NOS Tube Dealers?

[guitardustin]

Are their any internet dealers that I can basically call/email, tell them what amp/style I play and have them recommend a full retube set?

I'm lazy and don't feel like doing the research basically. I know HiTest Guitars has a good reputation but I don't really want to call and sound dumb because I have no idea what I want haha

I know the types of tubes my amp requires, I just have don't have any knowledge of NOS brands and other small details of tubes

Thanks,

Dustin

[big mike]

well the sticky at the top of the forum has a huge list.
But you're going to need to know what you're looking ot acheive in your sound to help them point you in the right direction.

UNless you want to let the forumites help you hear, that's a crap shoot. We all have different ideas. Bwahahahahaha

What amp, What tubes, What are you looking for to improve your tone?

And from my experince

Gregg at Hi Test
Mike at KCA
Doug at DOug's tubes
Terry the Tube tramp

All can do that for you.

[guitardustin]

Ahhh the stickies, often overlooked

I'm playing through a '68 Princeton Reverb and not necessarily needing to improve anything, it's just time for a full retube I think. It's been a little noisy lately with some fun extra humming, hissing and microphonics that I'm not enjoying at all.

It's got all the original tubes from the guy I bought it from and have really no idea how old they are or where they're from so why not

[big mike]

Gotcha. You could email or call any I'm sure and they'll give you some direction.

I'd probably do as much RCA as possible.

[RussB]

Might be time to have that '68 serviced rather than just drop hundreds on tubes hoping to fix what ails it

[smolder]

Originally Posted by guitardustin

Are their any internet dealers that I can basically call/email, tell them what amp/style I play and have them recommend a full retube set?

I'm lazy and don't feel like doing the research basically. I know HiTest Guitars has a good reputation but I don't really want to call and sound dumb because I have no idea what I want haha

I know the types of tubes my amp requires, I just have don't have any knowledge of NOS brands and other small details of tubes

Thanks,

Dustin

We're all stupid until we ask those, you know... Questions. Give 'em a call, they do this all day long.

[zenas]

Originally Posted by RussB

Might be time to have that '68 serviced rather than just drop hundreds on tubes hoping to fix what ails it

THAT !!!
Besides that you my not need a full retube thay don't all go to hell at the same time. Drives me nuts when some one retubes an amp and tosses good tubes in the trash.

[guitardustin]

Originally Posted by RussB

Might be time to have that '68 serviced rather than just drop hundreds on tubes hoping to fix what ails it

Originally Posted by zenas

THAT !!!
Besides that you my not need a full retube thay don't all go to hell at the same time. Drives me nuts when some one retubes an amp and tosses good tubes in the trash.

Yeah, I realize this is typically the case but I had my tech to a once over on the whole chassis pretty recently. The sounds it's making are fairly typical old tube sounds

[Jon C]

I've had great experience with KCA, Lord Valve & Triode ... second the idea of RCA 6V6s (esp. GTAs, though they were a fraction of current price when I got them) and a good tune up before you go buy anything....

[StratStringSlinger]

Greg at Hi Test was very good at spending the time to answer questions and make suggestions.

[modernp]

Doug has always steered me right.

[dbeeman]

Originally Posted by StratStringSlinger

Greg at Hi Test was very good at spending the time to answer questions and make suggestions.

He is one of the few that will match you up with tubes based on what you want to hear

[VaughnC]

Originally Posted by guitardustin

Ahhh the stickies, often overlooked

I'm playing through a '68 Princeton Reverb and not necessarily needing to improve anything, it's just time for a full retube I think. It's been a little noisy lately with some fun extra humming, hissing and microphonics that I'm not enjoying at all.

It's got all the original tubes from the guy I bought it from and have really no idea how old they are or where they're from so why not

Beyond the tubes...if the amp hasn't had the filter caps replaced, its way overdue. Would be sad to see an old amp like that go up in smoke due to old filter caps .

[alguit]

I buy quite a few tubes from KCA-one always know what one is getting, and Mike gets good-quality tubes.

Gregg of Hi-Test lives in my state, NJ, and I can just drive there and get tubes-talking with him is like talking with a top-flight chef-he always has a great 'recipe' for whatever amp one is retubing, and his recommendations always seem to work very well. Also, one gets NOS in the original boxes, no white boxes and worn lettering and other potential worries.


-Alan

[guitardustin]

Awesome thanks for the recommendations guys