Tube nerds! Set your faces to stunned! Large pics!

[knigel]

So, if found this guy at a flea market today, and the price was right so I thought I'd take a chance:







The couple that I recognized if I sold them would fetch my money back. Anyone see any others of interest? Here is the set on flickr:

Tubes! Tubes! Tubes! - a set on Flickr

Haven't looked up too many--the case is a bit overwhelming.

Now, anyone local have a tube tester?

[jnewmark]

It reminds me of when I was a kid in the '50's, and the TV repairman would come over to fix our TV. He had a case like that filled with tubes.

[sonic 7]

Dude! You could have a gold mine there, N.O.S. US tubes fetch a lot of $$$

[gerryjazzman]

Mostly TV-tubes, not of much use in tube amps and such. The few that I saw that would be worth sorting out at least initially are:

6FQ7/6CG7 - dual triodes similar to 6SN7.
couple of 5U4 rectifiers
thought I saw 1 or two 12AT7 (phase inverters in old Fender amps)

Hard to tell which are used and which might be new.

Might be a few more goodies buried in there, hard to see everything, not much else that I see. There are folks that restore old TVs that would be interested in the TV types. You could weed out the ones you want and sell of the rest. Probably could check over at antiqueradios.com. The TV types don't seem to go for much though.

[knigel]

Originally Posted by sonic 7

Dude! You could have a gold mine there, N.O.S. US tubes fetch a lot of $$$

I know! So far no gold, but I've only looked up a couple. I just found a Mullard. I don't know what I have! Could be nothing, but there is a couple that I recognize--I've also found a couple of empty boxes.

It was a risk, but I talked the guy down to a manageable risk price.

[B-string]

Lots that you would never use. 12AT7, 12AX7 (of course), 12BH7 and 5U4 are the most desirable in audio. Keep in mind TV repair people used to swap tubes a lot so the box may just be that a box with a used other brand tube inside.

[knigel]

Originally Posted by gerryjazzman

The TV types don't seem to go for much though.

That's what I'm discovering. But seriously, even if I sell them for two dollars on ebay I'll make my money back. Just another project to work on!

[knigel]

Originally Posted by B-string

Lots that you would never use. 12AT7, 12AX7 (of course), 12BH7 and 5U4 are the most desirable in audio. Keep in mind TV repair people used to swap tubes a lot so the box may just be that a box with a used other brand tube inside.

Yeah, I'm double checking the tube versus the box. I'd also like to get a tube tester.

Lots of garbage, but maybe a couple of nice ones.

[TravTrav]

I don't care if these are useful or not. Tubes are the most magical electronic component ever!

Sweet score, my man.

[77PBass]

You need to make a guitar amp out of the case a la a Silvertone. Find some cheap 8" or 10" speaker and some crappy 5 watt amp on ebay and you would have an awesome amp in a case!

[knigel]

Originally Posted by 77PBass

You need to make a guitar amp out of the case a la a Silvertone. Find some cheap 8" or 10" speaker and some crappy 5 watt amp on ebay and you would have an awesome amp in a case!

I like where your head is at...maybe I could make it into some sort of low watt practice tube amp...if I only knew a guy with some tubes...

Seriously though, what about a little beach radio? With tubes? Or an iPod dock with the tubes to warm up the output? I don't know what I'm talking about really, all I know is I started drinking early today.

[knigel]

Also, I'm going to post some pics--I just organized the case a bit more, so it might be easier for someone to spot the odd gem.

[Mr. Foxen]

I got given a couple of boxes like that. I think one might have been where all the suspect tubes got chucked. When I eventually got hands on a tester, was a bit disappointing. Hopefully this is a good ones box. If they are duds, one of those big glass sweety jars full of tubes looks cool.