Greetings,

I'm sure this is a good deal, but I'm trying to determine if it's a good deal for my needs.

Here's the listing:

https://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/clt/d/old-tubes-for-tv-or-radio/6490273363.html

All 200 tubes for $25.

I'm totally new at this. I'm fixing 4 of my own radios and might needs to replace some tubes. I don't think I'll ever fix TVs, but I'm hoping to some day experiment with building guitar amps, for my own use. I would imagine radio and TV tubes would also have some tubes that could be used for guitar amps, correct? I'm sure there must be some rectifier tubes in that pile, too.

I spoke with the seller and she is giving me one day to decide if I want them before she starts taking other calls.

If this was close to me I'd do it without asking, but I have to make arrangements for transport and I just hope I don't end up with a pile of tubes that I'll have very little use for.

I'm sure many of the members here would just grab this lot for $25, but I am looking for a realistic opinion if this is for my needs.

Thank you...

There might not be a single tube useful for restoring common radios in that lot. I sure don't see any. The lot appears to be the culls from a larger lot rather than a virgin lot. Save your time and money for a lot that at least has a few familiar radio tubes visible.

Norman

That lot won't help you restore any radios, but for experimentation or building your own amplifiers and radio circuits, they could come in handy.

I see at least 3 or 4 horizontal output tubes which have been getting increasing demand for power amplifiers, mostly as transmitter final outputs for amateur radio or CB use. You could sell them off and get your money back...... That is if they are still good and have useful life left.

Much if what is there will have limited use, but if you enjoy building and experimenting, they would offer plenty of usefulness.

Get an RCA RC-30 tube manual and have fun!

-Steve

I very much doubt that this is a good deal for anybody.

These are used tubes. In order to evaluate them and use them at all you need a tube tester.

I strongly suggest you buy tubes from reputable vendors such as those listed to the right -->>

Or if you prefer, you can post Want To Buy (WTB) ads in our classifieds.

It's very important that you use new tubes since you won't recognize tube problems that exist.

- Leigh

I agree that you would need a tube tester. They wouldn't be useful for diagnosing problems by substitution unless they were known to be good. Most do look like TV tubes. However, some equipment works OK even if a tube or two isn't 100% perfect. There could be some life left in some of them. I wouldn't use them in something I was going to sell to, or repair for, someone else. If you had a tester and also restored TVs, like myself, it could be an OK (not great) deal.

I'm glad I asked. I was obviously wrong assuming that the lot was a good deal for $25. I also need to spend transportation money, so it's not just $25.

So, as I understand it:

They are mostly TV tubes, which I have no use for.

None seen in the images are useful for radio repair.

But there might be a few tubes useful for building guitar amps.


How many of those would there have to be in that pile to make it worth $25?
Would there be a somewhat easy way to identify those (if I meet the seller before committing)?


Also, I just purchased that Eico 667 tube tester that was listed in the classifieds. It should be arriving in due time.

This is likely to be a worthy lot if shipping is not involved...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LARGE-BOX-224- ... SwhiZafwvf

Norman

My guess would be that lot on Craigslist is nearly all used tubes that were pulled out of sets that were junked by a TV shop years ago, or they are tubes that were replaced for whatever reason as some repairmen didn't throw away anything they thought might be useful to them later on.

I wouldn't take them for free, but if someone wanted to spend time testing them then there might be at least a few good for experimenting or building your own projects. I agree that it doesn't look like there are any radio tubes present in the lot but there's no way of telling what's underneath.

Eh eh, you tell me why these two sentences are at odds with each other. At least however, you had the presence of mind to ask here.


That's a laugh; the listing has already been there for 6 days. I'd give it two more weeks, and then contact the seller and ask if the lot contains some of each of the following (list each tube from each set you're working on). If she's too lazy to look, pass on it.

There's a guy on eBay that I've bought tubes from in the past. His tested used tubes start at a dollar apiece.
http://stores.ebay.com/Daves-Radio-Shop?_rdc=1

Another method, once you determine specifically what tubes you need, is to place a want to buy ad here on the board. Prices are generally very good.

BTW, tubes are pretty tough hombre's. Although the easiest components to replace, they are about the last to fail. It's very likely you won't need any at all, for the 4 sets you're working on.

Alright. I can see there are not differences in opinions, so there's only one logical thing for me to do. To buy them! Just kidding.

I'll pass this opportunity and wish someone else good luck with the lot.

Thank you all.

I would go five bucks on that lot of what looks like pulls, but assuming most of them might be going to the landfill, that would be tops for me in case I was able to get one or three useful tubes out of it, and they were good. TV tubes are only useful to most of us if they are types with 6 or 12 volt filiments, the oddball series string TV tubes are not useful, I mean, you want to build something and your tube needs 17 volts for the filiment or something? Hah. They make dandy pellet rifle targets out in the dump where you don't have to clean up the mess!

used tubes I'll pay $1 per gallon or box, most are worthless and/or no good, that's why they are thrown in a box.

The vast majority are TV tubes, useful for experimental work, if you have a variable supply for the heaters.
I buy lots of loose tubes, and typically 2/3 of them are good.

Bob

Yes the TV tubes are great for experimenting.

Some of the vertical amplifier tubes like the 6DE7, 10DE7 and 13DE7 are power triodes which could be good in push pull for a few watts of audio and often have another triode inside as well usually used as the vertical oscillator.

Well then here's your chance. How far is Syracuse from Long Island?

I consider $1 each (including shipping) for used, untested, tubes a reasonable price PROVIDED I can pick the types I want. I sometimes buy boxes like that at hamfests where I can look through them to get an idea of what might be there. Usually there are some useful types. But if all you have is a picture that shows mostly TV types and you don't do TVs, I would pass. Hamfests are a good place to get used tubes, occasionally free.

If that lady was anywhere on a subway line from my place I would propose to her to give me a call if there are no buyers and I'd tell her I'd pick them up for free just to use them for learning. But I need to pay $9 each way for the commuter train, plus subway rides to and from the train station. So, it is not an option for me.

On a positive note, my Eico 667 should be arriving soon and I'll be learning about tubes through all the tube testing I'll be doing.

You could buy a $25 radio and get maybe 5 good tubes with it.

Freebie tubes, I had a box like that for quite a few years and dug a few good ones out of it. Traded the rest to a tube dealer for the one NOS tube I needed.

Maybe 25 years ago I paid something around $100 for a tube caddy full of tubes.

Over the years I've had some tubes I've needed and have had some tubes that I experimented with plus when I redid my push pull 45 amp I happened to have the right tube to provide enough drive voltage for the driver transformer.

I agree that these look like mostly TV tubes.. a few that are good for amps etc.
On the other hand... it's only $25.
So ... if you sort through them and only find 5% (ten tubes) useful... even that's not terrible.
That would only be $2.50 per usable tube.