Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

kramersteen

kramersteen

PowerMetalRaph
Hi my brother came over the other day with some tubes for me. He was given them by a old guy he knew who use to repair amps. I don't know much about tube value, quality etc so i thought i would see if you guys know anything about them. There PHILIPS electron valve el34 miniwatt.They have dark brown basses with miniwatt 573 marked on them. On the glass it says Aca7 made in great Britain. there is some other marking i cant quite make out x2##4#.

I have a matched set of 4


View attachment 38985
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

Matched set? Weird... tube matching is a 1980's Apsen Pittman invention.... Anyways its a killer score. I cant tell in the pic are they single or double getter? ACA7 should be the date code made in great britain is a bit odd phillips should be dutch. I'm going to guess these are actually relabeled mullards (phillips was mullards parent company but different factories used different tooling so the tubes arent identical) which are still a killer set worth a nice chunk of change on the code that says "x2" are you mistaken and it doesnt actually say XF2? Can you get some better pics of the labeling then I can tell you exactly what you got.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

Edgecrusher said:
Matched set? Weird... tube matching is a 1980's Apsen Pittman invention.... Anyways its a killer score. I cant tell in the pic are they single or double getter? ACA7 should be the date code made in great britain is a bit odd phillips should be dutch. I'm going to guess these are actually relabeled mullards (phillips was mullards parent company but different factories used different tooling so the tubes arent identical) which are still a killer set worth a nice chunk of change on the code that says "x2" are you mistaken and it doesnt actually say XF2? Can you get some better pics of the labeling then I can tell you exactly what you got.
Click to expand...

Thanks heaps, I will get more pictures for you by tomorrow. i have no idea about matched sets i am just going of what my brother was told. the text is unbelievable hard to read. there's a definite (x) with 3 more digits in pale yellow writing next to it and a (b) under it. I will get you as much info and pictures as i can.

When you say a chunk of change how much could they be worth? cause my bro has another 4 sets haha
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

Depends a bit on exactly what they are and the condition (not so much the lettering but if they are used or not) But mullards from that era fetch from 200-400 a pair yes a pair not a quad. If they are what I think they are then 250 is the neighborhood I'm thinking.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

Edgecrusher said:
Depends a bit on exactly what they are and the condition (not so much the lettering but if they are used or not) But mullards from that era fetch from 200-400 a pair yes a pair not a quad. If they are what I think they are then 250 is the neighborhood I'm thinking.
Click to expand...

I am 98% sure it says xf2 with b8c2 underneath, I think the B8c2 number changes on each tube tho.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

Which makes sense the B8C2 is the date code. B is for the blackburn factory 8 is the year as in 1968 C is the month march and the 2 means 2nd week. Get them tested find someone with an old tube tester and make sure they are good. If they are good you just struck gold.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

Edgecrusher said:
Which makes sense the B8C2 is the date code. B is for the blackburn factory 8 is the year as in 1968 C is the month march and the 2 means 2nd week. Get them tested find someone with an old tube tester and make sure they are good. If they are good you just struck gold.
Click to expand...

I feel like a leprechaun man. I was told they where tested and working. they appear to be in new condition but i don't know how to tell. There is another 4 to 6 tubes identical to this and he was also given a whole crate of random tubes which i haven't seen yet. There could also be some lost treasure in there... You made my night mate thanks heaps. Do you think they will make a good addition to my peavey jsx head?
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

While they will work excellent in your JSX and will last longer than any modern tube can even dream of it wouldnt be my first place I would stick them. The power section of a JSX is biased cold enough and designed around modern tubes which dont have the same robustness so while they would be good they wouldnt really shine. Keep this in mind these tubes only get rarer and more valuable the holy grail tubes from the 50's are already close to extinct these are only a couple steps up from that. If you want to put them in your JSX for a couple hours to expierene them it wont really hurt them or their value greatly but if you really want to expierence them find an old non master volume amp it will make you feel funny in places like when you were 12 climbing the rope in gym class.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

Edgecrusher said:
While they will work excellent in your JSX and will last longer than any modern tube can even dream of it wouldnt be my first place I would stick them. The power section of a JSX is biased cold enough and designed around modern tubes which dont have the same robustness so while they would be good they wouldnt really shine. Keep this in mind these tubes only get rarer and more valuable the holy grail tubes from the 50's are already close to extinct these are only a couple steps up from that. If you want to put them in your JSX for a couple hours to expierene them it wont really hurt them or their value greatly but if you really want to expierence them find an old non master volume amp it will make you feel funny in places like when you were 12 climbing the rope in gym class.
Click to expand...

****ing power went of last night when i was on here. Thanks for all your help i appreciate it. I think i might just leave them in the cupboard for now. the peavey already sounds good enough to me so........
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

kramersteen said:
I am from Australia mate so i don't know those funny feeling. haha. We did wombat wrestling and emu riding instead..
Click to expand...

Hah! well I think riding and emu would make you feel funny enough but a different funny :smash:
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

The marks pretty much tell the story of what they are. They are rebranded mullard xf2 el34's the only question that remained was if they were single or double getters (doubles are more valuable) but going off the date they are going to be single. Still its a fantastic score. Check if they are all XF2 if they are your gold even if they arent in matched sets you can still sell the single tubes for a nice chunks of money 110-125 each but if you can get close pairs they are worth more. If you are looking at the codes and tthey are rubbed off gently breathe on the tube try to fog it up that will sometimes bring the print out.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

BUMP!!!!!!!!!! ya'all.

My tubes have become rattly sounding at times. I don't know much about amps and i don't have much $$ atm to get new tubes so i'm seriously thinking i will put these ^^ whatever they are in my amp.

I wont be installing them i will get my brother to he seems to know stuff :beerchug:. Any advice or tips before it happens would be appreciated.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

If they are xf2 with the "B" code, you've got a pair of (IIRC) Philips-labeled Mullards... Edgecrusher knows his stuff.

Post a pic. I have code sheets and am always willing to assist the wee people leprechauns.
 
Re: Scored some Phillips el34 tubes anygood?

LLL said:
If they are xf2 with the "B" code, you've got a pair of (IIRC) Philips-labeled Mullards... Edgecrusher knows his stuff.

Post a pic. I have code sheets and am always willing to assist the wee people leprechauns.
Click to expand...

Lefties and righties don't mix.

Whats that code sheet going to do for me?

Thanks i guess:cool2:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

hamerfan
Groove Tubes Trio Preamp
Replies
0
Views
1K
hamerfan
hamerfan
HyBr1d
Marshall Tsl60 Power tube Disaster :/ So sick, plz help!
Replies
9
Views
796
Darg1911
D
D
Valve Art EL34's
Replies
8
Views
3K
Darg1911
D
man-in-moon
FS pickups, pedals, tubes and strings
Replies
6
Views
2K
GilmourD
GilmourD
Diego
Just dropped some EHX 6CA7 tubes on my Tweaker!
Replies
6
Views
1K
Diego
Diego
Back
Top