[Roam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tennis ball tubes anyone?

I have a few WE 104's lying around along with some 205E's.
I've yet to come up with a project for putting them to use.

 

[Capunk]

It's hell much better to have tubes collection rather than opamps collection

They feel soo organic, vintage and retro

 

[Skylab]

I love the look of these:

But I really can't justify the price on what I bet is a lousy sounding Chinese tube...

 

[shokunin]

That's the beauty and the curse of tube amps. Tube rolling is fun and has endless possibilities and combinations to give the "sound" you want. It's a curse because it's expensive and tube prices are appreciating like real estate did in 2004.

I've sold my fair share of 300b's and 45's and other output tubes but I seem to always keep my small triodes and octals. the 12au7's, 12ax7's, 5751's 6sn7, 6dj8/6922/7308's, and on and on. there's plenty of chinese and european current production tubes on most larger triodes (45, 2A3, 300b, 845, etc) but many current production small triodes typically don't sound anywhere near as good as NOS.

I'll keep them as who knows what prices will be in the future and what gear I'll own in the future. The only thing I wish I had is a good tube tester, like a Triplett, Heathkit, or maybe even a Hickok.

 

[spookygonk]

And I thought I had a problem with a freezer and half a fridge full of camera film.

 

[jamato8]

My preamp that I finally perfected, to my satisfaction after a couple of years of trying all types of configurations in a special preamp I built that would take grid cap tubes, 4 pin, 5 pin or 6 and all types of voltage configurations, of course, was the mighty 1929 Sylvania mesh plate 27. Well they only made the Sylvania at that time that way but what a sound. I have 5 or 6 nos of these and nothing comes close going to custom output transformers.

 

[johnsonad]

Sell them all and go solid state

Really though, I have a few GZ34's hanging around, just in case.... They just look cool

 

[pabbi1]

I am such a slacker - only el34 and cheap 12f?6 car radio tubes - but about 30 of each. My wife thinks it's the stupidest thing ever on the face of the earth - maybe she is right.

 

[mwallace573]

Reading this makes me glad I have a LD2++. With this amp you have roughly half a dozen rolling options, most of which can be a PITA to get, and only a small number of which sound really good.

 

[Penchum]

Limiting one's self isn't that difficult. Do like I did and things will get better.

For each Tube amp, have two wooden cigar boxes, one for driver tubes and one for power tubes. Label the boxes so you know which amp it belongs too and whether they are power or driver tubes. Your new limit is the size of the inside of the cigar box. Want more tubes? You must sell something to make space, or forget about it. Over time, your cigar boxes stay pretty much full, but the tubes in them are some of your best and the others have been sold off. If you decide to sell one of the tube amps, you can list it with the two cigar boxes of tubes to go along with the purchase and try to get some of your money back. The person buying it is very happy. They got a great amp and enough tubes to keep them rolling for a long time.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

I have a few hundred toobs myself...

I try to justify it by coming here and sharing what I have learned about the toobs.

*shifty eyes*

Yeah.

 

[digismurf]

Holy cow, I just found this thread...no wonder I can't find some of the old tubes! You guys are stock piling them all!!!!

 

[gx42000]

Quote:

I have about $1000 worth of tubes for a $300 amp.If nobody knows by now it's an addtiction plain and simple.The nice thing though is when you wake up in the morning you still have your tubes.

hahahaha

 

[gx42000]

sorry im new...
 
so tube sizes are pretty universal then? 

 

[runswithaliens]

Yikes! thanks for resurecting this old thread ... have been looking for a tube amp...  now wonderring if it would be better to just start smoking opium instead.