Since when were valves "restricted items"??

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Thermionic Idler
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#1 Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by Thermionic Idler »

So the order of 5 x Emerson 5V6GT valves I ordered from an eBay seller in the States has apparently been confiscated by agency or agencies unknown. The order had not arrived when expected, and I queried this with the seller.

The reply came back today that the "items were deemed restricted", and they will not be sent to me, nor returned to the seller. I will be getting a full refund but if valves State-side are suddenly unobtanium then this going to become a huge problem for those of us wanting to use NOS where the only location where availability isn't patchy, is the other side of the pond.

I'm now considering revising my design for 6V6 (easy enough, just delete two dropper resistors) but where am I going to get 12SN7's from? I've already bought the bloody 12v heater transformer. I have a pair supposedly en-route from Canada, let's see if they get here.
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Greg
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#2 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

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#3 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by Nick »

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#4 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by Nick »

Maybe a good time to sell broken valves to someone in the USA.
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izzy wizzy
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#5 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by izzy wizzy »

I see Billington on ebay have them but they're £25 a pop. Dunno if that's good or bad. They're always worth a call.

And it would seem it's an ebay shipping issue. I've recently had in the last few months valves from Russia/Ukraine, dampers and MV rectifiers from USA no issue except VAT sometimes; luck of the draw. More GM70 on the way today fingers crossed.

And these folk are nice to deal with too.
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Thermionic Idler
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#6 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by Thermionic Idler »

izzy wizzy wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 4:39 pm I see Billington on ebay have them but they're £25 a pop. Dunno if that's good or bad. They're always worth a call.

And it would seem it's an ebay shipping issue. I've recently had in the last few months valves from Russia/Ukraine, dampers and MV rectifiers from USA no issue except VAT sometimes; luck of the draw. More GM70 on the way today fingers crossed.

And these folk are nice to deal with too.
Thanks for the heads-up. As you say, a quick search revealed the problem - some clueless idiot in the GSP who probably has a house full of CFL lightbulbs deciding that valves are a health hazard. Thankfully the 12SN7's have not been shipped via that route (seller confirmed).

5V6's, although cheaper than 6V6's, seem significantly thinner on the ground in quantities of more than one - and I need 4, preferably in matched pairs. I think I'll just do away with the dropper resistors (which always seemed a little bit of a kludge anyway) and use 6V6's. My wife's guitar amp uses them anyway so may as well share stock. And I'll save myself a whole 1.92 watts in power consumption.
Deck: Garrard 301 - Audio Origami PU7 - NW Analogue DH3S
Phono: Pete Millett LR, Lundahl SUT, AMB σ22 PSU
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Power amps: 300B PP 'Symmetric Reichert'
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#7 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by izzy wizzy »

Sorry, I thought the 5V6 was a typo :oops:
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Thermionic Idler
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#8 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by Thermionic Idler »

Just got the set of 4 x NOS Raytheon 6V6GT they had up for sale. Cost more than the 5V6's but I'm just so done with running the gauntlet of international sales for now. At least I won't have to pay VAT and import tax. I was quite tempted by a set of 4 coke-bottle shaped WWII-era 6V6G's from Italy but - international shipping again, plus they'd have cost £40 more.
Deck: Garrard 301 - Audio Origami PU7 - NW Analogue DH3S
Phono: Pete Millett LR, Lundahl SUT, AMB σ22 PSU
Linestage: Bruno Putzeys Balanced Pre + Hans Polak relay mod, LCDuino control
Power amps: 300B PP 'Symmetric Reichert'
Speakers: FF225WK Big Mets
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Paul Barker
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#9 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by Paul Barker »

erm, dont hold a giga counter to youre valves by the way.
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#10 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by jack »

One of the big UK suppliers, Colomor ISTR, dumped it's entire stock of CRTs as it couldn't handle the new regs on RoHS etc.

That was about 3-5 years ago...
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#11 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by IslandPink »

This is a major pain. Where else are valves being sold , Gumtree ?
I was going to stock up on a few things.
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#12 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by Mike H »

Nick wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 4:35 pm And this one

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping- ... 93#M285333
Oh crap. :shock:
 
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#13 Re: Since when were valves "restricted items"??

Post by jack »

We have the same problem with Nixies, nearly all of which DO contain Hg.

Therefore we don't use eBay GSP, just other methods...
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