bell labs and western electric

[Horn Savant]

This link states:" They manufacture the tubes in the same Kansas City plant where they were previously made"

Well, the AT&T website for modern 300Bs states they have only made tubes there since 1962, so this isn't where the desirable 1930's tubes were made and I doubt if WE were making any 300Bs at all in 1962 ( I think the last WE 300Bs were made in the early-mid 50s)(where I don't know). The original assembly line is probably a brownfield or the location of a Home Depot today?

An esoteric audiophile told me that the AT&T revival 300Bs - justifiably or not - have been all but rejected by modern WE purists.

HS,

Check out the references at the end of this article:

Antique Radio Classified: The 300B Tube Lives Again!

[Horn Savant]

WE history paper stated Kearny started in 1924-1925 , maybe too late for production of 555 receiver (1926) (there were earlier WE PA loudspeaking receivers also) so Hawthorne looks lke a good candidate.

Well, assuming this statement from the above link is accurate, Hawthorne is still looking like the only place for production since the 555's patent wasn't applied for until over a decade later: "Hawthorne absorbed the operations of the company's existing plants in New York and Chicago and by 1914 it was Western Electric's only manufacturing facility."

[Panomaniac]

...I doubt if WE were making any 300Bs at all in 1962 (

I'm pretty sure they were - continued up to the early 90's. A group of my friends visted the 300B production line in the mid to late 80s, but I don't remember where it was.

[mah]

HS, Here is an interesting AK thread:

[ame="http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14644"]Western Electric Tubes - AudioKarma.org Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums[/ame]

If 'lightfoot22' is still an AK member you could contact him.

Cheers.

[tomt]

I'm pretty sure they were - continued up to the early 90's. A group of my friends visted the 300B production line in the mid to late 80s, but I don't remember where it was.

Till 1988.

most all to Japan ...

as stated by Attila R. Balaton, in th AWA Review -

(this article was also in the Jaes,)

AES E-Library: Tube Manufacturing at Western Electric: The WE 300B

. . VOLUME 4 - 1989

FOREWORD .................................................. ...... 5

A SKETCH OF EARLY RADIO VACUUM-TUBE RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT AT THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
J. M. Anderson .................................................. 6

THE HRO REPORT: DATING THE EARLY HRO
Charles P. Fisher .............................................. 32

TUBE MANUFACTURING AT WESTERN ELECTRIC: THE WE 300B
Attila R. Balaton .............................................. 45

THE FEMININE TOUCH IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Louise R. Moreau ............................................... 70

A DECADE OF ELECTROCOUSTIC REPRODUCTION (1920-1930)
Floyd A. Paul .................................................. 84

AN ELUSIVE FRAME OF TELEVISION HISTORY PRESERVED
William E. Denk ................................................ 99

WESTERN ELECTRIC TUBES: SOME INTERESTING AND HISTORIC TYPES
Ludwell Sibley ................................................ 110

EARLY MICROPHONE HISTORY
Bob Paquette .................................................. 131


The Antique Wireless Association, Inc., AWA Review, Cumulative Index

[oface1]

Until a couple of years ago, I though the new facility in Huntsville, AL was the new manufacturing site of the WE300B.

as quoted from their website....

"The WE300B is manufactured in the United States and is now in production at their new Huntsville, Alabama factory."

Western Electric


I am not sure, but I thought I heard something about them moving to a new site, again?

I can always call and find out.......


Hmmm, looks like their site hasn't been updated since 2005.......

Thought of applying for a job there before the economy slowed down, would have been cool, since I like tubes..


-chris

[oface1]

Just got off of the phone.....

Good news/bad news......

The facility in Huntsville, AL is shut down, but they plan to re-open it in Late summer of this year and restart production.....


-chris