Mullard history

[WezV]

here is a 60's marketing video for mullard valves... a bit slow at first but quite interesting to geeks like me

http://www.techtubevalves.com/about_us/film_reels.php

this is on the website of the current company that used to be mullard - i see hey have some newer versions of the classic valves

[38thBeatle]

Interesting to watch with the commentators clipped tones adding atmosphere. T'would be good to have a time machine and grab a few from the production line.

[WezV]

wouldnt it!! - mind you, i bet some of the mullards in that video are still working somewhere.


I like the comment about the new machines being so user friendly that EVEN a left handed person could use them!!!

tbh i'm not sure of the connection between the new company and mullard, they dont own the name and it may just be the building thats the connection... but the idea of a new valve design made in the UK could potentially be promising

[Elliot]

I'm not sure of the connection either - it looks from the blurb like they may have some of the manufacturing plant and skills base from Philips and they are claiming their valves have a better margin of performance than old stock.

Given that modern valves are made in about 3 places (Russia, Slovakia or China), having a new manufacturer with Philips experience is probably going to be a good thing (Philips JAN NOS are great valves after all).  If they have old plant and experience all the better.

[martinw]

Sounds like a load of nonsense to me, given that valves haven't been made at Blackburn for at least 24 years.

When they were made there, they were made on a huge scale, on plant that isn't there any more, by people who are mostly gone (the grey haired guy at the front would have been a pretty junior employee back then, or at school), and using processes which wouldn't get through modern environmental specs (ISO14001 anyone?) without massive investment.

Call me cynical, but it's just cashing in on the tiny flake of heritage they've found themselves clutching.

[FELINEGUITARS]

The film clip reminds me of the Dharma initiative film reels from Lost

[HTH AMPS]

Sounds like a load of nonsense to me, given that valves haven't been made at Blackburn for at least 24 years.

When they were made there, they were made on a huge scale, on plant that isn't there any more, by people who are mostly gone (the grey haired guy at the front would have been a pretty junior employee back then, or at school), and using processes which wouldn't get through modern environmental specs (ISO14001 anyone?) without massive investment.

Call me cynical, but it's just cashing in on the tiny flake of heritage they've found themselves clutching.

I thought the link was tenuous at best, still, UK-made ECC83s can't be a bad thing.  I'm curious to try them.

[WezV]

The film clip reminds me of the Dharma initiative film reels from Lost

your so right, i hadnt noticed that

[Tellboy]

The construction of their ECC83 type valves certainly looks different to the original Mullards. It will be very interesting to hear what they sound like.

http://www.techtubevalves.com/valves/e813cc_data_sheet.pdf