Anyone remember one of these ?

[Phoenix1]

I was going through some of my old CB radio stuff from way back when and ran across this old tube tester. It has a GE price sheet of all GE tubes dated February 1969, supplement sheets for the original list in the manual. Well i grabbed it up and brought it into the light for the first time since the mid '80s when I used to change and test tubes in the three linear amps I have. Thought it might be useful as it accepts all common tube we use in the amps. I do wish the prices were the same

 

[KraftyBob]

I fix guitar amps as a hobby and bought this from a retired TV repairman a few years ago. I replaced all the carbon comps and a few caps, calibrated it and now it’s like brand new .

Crazy that we’re still using these in 2024 lol.

 

[Phoenix1]

Yes ! Actually i just had been thinking that I needed to find that old tube tester and never though much more about and yesterday I was down in the basement and on a shelf where my old radios are was that grey case ! It worked great 30 years ago. I have not had a chance to mess with it yet ! But worst case some Deoxit will fix it !

 

[KraftyBob]

Yes ! Actually i just had been thinking that I needed to find that old tube tester and never though much more about and yesterday I was down in the basement and on a shelf where my old radios are was that grey case ! It worked great 30 years ago. I have not had a chance to mess with it yet ! But worst case some Deoxit will fix it !

Make sure to check the resistors and caps. Mine was loaded with carbon comp resistors and a majority of them drifted out of spec. That will throw off the accuracy so you want to make sure the tester is up to snuff. Report back when you get it set up. Curious how it's working for you.

 

[shredless]

I remember our small town Revco drug store had one for public use! Right next to the film developing bin

 

[playloud]

They weren't that cheap.

$2.70 in Feb '69 is equivalent to $23.13 today. You can get brand new 12AX7s for less than $20 today.

Likewise, $5.35 is equivalent to $45.84. Amplified Parts has JJ EL34s for almost half that! (And people started panicking when prices briefly headed there in 2022...)

If anything, it's quite remarkable how affordable tubes have remained, given the market has essentially shrunk from a major industrial one (with demand for defense, communications and mainstream consumer electronics) to a niche one for hobbyists. Says a lot about how goods prices have declined in the era of globalization.

 

[myersbw]

This is my lil beast! My brother picked it up for about $50 and restored it. I inherited it when he moved to Florida.

 

[StingRay85]

Would you mind providing some higher resolution pics of the price list? Awesome stuff right there!

 

[Phoenix1]

Would you mind providing some higher resolution pics of the price list? Awesome stuff right there!

This is about all I can do , its somewhat better. It got a little more fuzzy when I addd it here that it was after I enhanced it on my iPad. It was really a lot better.

 

[Phoenix1]

They weren't that cheap.

$2.70 in Feb '69 is equivalent to $23.13 today. You can get brand new 12AX7s for less than $20 today.

Likewise, $5.35 is equivalent to $45.84. Amplified Parts has JJ EL34s for almost half that! (And people started panicking when prices briefly headed there in 2022...)

If anything, it's quite remarkable how affordable tubes have remained, given the market has essentially shrunk from a major industrial one (with demand for defense, communications and mainstream consumer electronics) to a niche one for hobbyists. Says a lot about how goods prices have declined in the era of globalization.

Agreed ! This particular tester in 1968 was $49 today would be close to $500 !

 

[Deftone]

Pretty cool!

 

[anitoli]

By 1969 the industry was already planning on phasing out tubes and replacing with transistors. Maybe these prices were deliberately high to convince consumers to move over to solid state based products.

 

[KraftyBob]

By 1969 the industry was already planning on phasing out tubes and replacing with transistors. Maybe these prices were deliberately high to convince consumers to move over to solid state based products.

That’s never happened before

 

[arthur.lowery]

Here's my AVO Valve Tester - it works nicely as all the voltages are set by ratios of turns on the transformers inside, so it will never go out of calibration (unless the meter does, but I can calibrate that). My father threw out my uncle's valve tester 25 years ago, which worked with punched cards, and looked like a one-armed bandit! It even had a 'scope display to impress customers. However, it also had a little flap under which you could adjust the "reject rate" when customers were not looking!

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Good stuff!

I remember our small town Revco drug store had one for public use! Right next to the film developing bin

I too remember my dad taking tubes to the drugstore for testing. The machine was right next to the scale, which was equipped with a mirror and after depositing your dime for your weight to be measured, a rolled up paper with your “fortune“ was dispensed.

 

[mickeydg5]

Here's my AVO Valve Tester - it works nicely as all the voltages are set by ratios of turns on the transformers inside, so it will never go out of calibration (unless the meter does, but I can calibrate that). My father threw out my uncle's valve tester 25 years ago, which worked with punched cards, and looked like a one-armed bandit! It even had a 'scope display to impress customers. However, it also had a little flap under which you could adjust the "reject rate" when customers were not looking!View attachment 145470View attachment 145471View attachment 145471View attachment 145471View attachment 145472View attachment 145472

I wanted an AVO.
Maybe if I ever get back into it.