Mic Kaczmarczik's TubeInformation - The Blue Guitar

From svetengr@earthlink.net Sat Dec 13 00:31:26 CST 1997
Article: 48046 of rec.audio.tubes
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From: svetengr@earthlink.net
Newsgroups: rec.audio.tubes
Subject: Re: So you want to open a tube (valve) factory?
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 12:57:54 -0800
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> This whole thing as to where tubes are made gets pretty weird, and >every distributor that you talk to has his own tale of the
differences >between brands, etc....which plant, copy cats, quality etc. To be >honest, I'd rather have one less book on Western Electric
tubes, and a >little more on information on current production and actual differences >between brands.
--------------------------------------
CURRENT GLASS TUBE MANUFACTURERS
(not counting exotic devices, such as
photomultipliers and microwave devices)
by Eric Barbour, VTV--October 1997
--------------------------------------
(note: I think that no one else, such as the French
company Thomson CSF or the American company EG&G, is making
glass power or audio tubes at this time. --EB)
CHINA:
Shuguang Electrical Factory No. 1: State-owned until recently.
Shuguang makes most of the popular audio and guitar types, which
are frequently rebranded by importers. Large guitar-amp manufacturers,
such as Mesa-Boogie and Fender, are the world's largest consumers
of audio tubes today, and they get most of their tubes from Shuguang.
PM Components, a British firm, has "Golden Dragon" types made by
Shuguang, which are then marketed by firms such as Whirlwind and
Tubes By Design.
Types in production:
6L6GC, EL34 (3 types), 6550, KT88 (2 types), 300B (4 types),
KT100, 5AR4, 12AX7, 12AT7, 12AU7, 2A3, 211, 845, KT66,
EL84, 807, 6GH8, 6AN8, occasional runs of 6AU6 and EF86.
There are many other tube factories in China. Most keep a very
low profile. CEIEC-Hunan claims to make many types, including
an EL156. There are believed to be two factories in Beijing making
tubes. Some of these factories specialize in transmitting
tubes such as the 811A, 812A, 813, 3-500Z, 4-400, 100TH, 833
and others.
RUSSIA:
Reflector Corp, Saratov:
Makes most of the tubes marketed by New Sensor Co. of New York
under the "Sovtek" brand name. Some of these are old Russian
types, others are made especially for export.
Types in production:
12AX7 (3 variations known), EL34 (3 versions), 6CA7 fat, 5AR4,
5881, 6922, 6EU7, 6L6GB, 6V6GT, 7199, EL84 (2 versions), 6P15P.