Western Electric follows the same vacuum tube dating and marking practices established decades ago under the Bell System. See how it’s implemented today at the Rossville Works. Learn more in the video below…
“When making a WE original like the 300B, it’s our responsibility to obey certain rules, proven decades ago on the factory floor. One such procedure, half cosmetic, half practical, is tube marking and dating. How is it done?”
“First, the logo. Our famous flash-type lettering wasn’t always used on the base. For a time, it was replaced by Helvetica, a less attractive but high-legibility substitute typeface. The hi-fi community wanted a return to the original design and in 1988, Western Electric did just that. Besides representing quality, the logo made it easier to identify counterfeit tubes. This is true even today as the 300B grows in popularity worldwide.”