Western Electric 300B

[serengetiplains]

So I was on the Western Electric website looking up tube data of some or another unavailable WE tube, and I saw several indications that WE was currently producing the 300B. So I fired an email off to several "official" WE dealers listed on the WE website, and received this response from Tube Depot:

We have the Western Electric 300B in stock. They moved from Kansas City to Huntsville and this did cause a stoppage in prodcution for some time, but they are back....better than ever.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

By "better than ever," the Tube Depot rep meant, perhaps among other things, that 300Bs are more expensive than ever. $900 a matched pair.

[Apex Jr]

To put this in perspective the older etched base WE 300B's
new in box are going for 900 + EACH.... Steve @ Apex Jr.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

that 300Bs are more expensive than ever. $900 a matched pair.

Not really...It's been like this for the past 10 years or more.

Considering they're still actually "Made in U.S.A" and the number of manhours that go into manufacture that's actulally not all that expensive.

Matched pair get you a very nice wooden "cigar box" too...

Cheers,


EDIT: That said I still consider the 2A3 the bargain of the century....

[rcavictim]

That is just silly. One should not have to pay that much coin for a vacuum tube which is a wear item in a sound system. If you are an engineer replacing the finals in your radio station transmitter then that is another thing, and prices over $50.00/tube are quite justified IMO. Stop and consider that the mighty 833A transmitting triode (used in the $quarter million Wavac amp) is available for shy of $150 each!

I for one do not own or use a WE prayer mat.

[newkirklabs]

Originally posted by serengetiplains
By "better than ever," the Tube Depot rep meant, perhaps among other things, that 300Bs are more expensive than ever. $900 a matched pair.

It is my understanding, that when the move to Huntsville was made, WE updated (supposedly) all there equipment, procedures, QA, etc. I am not sure what all that means in reality.

I personnally don't think that justifies the outragous pricefor a 'wear item.' IMHO

Matt