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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2008 17:42:49 GMT -7
The tube store where I buy my tubes just emailed me saying that they just got some NOS Mullard GZ34's in. They are labeled Zaerix but the guy told me they have the factory codes clearly marked confirming they are true Mullard GZ34 tubes. Are these worth picking up and can I be really sure that they are indeed Mullard. Its a very reputable tube place and do alot of business over the internet worldwide so I doubt they'd pull a fast one but I guess I was just wondering how you could be sure. I need another NOS rectifier for a Carmen Ghia I'll be picking up. I wonder if there would be any improvement in my Ray as well. Right now there is a NOS Valvo in there.
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Post by cementedman on Nov 13, 2008 20:45:16 GMT -7
well, if you are sure they are a reputable place, i would buy them, i have about three or four NOS gz34s that i have for future use and a couple i use sometimes, and change out with weber copper caps. i like to change out tube a lot. most all the ghias use 5y3 rectifiers, but it is possible to use gz34s in a ghia, but the power tubes will wear out faster. this is common knowledge, i think. a gz34 in a carmen ghia will make it sound more marshally, less clean,, doc z would confirm this, too. i dont know if i would spend 65 or more bucks on a rectifier for a ghia, i have had 4 of them, and, for my ears, a 15-20 dollar rca NOS 5y3 sounds just as good as a higher priced tube.....
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Post by brad737 on Nov 13, 2008 21:57:26 GMT -7
Depends on the price. But the Mullard rectifiers are highly prized. I have 4 of them, and they're great.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2008 9:05:32 GMT -7
I've got some more info and would like opinions please. The tubestore is selling these rectifiers for $125 US. I asked how he was sure they were Mullards. He said through experience, knowing what to look for. Each diode has 8 notches and the center guide post has a hole.(I hope I've repeated that info accurately, it doesn't make any sense to me.) But the defining, characteristic is the code. It starts with an F32 and then four digits that identifies it from the Blackburn factory. So does this seem on the level?
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Post by zdogma on Nov 14, 2008 12:19:10 GMT -7
I've got some more info and would like opinions please. The tubestore is selling these rectifiers for $125 US. I asked how he was sure they were Mullards. He said through experience, knowing what to look for. Each diode has 8 notches and the center guide post has a hole.(I hope I've repeated that info accurately, it doesn't make any sense to me.) But the defining, characteristic is the code. It starts with an F32 and then four digits that identifies it from the Blackburn factory. So does this seem on the level? Zaerix is a British aerospace company that sold tubes, but they were reboxed/rebranded tubes manufactured by other companies. Most were made at the Blackburn factory in England, and I have seen a couple that looked a lot like Mullard GZ34's to me, but I didn't have a look at the etched code to verify. The plates generally do have three holes, but the edges differ, I have some with smooth edge plates and some with sawtooth plates. If you send a pic we could compare them to verify.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2008 12:41:36 GMT -7
I've got some more info and would like opinions please. The tubestore is selling these rectifiers for $125 US. I asked how he was sure they were Mullards. He said through experience, knowing what to look for. Each diode has 8 notches and the center guide post has a hole.(I hope I've repeated that info accurately, it doesn't make any sense to me.) But the defining, characteristic is the code. It starts with an F32 and then four digits that identifies it from the Blackburn factory. So does this seem on the level? Zaerix is a British aerospace company that sold tubes, but they were reboxed/rebranded tubes manufactured by other companies. Most were made at the Blackburn factory in England, and I have seen a couple that looked a lot like Mullard GZ34's to me, but I didn't have a look at the etched code to verify. The plates generally do have three holes, but the edges differ, I have some with smooth edge plates and some with sawtooth plates. If you send a pic we could compare them to verify. I just picked the tube up. I'll see if I can get some time to post pics this weekend. So if what you say is true, Mullard or not these are most likely very good tubes?
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Post by hdahs143 on Nov 15, 2008 8:03:46 GMT -7
The Mullard is an excellent rectifier tube in the reliability aspect. But if you are used to the sag you get with current rec tubes, you might not like the Mullard, as it is the closest thing to a SS rectifier that I've played. That being said, it tightened things up nicely in the amps I've used one in (Stingray/Maz 38).
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Post by brad737 on Nov 15, 2008 20:56:08 GMT -7
Jeez...$125 seems like a lot of money. But they do sound legit to me.
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Post by zdogma on Nov 30, 2008 7:00:22 GMT -7
Zaerix is a British aerospace company that sold tubes, but they were reboxed/rebranded tubes manufactured by other companies. Most were made at the Blackburn factory in England, and I have seen a couple that looked a lot like Mullard GZ34's to me, but I didn't have a look at the etched code to verify. The plates generally do have three holes, but the edges differ, I have some with smooth edge plates and some with sawtooth plates. If you send a pic we could compare them to verify. I just picked the tube up. I'll see if I can get some time to post pics this weekend. So if what you say is true, Mullard or not these are most likely very good tubes? Sorry I missed this before. Yes I think those would be excellent tubes, pretty much all the NOS GZ34's are great. I have 4 5 NOS GZ34's right now, 4 made in great britain (various brands) and one later made in Holland Mullard and they have all been very reliable, no issues at all, and no mechanical noise or rattle. The only NOS GZ34 that has ever failed on me was in an amp and I think damaged in shipping.
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Post by myles on Dec 4, 2008 12:35:45 GMT -7
I personally do not like a GZ34 in a Ghia. Stick to the 5Y3.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2008 16:38:24 GMT -7
I personally do not like a GZ34 in a Ghia. Stick to the 5Y3. I have been playing the Ghia constantly all week. All I did was put an NOS Jan Philips 12AX7 in V1 and an NOS Jan Philips 5751 in V2 (Balanced Triode) I will not change anything in this amp as it sounds exactly the way I want.
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Post by BW on Dec 7, 2008 18:34:40 GMT -7
Each diode has 8 notches and the center guide post has a hole. But the defining, characteristic is the code. It starts with an F32 and then four digits that identifies it from the Blackburn factory.quote] Most were made at the Blackburn factory in England.The plates generally do have three holes, but the edges differ, I have some with smooth edge plates and some with sawtooth plates. If you send a pic we could compare them to verify. But if they're from Blackburn, Lancashire, shouldn't they have 4000 holes? And shouldn't they be rather small? They'd have to count them all...... ...slinks away...
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Post by cementedman on Dec 7, 2008 18:40:30 GMT -7
ol bud can find a joke in anything,, and my shift of wit was a..... blimey..
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