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Post by nitehawk55 on Jul 1, 2006 21:01:13 GMT -7
Been thinking that it might be a good idea to buy a tube tester . It gets confusing with not really knowing what to buy as ebay is full of them . Comments and suggestions ??
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Post by billyguitar on Jul 1, 2006 21:49:42 GMT -7
I've read that an average antique tube tester doesn't test for the things that guitar players want to know.
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Post by nitehawk55 on Jul 2, 2006 6:33:00 GMT -7
I've read that an average antique tube tester doesn't test for the things that guitar players want to know. That's true and I know I won't be able to test for stuff like harmonics or match tubes without spending big $$'s but I guess what I'm looking at possibly getting is a tester that will check for shorts ( be nice doing that with new/unknown tubes before installing in amp and causing possible damage ) or for how strong the tube is so you can see if it might be getting weak and making the amp sound crappy . ( not to be confused with my playing ) If there is a tester that is suitable for matching tubes and is not outrageously priced I would consider going that far .
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Post by myles on Jul 2, 2006 9:57:46 GMT -7
I've read that an average antique tube tester doesn't test for the things that guitar players want to know. Preamp tubes yes in most cases .... output tubes generally no as the voltages are not high enough.
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Post by nitehawk55 on Jul 2, 2006 17:56:18 GMT -7
Well so much for that . Thanks for the advice !
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Post by ke4unr on Jul 3, 2006 8:35:24 GMT -7
That's true and I know I won't be able to test for stuff like harmonics or match tubes without spending big $$'s but I guess what I'm looking at possibly getting is a tester that will check for shorts ( be nice doing that with new/unknown tubes before installing in amp and causing possible damage ) or for how strong the tube is so you can see if it might be getting weak and making the amp sound crappy . ( not to be confused with my playing ) If there is a tester that is suitable for matching tubes and is not outrageously priced I would consider going that far . I have a Hickok model 750 that I bought several years ago that has served me well. Yes, there are several brands/models to choose from, and I haven't priced them lately. Here's one person's opinions: www.tubewizard.comand another: www.0wned.org/~hstraub/hickok.htmJust as Myles pointed out, you can use a tester for preamp tubes and some power tubes. Also, some testers can check for shorts, microphonics, Life tests, etc. They are also good for finding balanced tubes, such as a 12AX7 for PI. I prefer my mutual conductance tester (aka transconductance) versus one that just reads good/bad. A good ole RCA Tube Manual can come in handy for tube specs. They can be found on eBay and other places. Also, I use my tester as well as a set of bias probes. The probes allow me to get different measurements with the tubes in the amp. They are useful for matching tubes and can help identify one that are are in the beginning stages of going bad. Of course, a piece of equipment like a Maxi-Matcher would be nice to have, but they are a bit pricey. That's the only reason I don't have one. As with any test equipment, the manuals will be helpful, but there is also a bit of a learning curve to get the most out of it. You can find useful information on the Net about testers and how to use them properly. Ray K.
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Post by nitehawk55 on Jul 3, 2006 13:07:12 GMT -7
Thanks for some "positive" info Ray , much appreciated . I do have some training in electronics and tinker with old German tube radio's for fun .
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