Tube tester recommendations?

[Big0range]

I'd like to buy a tube tester so I don't have to drive across town to the only amp tech I'm aware of in the area.

Are there any testers that are either highly recommended or defiately to be avoided? I've seen ebay prices from <$50 to >$1000, and want to get the cheapest one that will reliably test amp tubes.

Thanks for your help!

[Old Tele man]

...whatever you do and whichever model you get, be SURE it's been CALIBRATED already, as very few people: (a) know 'how' to do it; and (b) have the 'procedures' to do so.

[V846]

B&Ks are hard to beat for the price IMO , have a very good shorts & grid emissions test and are really easy to use and calibrate

read this
http://www.tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html (http://www.tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html)
and
http://www.tone-lizard.com/B%26K.html (http://www.tone-lizard.com/B%26K.html)

David

[vibroverbus]

...whatever you do and whichever model you get, be SURE it's been CALIBRATED already, as very few people: (a) know 'how' to do it; and (b) have the 'procedures' to do so.

Yeah... I've got a Weston 981 that is functionality wise a great tester but I'm fairly sure out of calibration - have been able to do some procedures based on the very-similar-but-not-exactly Heath TT-1 manual but not everything is the same.

(by the way if anybody has anything on calibration for this thing it would be fantastic - I have the basic user manual but no service manual)