Are these the "desired" RCA 6V6GTs?

[tedjac]

Just curious... assuming they test well... are these THE RCA greyglass blackplates that everyone says are pretty much the best? Does the 3-43 mean they were made in 1943? Assuming they tested close to new, what would they be worth... approximately?

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f334/tedjac/tubesall01.jpg

Thanks for any info...

Ted

[brad347]

those are the good ones! Not sure about price these days. I just laid in a good stock of ANOS tubes just like this for my own "rainy day." I got a box of about 30 of them mixed with some other 6V6s for $120. :)

I think that's usually about what one NOS pair goes for (if not a little under)

[Swarty]

Your assumption on the date code is correct... however the date on the box is 9/60. Someone is playing a little dirty IMO. The box for a '43 RCA would be blue.

[tedjac]

those are the good ones! Not sure about price these days. I just laid in a good stock of ANOS tubes just like this for my own "rainy day." I got a box of about 30 of them mixed with some other 6V6s for $120. :)

I think that's usually about what one NOS pair goes for (if not a little under)

What about if they aren't NOS but just test used near new? If they really are from 1943... is there a point when tubes are just too old?

[BozoTone]

I don't think tubes go bad with age, only with use. I am sure there are exceptions, like how they were stored. The other thing I can think of relating to value would be how close they are to "matching" each other. A matched quad would be worth more than 2 matching pairs, which would be worth more than four "individual" non-matching tubes.....
BZT

[brad347]

bozo tone is right. Plus, "NOS" will always get much more. It's not always justified with utility... sometimes a good set of "pulls" can be had for cheap and you get just as much use out of them and the sound just as good.

Not sure what a set of used greyglass 6V6s are going for...

[Damon]

43rd week of 1953.

IMO the most desireable RCA 6V6GTs have a totally opaque -not translucent- grey coating inside the glass, were made during the war, and would also be labeled VT-107-A.

However, the ones in the picture would be correct or closer to correct for the fender and Gibson tweeds of the 50's, so the market overall might find them more desirable.

[slider313]

I believe Damon is correct on the date code here as a '40's 6V6,I believe, would be coke bottle shaped.

[tedjac]

I believe Damon is correct on the date code here as a '40's 6V6,I believe, would be coke bottle shaped.

That makes sense... but I have a coupe of these and the date code dosen't have a hyphen, just three numbers like... 126. This is sure the 26th week of 1951. The tube in the picture is 3-43... so I wasn't sure how to read that. I do agree that 1943 tubes would almost surely be coke bottle design.

I just wish there was someway to test them. I don't have a tester. Do any of you guys with testers offer cheap testing services? I mean, they LOOK like they're in good shape... but I know that doesn't mean much without test numbers to back it up. I also don't know for sure if they are used or NOS...

[brad347]

i have a bunch of tubes like this and some say things like 3-21 and 4-19

I'm pretty sure they weren't made in 1921 and 1919!

[tedjac]

i have a bunch of tubes like this and some say things like 3-21 and 4-19

I'm pretty sure they weren't made in 1921 and 1919!

Good point... so were virtually certain that the date codes read the same way regardless of the hyphen... good to know.

[brad347]

somewhere someone should create a database of when all of the different design features of the tubes emerged/changed.

But perhaps that's just a bit too dorky even for extreme tube fetishists :D

[tedjac]

somewhere someone should create a database of when all of the different design features of the tubes emerged/changed.

But perhaps that's just a bit too dorky even for extreme tube fetishists :D

Is that what this tube thing is becoming... a FETISH! Who would have ever thought...?:NUTS

[brad347]

just get ready. With prices for a single 12AX7 of certain makes over $100 already and NOS supplies dwindling, more and more people will begin to think of quality tubes as they do expensive wine and western art music!