International 12AX7?

[Rick1114]

I recently purchased a 1957 GA5! It was all original except for a cap job where only the electrolytes were replaced. Other than that all original! The seller sent me the "old still working tubes" along with the horrilble sounding new tubes (sovteks that came in fender labeled boxes:jo).

Anyway the "old tubes" turned out to be a Raytheon 6V6 which sounds great in the amp (very edgy), and a 12AX7 tube labeled something like this:

International 12AX7/ECC83
Servicemaster
China

Anyone know what this is?

Thanks,

Rick

[rockon1]

International Servicemaster could be anything. Its the guts you need to look at/go by. Chinese 12AX7's are very distinctive looking. Does it look like this?

http://thetubestore.com/chinese12ax7.html


If so then there you go. If not a picture is required for ID.

[Blue Strat]

"China" pretty much says it all. No one misrepresents something of higher quality by printing "China" on it.

Then it comes down to which revision.

[Rick1114]

I guess International Servicemaster was a tube re-brander. Did any decent 12AX7 tubes ever come out of China? It actually sounds decent - very clear, clean & balanced. I put it in my vibrochamp for a while...

Rick

[Blue Strat]

If you like it, it's good. Many people like the various Chinese 12aX7s and other tubes.

Objective quality level is pretty much the same as all new production tubes. Mediocre compared to old US or West European tubes.

[michael30]

Mediocre compared to old US or West European tubes.

And some old East europeans as well (Tesla, RFT, Telam/Polam)

[rockon1]

"China" pretty much says it all. No one misrepresents something of higher quality by printing "China" on it.

Then it comes down to which revision.

Good point. lol! Bob