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Post by S.F. franky on Apr 28, 2006 10:31:59 GMT -7
I've got a MAZ 38 on the way and I'd like to get a couple of sets of back-up tubes and maybe something that might make a difference in tone - just for the hell of it. I figure this is the place to find the best word-of mouth. Where should I go and what should I get ? Thanks, sfranky
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Post by myles on Apr 28, 2006 10:51:23 GMT -7
Look on my website in the tube vendors area.
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Post by S.F. franky on Apr 28, 2006 11:54:48 GMT -7
Thanks for the pointer Myles!
sfranky
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Post by Seńor Verde on Apr 29, 2006 9:40:22 GMT -7
I have had good luck and service from thetubestore.com
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Post by Telemanic on Apr 29, 2006 10:59:31 GMT -7
Mike at KCA has always been great, prompt, and reliable for my tube orders.
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Post by bustertheboy on Apr 29, 2006 17:27:12 GMT -7
i'd agree with KCA and add www.tubedepot.com - i've had success from both - i'd recommend ANOS- 'almost' new old stock- test as new, have been used in other less demanding situations- my GE12ax7's are amazing- tubedepot
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robt
Full Member
Posts: 138
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Post by robt on Apr 30, 2006 5:38:08 GMT -7
Trustworthy. I would second Mike at RCA. I recently ordered from him, clean, smooth, great tubes with no problems. I have used the Tubestore and on two different occasions ended up with bad tubes. My experience only.
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Post by Curt on Apr 30, 2006 5:58:04 GMT -7
+1 for Mike @ KCNOS, I get all my tubes from Mike.
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Post by myles on Apr 30, 2006 13:31:46 GMT -7
I have had good luck and service from thetubestore.com These folks are about the ONLY folks that I say anything negative about on my website.
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Post by myles on Apr 30, 2006 13:32:07 GMT -7
i'd agree with KCA and add www.tubedepot.com- i've had success from both - i'd recommend ANOS- 'almost' new old stock- test as new, have been used in other less demanding situations- my GE12ax7's are amazing- tubedepot Both these guys are great.
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Post by jwr on Apr 30, 2006 19:02:01 GMT -7
KCA and Doug's Tubes. I've talked with Doug and number of times, he's a great guy. Got him off of Myles' web site.
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Post by myles on May 1, 2006 9:43:37 GMT -7
I have had good luck and service from thetubestore.com I have had problems with them long before I came to GT and ever since. When I worked for Infonet (www.infonet.com) we had offices on over 100 countries. I used to have about ten folks spread across the globe buy "matched duets" from them and send them to me to test. I found they did not follow directions (such as when you said you had a Mesa Boogie amp and needed a midrange tube) and I found their numbers on the box had no value, and I found their matching was awful. I had many discussions with Byron who owns the place and he was always a bit less than what you would call helpful. I have a page on them on my website ... it is under worst vendors ... and they happen to be the only folks there.
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robt
Full Member
Posts: 138
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Post by robt on May 1, 2006 11:16:48 GMT -7
In the past, I ordered from the Tubestore because it was easy and because their web site offered information that I thought was helpful at the time (reviews of tubes). In the future, I will use Mike again or perhaps others who are recommended on this forum. This forum is a great place to gather info and learn where to go and who to talk to about stuff that I don't really understand. People here are terrific and yet all sides can be presented. The point to this ramble is that I was seduced by a website that seemed to offer no-hassle shopping as well as information simple enough to understand--kind of an LL Bean store for tubes. In the end, it all comes down to good products and good service.
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Post by Seńor Verde on May 1, 2006 13:54:13 GMT -7
While I respect that people have issues with thetubestore, I have received bad or poorly matched tubes that were brand new from pretty much everyone at one time or another. Unfortunately, it is just the nature of tubes. I have even received bad tubes from the highly recommended places listed in this thread. Thetubestore also carries all of the tubes I like, so I don't need to order from multiple suppliers. However, I am one happy customer and am out numbered, so if I were looking for a new tube source and read this thread, I would be leary of them based on the feedback here. As they say, YMMV
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Post by guitarman1 on May 2, 2006 11:54:54 GMT -7
KCA and Doug's Tubes. I've talked with Doug and number of times, he's a great guy. Got him off of Myles' web site. +1 on both Mike at KCA & Doug. I've had excellent service/products from both.
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Post by myles on May 2, 2006 17:07:28 GMT -7
While I respect that people have issues with thetubestore, I have received bad or poorly matched tubes that were brand new from pretty much everyone at one time or another. Unfortunately, it is just the nature of tubes. I have even received bad tubes from the highly recommended places listed in this thread. Thetubestore also carries all of the tubes I like, so I don't need to order from multiple suppliers. However, I am one happy customer and am out numbered, so if I were looking for a new tube source and read this thread, I would be leary of them based on the feedback here. As they say, YMMV Output tubes are pretty darn fragile and shipping damage is quite common. If you like the user interface of The Tube Store then try www.tubedepot.com and they carry lots of things and are great folks too and test very well.
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Post by anacephalic on May 15, 2006 10:41:57 GMT -7
www.upscaleaudio.com/home.aspKevin at Upscale audio is very helpful and they have a ton of options. The matching and testing is top notch. THe only down side is he has a thing about guitar amps and won't warrenty any NOS tubes for guitar amps. That isn't much of a problem to me but for others maybe. Worht a visit just to see what's out there
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Post by 6strang (aka Paul) on May 17, 2006 12:44:16 GMT -7
Revolution Guitar out of LA has always done me right. Todd is a great guy and ships fast with quality packing! my 2Cents. 6strang
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Post by mikekca on May 31, 2006 5:01:40 GMT -7
www.upscaleaudio.com/home.aspKevin at Upscale audio is very helpful and they have a ton of options. The matching and testing is top notch. THe only down side is he has a thing about guitar amps and won't warrenty any NOS tubes for guitar amps. That isn't much of a problem to me but for others maybe. Worht a visit just to see what's out there Funny, I seem to get a lot of "overflow" customers from Upscale from guitar people who need phone sales support. Upscale's problem with guitar players is that some guitar amps are quick to "find" microphonic tubes that work fine in audiophile amps. Guitar tube dealers have to do extra careful screening of tubes and also have to "eat" a lot of extra tubes (that won't work in guitar amps).
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Post by myles on May 31, 2006 9:28:17 GMT -7
I have to agree with Mike above.
High end audio equipment is designed to operate a tube within it's design range while guitar amps specifically love to push them beyond this range (that's why we do not love sterile clean amps).
Hi Fi gear sits on a stable shelf. Guitar amps move all over the place.
Hi Fi amps are generally not too close to the speakers .... Guitar amps are a different story.
Tubes for use in guitar amps need to be tested in a much different way than hi end audiophile tubes.
At GT, the typical reject rate is 50% and higher. In the case of Ei tubes it is 60-90% (but when you get a great one they are great ones).
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Post by Seńor Verde on Jun 1, 2006 15:05:37 GMT -7
Myles, I thought I read in another thread that the GT 7025 is an Ei 12AX7E. Is this true? We have a GT dealer in my area and they sell at a good price. I may have to scoop a few of them up. I do prefer buying from my local guys, if they have what I want.
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Post by myles on Jun 1, 2006 16:57:26 GMT -7
Myles, I thought I read in another thread that the GT 7025 is an Ei 12AX7E. Is this true? We have a GT dealer in my area and they sell at a good price. I may have to scoop a few of them up. I do prefer buying from my local guys, if they have what I want. Yes, you are correct. I believe in supporting your local dealers. On the GT-7025 .... These are great when you get a good one. Long smooth plate and built on the German Telefunken tooling that was set up when Ei was the OEM for Telefunken. Remember .... on the GT ones .... they are guaranteed against .... 1. microphonics 2. Noise 3. Low output 4. Failure for six months.... so the microphonic aspects that you see in many of them are not a concern. GT rejects between 60% and 90% of them. They are also currently out of stock at GT due to a high rejection rate on the last batch.
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Post by Seńor Verde on Jun 3, 2006 8:52:37 GMT -7
Thanks for confirming. That's why I like buying from my local guys. If I get a bad tube or one goes bad after a short while, it is easier to exchange them to guys I know and see frequently.
I loaned a couple Ei's to a freind to try in his Epi and Vibro Champ. He really likes them too. They are grea tubes. I wish the reject rate was lower and they were more popular. I have started hoarding them.
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dsj52
Junior Member
Posts: 64
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Post by dsj52 on Aug 26, 2006 6:33:01 GMT -7
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 26, 2006 8:15:58 GMT -7
I've had good experiences ans conversatios with Charlie. He's a good human being.
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Post by guitarstan on Aug 31, 2006 14:47:25 GMT -7
Doug at Doug's Tubes is very knowledgable and helpful. I have had very good service with him for the last 2 years.
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Post by nitehawk55 on Sept 1, 2006 21:25:48 GMT -7
I use tubestore because theyare local to me and I get in 1 day . I've had no problems yet . I also found out the dealer in Ottawa that I got my Maz 18 from is a GT dealer so I have ordered 2 sets of 2 EL84-6's plus he is replacing the JJ 12ax7 in V1 that was rattling .
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wilzgt
Full Member
I plumb for Z-Tone !
Posts: 151
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Post by wilzgt on Sept 28, 2006 11:22:29 GMT -7
Tubedepot.com
I've dealt with them a couple of times and like their service.
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Post by mudskipper on Oct 11, 2006 9:03:04 GMT -7
i've bought a few sets of EL84s from SRS and found them to be reliable.
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Post by iggs on Oct 11, 2006 10:02:29 GMT -7
+1 on Mike from KCA! Great service, help, info and fast shipping.
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