient but there will always be people who want to amplify their electric guitar the original way with tube amps. While pianos have in many ways been made obsolete by electronic keyboards which are cheaper, smaller, lighter, and offer endless amounts of sounds you can still buy a brand new piano and actually quite a few new ones are still made every year. Again, looking at the parallels here I don't see tubes and tube amps going away, what we have is a bump in the road.

[@zbaby82]

I wish England would start making tubes/valves again.

[@qua7771]

Everyone does. Love old production Mullards. I doubt the recipe would be the same if they could though.

[@bluesrocker91]

Brimar are making them in the UK again...

[@alexwoolridge94aw]

I've got a bunch of amps with good tubes in them. I've played for 15 years and have only done a retube once. Vacuum tube amps aren't goin anywhere because tube amps do sound better. I've heard Kempers live and while they get the job done they are lifeless and don't push air like a tube amp does. I wish people would stop freaking out about the tube shortage. Also I work in a body shop and the car parts shortage has been a royal pain in the ass. Weve had cars in the shop for 2-3 months because we can't get parts. Great video man

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks Alex!

[@GIBKEL]

Tubes will be back! Love them. It was a tough lesson. The market will figure it out.

[@None-r4h]

There is also another Chinese tube factory called PSvane. Tube Amp Doctor imports them and calls them Redbase line. This has been verified from Dave Freidman and many other amp manufacturers.

[@hoganshideout]

Good info, thanks Guitar Jedi.

[@Theweeze100]

Great presentation, good analysis. Really appreciate your ability to communicate clearly and calmly. I subscribed.

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks Frank!

[@raysmetaltracks6782]

The Tube Store is selling NOS Mullard's for $350 each. At $1400 for just the power section, do you play with them, or display them in a case on the wall? Thank goodness JJ's are still reasonable.

[@mikekratochwill4195]

Dang it Hogan, you just fueled my G.A.S. for a Carr Raleigh amplifier. I finally talked myself out of getting one but then it popped in your video. Maybe that's a sign. 😂 As for this whole tube fiasco, I'll just say I'm glad I retubed both of my amps before all of this began. Even better, I found my old stash of extra tubes in a box out in my garage! I'm good for a long time!

[@hoganshideout]

Hi Mike, yeah the Raleigh is a cool little amp! And It's definitely a good idea to keep some spare tubes around.

[@ShineDawg]

New sub, love the channel. All the best

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks Lauren G!

[@johnsguitarmusicanddemos]

I think the only reason they might be inflation is more to the fact that companies are short staffed and they are trying to meet the demand of the consumer.

[@hoganshideout]

Good point John. We are seeing that everywhere for sure.

[@mxdefnall8732]

I almost freaked out, thank you❤️

[@hoganshideout]

Lol, thanks for checking the video out MxDefnall.

[@jonathanstrand2474]

Harmonic tube distortion, there is nothing quite like it, I’m sure a good emulator is workable for many, especially live, all those sounds blended, but certain things don’t work in that medium. But lucky me, I have 100’s of NOS with actual English made Mullards among them. I was about to give them all away, glad I didn’t! I have 5 tube guitar amps, and 5 or 6 vintage stereo and mono tube amps I hope to revitalize. I’m 65, been buying equipment for 40 years, and never selling it. I agree, a lull in availability, however, I heard Fender has suspended several models being made, so when those already made are gone in a few months it’s going to get a little tough, but it will just make the used market pop for awhile I’d say.

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks for the comment, Jonathan. It sounds like you have a really nice collection of gear!

[@coolpowersdude]

Lol what even is that Reverb top 20 amp list? I don't think I've ever met a single person who wanted, or ever even thought about owning, a solid state amp. Tube amps are and will always be the only type of guitar amp anyone should be playing. For reference, I'm 27 years old, and I'm heavily involved in the music world, as a singer/songwriter with my own band(s) that continually tour the world non-stop, as well as run my own recording studio, and so long story short, yeah I know a LOT Of ppl - of all ages - in the music world. And NOBODY wants a solid state amp, or would ever buy one. SS amps are literally just starter amps for brand new players when they're kids. So yes, I agree with you, tube amps will never go away.

[@hoganshideout]

I agree. SS amps are generally starter or small practice amps and attractive because of lower prices. I've never met a guitar player that didn't want a tube amp.

[@capitanvonchickenpants8492]

I'm happy with my boss katanas I leave the Marshalls at home now But I would love a hand wired simple tube amp with reverb about 20 30 watts max that is a good Pedal platform no PCBs and certainly no PCB mounted valves!! Not all valve amps sound good by the way!

[@hoganshideout]

I think the Katana is a very cool amp!

[@journeyquest1]

But the good affordable tubes are going away for awhile at least. No Tung Sols, JJs or EH. All my amps take tubes.

[@jonathanstrand2474]

Ok Joe Bonnamassa, time to let lose from your massive collection of Fender Amps, in all my years, I’ve never seen an actual brown face with the tube rectifiers in person or in a shop….he’s got hundreds of them!

[@phillipkelly736]

just buy the Chinese tubes cheaper than that European ones

[@justinTime077]

Modelers “sound” fine and legitimate, but they don’t *feel* the same under your fingers, or in the room. I own an axe fx 3. It’s not tube amp.

[@hoganshideout]

I agree, I can feel the lag on any modeler I've played.

[@justinTime077]

@@hoganshideout hah, same, but if you say that to a convert suddenly they’re trying to explain to you how the latency is imperceptible. Somehow it’s quite perceptible if you know what an amp feels like! That’s awesome that you said that, lol.

[@matman175]

Chinese factory had a factory fire and aren't making Tubes until further notice. Now as after as tube vs solid state it's a preference. To take the elitism out of it solid state have some very nice Amp. My favourite guitarist used mainly Solid state amps. Don't get me wrong I like amps in general solid state, hybrid or tube. I have a 1960s solid state amp that has fooled many guitarists professional amongst them. So the argument between tube vs the rest needs to be layed to rest. It's a dead horse that's been well flogged. And agree amps are a thing of personal preference.

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks for the comment Matthew. @Guitar Jedi mentioned this below, but apparently there is another Chinese tube factory ramping up production. audioxpress.com/news/update-regarding-the-supply-of-amplifier-tubes-from-tube-amp-doctor

[@kimbalxyz2]

As usual the problem right now is greed. How many people do you think bought tubes the last three weeks, that did not really need them now ? When all this started a friend of mine went to three different online stores and bought $1300 in Russian power tubes. This was on top of what he already had (he called it his stash). I know him and his wife pretty good, so I asked him what she thought about him spending so much on tubes. It seems he ordered without her knowing and used a credit card for the purchase. He bought them before the price really jumped,$25-$30 a piece. He he is going to sell half at double the price he paid and keep the rest ! Do you think this is being a smart move or just greedy ?

[@greenmirror5555]

your friend is a genius

[@StratsRUs]

I think technology will eventually give the same feel-to-sound satisfaction as my tube amps.Technology is moving so fast , they may make amplifier brain implants soon !

[@LandoQuick]

The era 2025-2030, the tubeamps are in a museum and the market is crashed. Fender don’t manufacture any tube amplifiers anymore. The Fender Tonemasters…….we know.😮

[@zeroboyrick1717]

Thanks for not getting on the sky is falling trip. If one thing is for sure, where there is a demand, the demand will be met.

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks Richard.

[@musicmatty67]

The tube supply will never meet the guitar demand unless they move it out of these hostile Regions to a more friendlier place to do business with. With the exception of some, the younger generation are playing more through their computer with technology exploding.

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks for the comment Musicmatty67. Hopefully Western Electric can get US made tubes happening pretty quickly and a reasonable price.

[@MrMann-gt1eh]

Me hates to see it too. These kids do have great tone, no lies or worries there. But when it comes to moving air and the dynamics with vibratos, pinch harmonics etc. the tube amps just dominate and what gets me every time is they say, “I had this viceral experience on a tube amp but this modeler is just so much more practical”. My finances are where I apply words like “practical”. Music is the place to break free. I was listening to Jordan Peterson talk about how ‘adults should wear suits’ the other day because it’s classy, mature, sophisticated blah blah blah and I just kept thinking, “Thank GOD I’m a musician” 😂. Screw practicality! I want visceral life!

[@fredpgeiser728]

The Titleist hat!

[@fredpgeiser728]

Never leave home without it

[@hoganshideout]

Lol, I love my Titleist hats!

[@fredpgeiser728]

@@hoganshideout I got one in Cubbie Blue. I like my Titleist sticks even better. Guitars and golf …… the true meaning of life …. Lol! I actually gigged with a Blues Jr before getting a HRD (which I’ve had 20 years). The ‘68 Custom Princeton Reverb with a Celestion G10 Gold is pretty loud too….

[@hoganshideout]

@@fredpgeiser728 Those are all great amps! Yeah, I love golf. I play Ping i210 irons, but I have a Scotty putter.

[@fredpgeiser728]

@@hoganshideout 913D2 & 913Fd driver & 3W. 910F 7 wood. 910H 24. 816H1 27. 695MB 6-9. Vokeys. AND…. a Scotty.

[@truescotsman4103]

but your goto tube distributor you've been buying tubes from for 20+ years can't get the tubes you want and the ones they have are twice the price they were a year ago. its a money grab everyone is raising prices because (insert reason here).

[@allyourbasearebelongtous2191]

There are some frequencies in the moving air that we hear in a tube amp. The digital ones get almost every one. That word "almost" is important though. They don't quite copy all those frequencies and they don't move the air the same way. Yet... but it's really close though... really close. Even if they found every spot and every little transient and frequency people would still want tubes. Once they're able to perfectly match every single nuance then we guitar players are already suited to "magiking" everything. Jesus. Look at pedals. I'm a huge pedal nerd. I know a LOT about pedals. That's my thing. And seeing how dumb guitar players are with those just kills me. Those and "tone wood" on ELECTRIC guitar. 2 of the most ignorant ridiculousness guitar players get into. There's this video of these studio guys showing this room full of voodoo tube Screamer guys that the 808 stuff is a full on myth and you can just see how they WILL NOT accept it. They WONT. Period. We will do the sane with tubes once digital can fully perfect it.

[@dafxtone]

I don't think we 'll see EHX or Sovtek in the futur with the Ukraine Crisis. 35% up is huge, and people would prefer JJ tubes or chinese one, they arn't crazy.

[@johnsears4197]

Tubes aren't going no where

[@godbyone]

Yeah don’t worry don’t buy any tubes right now. You don’t need them. So stop it. ( you’re making me pay more )

[@ci3008]

I have 15-20 real vintage tube amps, many I've owned for decades. About 6 months ago I got one of the Fender GTX 100 modeling amps to use with my laptop for sketching out song ideas. I'm extremely impressed with the Fender patches. Comes with 30 or 40 different effects. I got all the foot switches and expression pedal and, it is waaay lighter then one of my vintage Super Reverbs. My favorite patch is a basic single knob compressor(MXR) --> Mythic drive (Centaur) --> Deluxe or Super Reverb --> Vintage Tremolo --> 65 Spring Reverb. Yery capable blues / Robben Ford tone. I would gig with this amp, plenty loud enough. Tube amps still rule but unless Western Electric starts making tubes in the US face it, Tubes days are numbered. It may not be for a couple more decades but eventually Tube amps will be dead dinos to most of us. The current cost of a quad set of hifi power tubes from Western Electric is about $1500 !! If guitar amp tubes are that expensive nobody's gonna retube a $1k Blues Jr. It's inevitable - Modeling amps ARE the future.

[@hoganshideout]

Thanks for the comment CI. There is definitely a place for the modeling technology. Something like the Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb would be an attractive option for a someone doing regular club gigs, who has to haul equipment around constantly.