Japanese Tube Makers

[SDS-PAGE]

Are there any Japanese vacuum tube makers? It seems to me that there are many reputable Japanese transformer makers (Tango, Tamura, Hashimoto, Sansui, etc.) but I rarely come across any vacuum tubes that are made in Japan.

[pmarcin]

Hitachi was one of the largest Japanese manufacturers. Many are rebranded as International or the equipment manufacturers name. I bought several gz34s that are Hitachi; they are excellent.

[nyazzip]

i think russia, china, and maybe czech republic are the only remaining producers....anyone like to clarify?
seems like mexico would be an ideal place for it nowadays

[Geek]

i think russia, china, and maybe czech republic are the only remaining producers....anyone like to clarify?

I think so, too.

seems like mexico would be an ideal place for it nowadays.

They actually do randomly enforce labour laws there. Manufacturers rather use countries that have none
If any other country is getting a tube factory it's Bangladesh.

[katabatic]

JJ is in the Slovak Republic, part of the EU (the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic formerly were united as Czechoslovakia)

[SDS-PAGE]

Hmmm, so I guess I wasn't imagining when I thought that there hardly any Japanese tube makers. I wonder why? Is vacuum tube manufacturing too hazardous for labor laws of developed countries to handle?

[nyazzip]

no demand; tubes went obsolete 40+ years ago: not many of the world's 6 billion inhabitants, outside of a small faction of hobbyists and some rock guitarists, want or need vacuum tubes....plus there are still plenty of surplus out there, with the exception of a few sought after models
also the equipment needed to make decent tubes at any capacity would probably cost millions of dollars...
just my guesses

[Geek]

Well, it's deeper than that. One Japanese businessman I spoke to said when it comes to technology, not all is about money; they look a hundred years into the future than ten. If they can't see [insert technology] here a hundred years from now, unlikely they'll do it.

They aren't afraid to blow money - look at all those toys that are just toys (Asimo, et-al). But proof-of-concept for the future makes them priceless. Kind of refreshing in this world of "Make money on it or don't do it" culture

[Brik]

To my knowledge, there is one audio vacuum tube manufacturer left in Japan: Takatsuki Electric Industry. Co., Ltd

They make 300B, 274A, and 274B tubes.
I was told that a pair of their 300Bs would set you back a cool $1800.



http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http://www.takatsuki-denki.co.jp/products/

[Geek]

Insured shipping better be included for that!

[Shannon Parks]

Maybe they last 100 years.

Shannon

[Brik]

Insured shipping better be included for that!

Maybe they last 100 years.
Shannon

They better. They cost more than what my car is worth!