Bugle Boy 12AX7 - Ebay

[Littlewyan]

I bought a Amperex Bugle Boy 12AX7 few weeks back and it arrived today, however I'm a bit concerned that I'm getting fobbed off. The description said that the valve tests 1700/1500 whereas the valve that arrived has 1425/1375 written on it. I asked the seller about this and he said there were two valves on that listing (correct), they were bought within a few hours of each other (incorrect, 6 days, I bought the first one) and they sent what was available. He also said that the difference between 1300 and 1600 is negligible in real life application.

What do you guys think? If what he said about the difference between 1300 and 1600 is true then I'll happily keep the valve, if not he'll be getting it back.

Edit: Ignore this the valve is going back. It hums terribly in both of my amps, rattles in the 1Watt Marshall and in the Trainwreck I can't even take it off Standby without hearing loads of static. What a load of crap.

[matt h]

(deleted)

[Littlewyan]

He suggested sending it back, which I'm going to now that I've found out its faulty. Although I'm a bit annoyed as I doubt I'll get my customs fee back as it was paid by me direct to royal mail in England. I rang ebay and they said I would get the money back but I don't think the guy understood what I meant.

[David Root]

99% of ebay tube sellers use old transconductance (Gm) testers which are useless for determining DC voltage balance of the triodes AND actual voltages you will get in your build. All those numbers will tell you is if the tube is half dead or not.

So it's a crapshoot. I do buy preamp tubes on ebay, however I have a digital tube tester that also measures DC voltage balance and indicates microphonics too.

Here's how I do it.

1) I never buy just one tube if I can help it, usually two to four of the same sold as a single lot. Then you have a chance of getting what you need, especially in your case for a Trainwreck, THE most finicky amp for tubes I know of.

2) I don't pay extra for Bugle Boy logos, or even Amperex logo, even though real Dutch Amperexes are probably my favorite 12AX7. Nor do I buy any of the hyped hi-fi nut items, eg M8137 Mullards.

3) I do check the date codes on Euro tubes closely. That is how you find exactly what you want, regardless of the other markings on the tube. I have seen "Amperex" tubes made in the Philips Heerlen factory (right angle triangle, or delta, followed by eg 6B2J, 1966, with factory code F (Mazda Brussels), D (Valvo Hamburg), and so on.
I recently bought three Heerlen 1966 12AX7s for $25 each because they are labeled for Electrohome, ie the Canadian market. However they have the right codes on them and are etched HOLLAND too. 1966s are especially nice.

4) In USA tubes, those marked for organ manufacturers like Hammond, Wurlitzer, etc. were selected for gain, matched triodes voltage and non-microphonics and are always a good buy for that reason, and because they don't have fancy logos.
Recently I got three GE 1963 long plate 12AX7s marked for Wurlitzer, for $15 each. Two were full gain, and triode balanced within 0.5V and were nice & quiet. The third was not as nice in one triode, touch of microphonics but still useable, hey they are 51 years old and used, after all.

[Littlewyan]

This valve didn't even have the logo as it was worn off!

I have also bought 4 x Baldwin Green Label Sylvania 12AX7s off ebay for £37.80 + £11.35 (coming from the states) which I think was an alright deal.

I've never had to send anything back on ebay before so thought it would be hard work, however according to the guy on the phone I just print off a postage label provided by the seller. Nice and easy.

Hope I can get my customs fee back, was £12.10! I doubt I will get it though as its my responsibility as it was my choice to order the valve from the guy. Then again the other part of the argument is I've had to pay customs fee for a faulty item that didn't match the description anyway.

[67plexi]

My last build used 3 telefunken Ecc83 love them all matched
I scored 40 each JAN 6189 for the PI Sylvania all NOS tested great
I asked the seller if she had any good 12AX7
She sold me a sealed box of 50 JAN Raytheon 12AX7 black plate $22.00 each what a score. I had one mismatched Raytheon she refunded my $22.00 I have used all of them now. It all was a crap shoot her husband
had thousands of tubes and she had no idea what they were.

https://www.tubedepot.com/products/jan-raytheon-12ax7

[Littlewyan]

Alright enough bragging

When speaking to my grandad he says about how many valves he threw away years ago. His face cringes when I tell him how much he could have made if he kept them!

[Phil_S]

You didn't get what the seller advertised. Maybe he got mixed up and sent yours to the other guy, but maybe he's just blowing smoke. It doesn't matter. You didn't get the item you bought. Send it back. He should pay postage both ways, too.

[Littlewyan]

Didn't have to send it back in the end. The valve rattled, hummed and in the Trainwreck it screamed bloody murder! So the seller just refunded me the full purchase price and postage. Lost the customs fee unfortunately as this was done separate to Ebay. He apologized anyway. Asked if I could leave feedback, I don't think I'll bother as it wasn't really positive in my experience, even if he did refund me I still lost out all because he sent a noisy valve that wasn't what he described.

Anyway I've got the 4 Sylvania 12AX7s coming so hopefully that will be all good. Customs fee was paid through ebay's global shipping program on that transaction so I shouldn't lose out at all on that sale..............he says.

[rp]

When speaking to my grandad he says about how many valves he threw away years ago. His face cringes when I tell him how much he could have made if he kept them!

When I was about 13-14 (1973-74) me and a pal found two large tv/radio repairman tube caddies chock-full of tubes next to the trash of the apt building we lived in. We smashed every single one. I wasn't into tubes then.

[Littlewyan]

Its that old saying 'If only we knew back then what we knew now'. So going by our experience with valves we should keep large stocks of transistors for the future...................................nahhhhh

[TUBEDUDE]

Almost as sad as the repair shop that stoked the furnace all winter with Fender necks that only needed a refret!