Yet another ID this 12AX7 thread

[Swarty]

This tube was almost certainly stock in an early '62 Pro (an untouched museum piece I'm going through for Elderly). These amps typically have a full complement of Bugle Boys, but this one had 2 of these in the 2 12AX7 holes and had 4 Bugle Boys in the 7025 holes (and they were labled 7025). You really can't make it out, but these say "SPAIN". I don't recall seeing anything with plates like these.

 

[slartibartfast]

french mazda

 

[jcs]

dont know what those tubes are but my 62 bandmaster (6g7a) was indeed filled with 7025 bugle boys when i bought it 10 years ago (though 1 was faulty)!

btw,i still have those 7025 bugle boys and to this day the 7025 bugle boy test and sound tremendous!

maybe the finest 12ax7 tube ever for guitar amps imo.

 

[Timbre Wolf]

french mazda

Yep

 

[BigPapiFan]

How can you tell it is a French Mazda? When I looked at the fourth pic, I thought I saw a faint JAPAN.

 

[Swarty]

They actually say "SPAIN".

Mazda was my first thought as I have a pair of NIB EL84s with the same color and similarly very angular plates. I just don't recall coming across these.

 

[Timbre Wolf]

How can you tell it is a French Mazda?

The plates are unique. With plates like that, you can ignore the paint - anything could be added there, and the true identity would still be obvious.

- T

 

[BigPapiFan]

They actually say "SPAIN".

Mazda was my first thought as I have a pair of NIB EL84s with the same color and similarly very angular plates. I just don't recall coming across these.

Ahhh! I can see that now. Thanks.

The plates are unique. With plates like that, you can ignore the paint - anything could be added there, and the true identity would still be obvious.

- T

Is Mazda the only manufacturer that used those shiny "silver" plates?

 

[Timbre Wolf]

Is Mazda the only manufacturer that used those shiny "silver" plates?

They came with all kinds of labeling: Mazda, Belvu, CIFTE, LaRadiotechnique... but they're all French Mazda. That company had connections to British Ediswan, and the British Mazda/Belvu labeling was slightly different. As far as I know, all those shiny silver plate tubes are French (not talking about Ei's silver long smooth-plates, though).

- Thom