Power tubes bringing me down
- Thread starter RVA
- Start date
syscokid
Ambassador of War & Peace
Relic
Well-Known Member
I have the same tester here, as well as a old B&K 700 couple others ancient pieces of relicry. I even scored one of those old 'Self Service' testers that you used to see in the local stores.
It's basic but simple & fast enough because it's always set up & open & has all the info posted right in front of yer face printed on metal pages that fold over like a book.
There are ways to get vintage tubes cheaper than new tubes if you are willing to 'play the game' & wait on the right auction. When you consider one of todays new Premier sounding Mullard 12ax7 tubes (one of todays better high quality sounding tubes to my ears) will cost you $18-20-ish at MF or local music store & the fact you can win some great sounding vintage tubes for sometimes half of that or more!, it is worth it if you have the ears for & appreciate the tonal / sonic differences & long life span. I have won myself a proverbiala $#!t load of vintage tube as 'the game' tends to get a bit addicting once you get in the habit of hunting for the bargains, applying what you've learned & taking that shot jumping on a good deal when you sense one.
And it is addicting. Addicting as hell really. I had to make myself stop buying & eSniping auctions several times because I would get carried away with the process & just keep going long past the point of having the amount of tubes I really needed at the time.
Anyway, I personally go vintage pre-amp tube before going with any cheapo Chinese tube simply because the of difference in quality & sound, even if it did cost a bit more. And as a point, I seldom have any vintage tube problems with the regular use tube amps I run on a weekly basis at gigs & practices.
Plus, most vintage tubes outlast & outperform todays tubes although some tubes from some of todays manufacturers have really increased their quality & life expectancy in the last 5 or so years.
So.. money really does get to be a rather relative thing which is subsequently related to sound quality, life expectancy & reliable performance.
I say win 'em cheap, test 'em good, try 'em in an amp, then run 'em hard and enjoy the hell out of 'em and the benefits they offer us in great sound & long life.
I have the same tester here, as well as a old B&K 700 couple others ancient pieces of relicry. I even scored one of those old 'Self Service' testers that you used to see in the local stores.
Okay...I am now, officially, jealous of you, Relic. That piece o' test gear is one of the coolest things, ever.
I have to go sulk, now.
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Found this/these articles on Tube Testers. I will post it here and in my thread about amp servicing etc.
http://tone-lizard.com/tube-testers/
http://tone-lizard.com/basic-hickok-troubleshooting/
http://tone-lizard.com/stark-tube-testers/
http://tone-lizard.com/tube-testers/
http://tone-lizard.com/basic-hickok-troubleshooting/
http://tone-lizard.com/stark-tube-testers/
Relic
Well-Known Member
I'm tryin to tell ya now, I've had my share of control issues with ebay fellas! LOL
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Trying to decypher if this means, HIS Tester was a trial in the way it was procured from the seller, OR since he has that tester, he can bust the asses of crooks trying to pull one over on him with selling junk tubes because he now has a good tester to provide him the proof.
Relic
Well-Known Member
That was a comment about controlling myself on ebay & controling the tendency to becoming addicted to playing to win on ebay! Then bidding on more! Then finding a just listed bargain! And spending late night hours going through the vintage instrument listings. Then check the Gibson listings in musical instruments... all 20,000 of them! Uh,.. now I gotta check the vintage electronics! Hey, lets see what old amps & stereos have vintage tubes still in them?? Hey look at that pulled organ amp with all those tubes! Tubes! Gotta check 'tube lot' in the search window! Oh & tube caddy while I'm at it.. And so it would go for me. Hours never to be recovered because of this addicting behavior on ebay! Crazy man!
However, I did get the tube testers to both do analysis on tubes & insure people weren't rippin me off after buying tubes on line.
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
There are only 20000 because I bought the other 100000 ebay items I perused through. You missed the Vintage Rogers drums and drum parts right down to the last washer and screw and even bent nails that hold the badges on. All for whatever your paypal can afford.
Relic
Well-Known Member
Ahh, you partake in my addiction I see.
Hey man, you got a butane lighter??
Let's put some flame on this mutha fvk'r & get lit bro!...
clk- phssssssssssszzzzzzzz............ cough,.. cough,.. ear..
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Not sure I know what you want to do. Is that a cheech and chong reference?
Relic
Well-Known Member
Relic
Well-Known Member
Hey now ya got me wondering if Dave Johnson joined this place to or do we say when asked about him,.. "Dave?? Nah, Daves not here man!"
Now that's a Cheech & Chong jam right there bro.
bea
AmBASSador of the F Clef
First of all: product quality of tubes may vary between types, not only by the manufacturer. Especially the EL34 by JJ have always been known to be a bit flakey and less reliable than their other stuff. The KT88 of my Mywatt for example appear to be reliable.
In case of EL34 i tend to avoid JJ in favour of Electro Harmonix or Svetlana. But my EL34 amps are special: they run the tubes at impressive 750-800 Volts (and are still equipped with old TFK or RFT tubes). Which means smaller currents and that puts different demands on the tubes than the usual 450 V. A really well made EL34 should actually live longer at 750 V due to the somewhat smaller currents flowing through the grids. But the demands on the isolation are a lot higher...
It would be interesting to compare the systems of recent EL34 and 6CA7 by JJ visually - are there any visual differences? Are there noticeable difference to the third of the sisters, the KT77?
In case of EL34 i tend to avoid JJ in favour of Electro Harmonix or Svetlana. But my EL34 amps are special: they run the tubes at impressive 750-800 Volts (and are still equipped with old TFK or RFT tubes). Which means smaller currents and that puts different demands on the tubes than the usual 450 V. A really well made EL34 should actually live longer at 750 V due to the somewhat smaller currents flowing through the grids. But the demands on the isolation are a lot higher...
It would be interesting to compare the systems of recent EL34 and 6CA7 by JJ visually - are there any visual differences? Are there noticeable difference to the third of the sisters, the KT77?
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Auction sniping is good, wholesome fun!