Recommend a good cheap Vacuum Tube Tester

[jmilch]

Now that I am accumulating more of these used but functional tubes, I need a good decent tester.

I know next to nothing about older vintage testing equipment, but I would appreciate a link to a ebay auction in the US, for a decent tester going for around $70 USD or less.

I just dont know what to be looking for. I dont know what diagnostics need to be ran for testing these tubes for guitar amp projects, any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Shrapnel]

I wish you luck on that tube tester find... Might have better luck if you can find a TV repair shop than to get one for a real good deal on e-bay... then again... one never knows.

As far as a tube tester goes, it's good to weed out shorted and gassy tubes... even the ones that measure transconductance may not do it completely right, and sometimes good tubes will get labeled bad due to the way they test.

Go ahead and get one at a good price though because they are decent help, just not perfect.

[jmilch]

I wish you luck on that tube tester find... Might have better luck if you can find a TV repair shop than to get one for a real good deal on e-bay... then again... one never knows.

As far as a tube tester goes, it's good to weed out shorted and gassy tubes... even the ones that measure transconductance may not do it completely right, and sometimes good tubes will get labeled bad due to the way they test.

Go ahead and get one at a good price though because they are decent help, just not perfect.

I really just need something to test it for functionality. I dont think I will need to be testing for too much more when it comes to just setting up these amps right?

Some tubes I have look broken, but function. Others look just fine, and are broken. So I really am looking for something to just tell me rather the tube us usable or not, without compormising my safety or my build.

[menger]

just build some circuits ya dont need a tester yet, if you do buy one your looking at 200$ then you'll need to spend alot more to get it working right and tubes that test good on your tester dont always work in a amp that a fact now you could spend some 1000s and get a nice one your moneys better spent now on some parts, i recommend you build the ef86 light you got some of the tubes and the thing screams its not a bad first build, good luck mark

[h2OH]

I can share with you the information that I have found surfing the Internet. For general purpose tube testing either a Hickok 752A or Stark 9-66A (Aversion model only) is recommended. For testing tubes for amplifiers the Stark 9-66 is recommended with the Hickok models 533A, 539A and 600A, Triplett 3423 and Heathkit TT1 close seconds. I haven’t done extensive research on any of these but I know the Hickok brand name is held in high esteem from my years as an electronic technician. A quick scan of ebay yielded the following results: Hickok 533 – buy it now prices of $285 and $350, 539 – $200 and currently bidding and 600 - $299, and Heathkit TT1 – buy it now prices of $225, $300 and $399.

I’m starting to collect quite a few used tubes from recent amplifier re-tube jobs and repairs and I am considering purchasing a tester myself so I obvious support you in your quest.

Do a search of the Internet for tube testers and you will find several links to instructions of what to look for in a tube tester as well as how to use one to test tubes used in guitar amplifiers. Here one interesting link: http://www.tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html

I don't have a link close at hand but I do believe I read about someone that was building a "test bed" amplifier that would be used to test circuit designs that could be used to test tubes as well. Single channel, one pre-amp tube, one PI, and power tubes that could be either an octal or 9 pin.

Good luck and good building my friend.

h2