Posting on behalf of someone who is trying to source some 12AX7 vacuum tubes for a guitar amplifier.
He has a preference for old stock as the recently manufactured valves are apparently noisier or have less pleasant audio response.
Hopefully someone here can help with an Australian source?
Thanks
Tell him(?) to try practically any music store, and stop imagining things.
geoff
"Scromlette"
** Nostalgia is a bitch. ** Try " ECC83 " on Ebay.Someone in Brisbane has a pair of NOS Telefunkens on auction.
BTW:
12AX7 is the US number, ECC83 is the European equivalent.Also look out or 7025, ECC803, E83CC, 5751, 7058, 7729, 6681 and CV4004.
... Phil
Thanks gents, I'll pass the info on.
**I second PA's suggestions. The 7025 (if you can find them) were specifically designed to be quieter than regular 12AX7 valves. Telefunkens will likely cost a small fortune.
"Trevor Wilson"
***Here is the listing:Only $20 and two days to go.
... Phil
**Looks cheap to me. I purchased a couple of Dynaco PAS3 kits back in the 1970s (around $120.00 each). I built one and used it for a few years. The other got packed away. I uncovered it a couple of years back and sold the unassembled kit for $1,200.00. The new owner was thrilled (he was a medical student in the 1970s and could not afford one then), given it used Telefunken 12UA7 valves. He had valued the valves at $400.00 on their own. Dunno about 12AX7s, but I've seen other Telefunkens sell for a large chunk of money. That said, I agree with your original suggestion to use 7025s. I built a preamp in the late 1960s using 12AX7s and then swapped them for 7025s. Far quieter.
Thanks guys.
** We'll see in a couple of days time - backyard dealers are like hungry sharks when NOS tubes are offered cheap.
End users have little chance ......
** IIRC, the 7025 was a " special quality" US type made by RCA based on the 12AX7 - Fender guitar amps used them heavily through the 1970s.In the main, they had reduced microphony and AC heater hum - plus consistently lower noise than run of the mill 12AX7s.
However, new ones offered now come from China and Russia so have no link with original US made examples.
It is interesting that so many recent model guitar amps I see have DC supplies for the preamp valves - which is one sure way to silence that damn hum.
.... Phil
**It's been awhile since I worked on musician amps. I didn't realise that they'd moved to DC filaments. It's been common on hi fi amps for quite some time, as I'm sure you already know, and, of course, my dearly departed 1960s Hitachi clone of a Tektronix 545A (500 Watts power consumption), which used a bunch of 6080 twin triodes for filament regulation. All the vertical valves' filaments were operated in series. Great CRo to use during the Winter. Not so nice during Summer.
"Phil Allison"
** Bidding finished at $157.00 for the pair.Nuts.
I've got a used Siemens ECC82 " silver plate" in good working and appearance condition - wonder what that is worth nowadays ?
.... Phil
**Sounds about right.
**Oh yeah.
**Dunno. I got a bunch of nifty old valves, including some GE MOV KT88s. I'll whack 'em on eBay soon and find out. Back when I used to fix Wasp amps, I used to pay 25 Bucks for a KT88. Wish I'd stacked a bunch away. Geez, I haven't seen Ron Holden for 20 years. Last time I spoke with him, he was an Amway reseller. Shame. Talented guy. I did sell some stuff to Gil McPherson about 6 years ago. Another good designer of musos amps.
I've got some nice black glass NOS OC71 if anybody wants. The Sound Of Germnium. Very exclusive - $200 ?
geoff
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