The antique tube equipment requirement is going to be a tough one. Probably you will want to do EBay, at a great expense of money and time, or just re build your network of people who share a similar interest.
If you want generic parts, however, you really need to consider Aliexpress.
I read a lot of opinions how Chinese sellers did not understand what they w ere selling, how it was of dubious quality, and other failures of their mor al character.
Yet, when I look at the numbers, Aliexpress sellers will send me a pack of
5 CPLDs (or similar) for $14 when Digikey will gladly take my $40 for one, yes you read that correctly, ONE piece of that same silicon.Good customer service? Yes. Shorter shipping times? Yes. English speaaking reps on the phone? Yes, all good things.
But hey, buddy, when someone in Asia is asking for a 30% markup, and someon e at Digikey asks me for a 5000% markup because they have six assistants an d their immediate family as salaried employees... Sorry buddy, I'm going Fa r East.
Just to be clear, I do purchasing for an important electronics custom shop in my area and we do tens of ths of dollars per month on small quantities ( dozens of passives, tens of simple chips,