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Would you still use these tubes, or are they cooked?

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  • Would you still use these tubes, or are they cooked?



    I'd like your input guys, y'all have an extraordinary amount of tube knowledge that I don't have.




    I pulled these from my second DSL when I bought it used. I always put new tubes in any amp I buy and then just keep the old ones as backups.

    I was looking through my drawer full of tubes and found these and looked them over some.

    They look toasted to me. But I'm no guru.

    I would guess there may be 2 trains of thought:

    1. Tubes either work or they don't, run em till they stop.

    2. Don't run worn out tubes because they'll pop and ruin your amp eventually.




    How to these look to your eyes? (They were working, and the DSL sounded great)














    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7e2g...TLy6SQH5nk44wA

  • #2
    Those don't look toasted, they just look used. They need to be tested, however, because they probably don't match anymore. But they could still be used if a pair of them are a close enough match. For example, to this day I still use what's left of the Marshall-branded Tesla EL34Ms that came in my SL-X in 1994. They sound awesome. It's just one of them burnt up in the 90's so I only have 3. I typically use 1 in my Emery SuperBaby, the other two are in my Traynor YBA-1, which happens to be the loudest amp I own (huge PTs in that thing)
    Last edited by beaubrummels; 11-05-2022, 10:53 PM.

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    • #3
      Yeah, it's hard to tell without a tester. Thankfully I was able to procure one years ago... But they do look like they have some hours on them.
      Originally posted by crusty philtrum
      ...Gimme a call when it's time to take 'em out. I don't have a gun, but i have a very sharp pointy stick and enough negativity to take out a small country...
      Originally posted by Securb
      The only blackmachine I care about is sitting in my jeans.

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      • #4
        Steve, try my move. Call an old-school TV repair shop and ask if you can use their tube tester. It takes 30 seconds to learn how to use the machine.

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        • #5
          I'll ask around, we don't have much out here in this wild west 2 horse town.... Might be easier to mail them to somebody.

          The only guy I've used as an amp tech (who may or may not have a tester?) is down in PHX which is only an hour and a half away, but I'd have trouble finding the time to take them I bet.
          https://open.spotify.com/artist/7e2g...TLy6SQH5nk44wA

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          • #6
            Those don't look bad at all. Unless the glass is fogged, I wouldn't worry about it.

            Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

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            • #7
              Originally posted by 80's_Thrash_Metal View Post
              I'll ask around, we don't have much out here in this wild west 2 horse town.... Might be easier to mail them to somebody.
              If you mail them to me I can run them down the street and test them. The TV repair guy gave me an open invite to use his tester.

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              • #8
                The base pins look like more of an issue than the actual glass/heater etc etc.

                How many times were those tubes pulled and reset into the an amp by the previous owners to get those extreme wear and cuts on the pins? Way too many!

                Yeah, I say getting tested and enjoy!
                “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Securb View Post

                  If you mail them to me I can run them down the street and test them. The TV repair guy gave me an open invite to use his tester.
                  Deal buddy!
                  pm your addy to me please and thank you.
                  https://open.spotify.com/artist/7e2g...TLy6SQH5nk44wA

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                  • #10
                    yep fried PM me for my addy so i can do a proper hazmat disposal.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by JMP/HBE View Post
                      yep fried PM me for my addy so i can do a proper hazmat disposal.
                      Ill test them for twice as free as Securb,

                      But 80s has to send it to a PO BOX addy
                      “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by JMP/HBE View Post
                        yep fried PM me for my addy so i can do a proper hazmat disposal.
                        Yeah yeah. Dispose of them in your Marshall, sure.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by beaubrummels View Post

                          Yeah yeah. Dispose of them in your Marshall, sure.


                          .

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post
                            The base pins look like more of an issue than the actual glass/heater etc etc.

                            How many times were those tubes pulled and reset into the an amp by the previous owners to get those extreme wear and cuts on the pins? Way too many!

                            Yeah, I say getting tested and enjoy!
                            +1

                            The base pins make me more concerned than the glass.
                            Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                            Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                            This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by 80's_Thrash_Metal View Post
                              I'll ask around, we don't have much out here in this wild west 2 horse town.... Might be easier to mail them to somebody.

                              The only guy I've used as an amp tech (who may or may not have a tester?) is down in PHX which is only an hour and a half away, but I'd have trouble finding the time to take them I bet.
                              There is a Tube shop in Scottsdale on Hayden by the Costco. I'll bet he can test them for you.

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