Who let the dogs out?...

Posted by obleo (A) on October 5, 2004 at 08:16:51

In Reply to: $0.50/tube for NOS tubes of any type is a good deal... posted by Steve O on October 5, 2004 at 06:12:23:

Ahhh.. hunting tubes....I live in the middle Atlantic states..between Baltimore and Washington and during the summer months, there are a couple hamfests per month...and I try to not miss a one..Here's what I have learned.. Broad Generalizations to follow:...Most of today's hams (I still have my Gen. ticket myself) don't know very much about tubes..not nearly what tubeophiles know about them. I have asked hams who are selling tubes..boxes of tubes everywhere..
"Got any 6SN7's?"
"Oh sure.."
"Any idea which boxes?"
"What do they look like?"...that is an actual conversation last month and this ham was selling a lot of his own gear as well. My experience (for the last 4 years at hamfests) is that the folks buying the tubes, seem to know alot more about what they are buying than the sellers...and most sellers haven't a clue as to what a Sylvania 6SN7W is or what it's worth. I recently paid $10 for a Natl. Union 6SN7GT black glass that I had been hunting all year...so in desperation, I paid the $10 asking price from a guy only selling 6SN7's (odd, but he was a 6SN7 dealer catering to audiophiles)...Later, a tube/old radio dealer friend of mine nearly had a stroke that I paid so much for that tube..having himself sold me pair of Tung-Sol Black glass for $3 each...
Although most of my experiences to tell are antedotal, it is typical in this area to pay $1-$3 for used 6SN7's, sometimes tested, sometimes not. And there are always some very desireable tubes in the mix as I dig through boxes of tubes...I never come home empty-handed. It really is a Forest Gump box of choclates out there at ham-fests...

One more revealing experience to tell and I'll shut up...eBay has certainly changed in terms of buying and selling tubes...Last week I posted a little over a dozen tube auctions...several of which were nice, fairly desirable pairs of 6SN7's (good tubes, but not my really really good ones)...and eBay now seems like a desert wasteland...I take good pictures (I'm a wedding photographer, but I take pretty good snaps with a little digital)...Well tested (I have calibrated Hickok TV-10D/U) and nicely described...I sold a pair of Ken-Rad 6SN7GT black glass (very strong, close to NOS) for $16.95...only one bidder. What I didn't sell was even more revealing...a pair of Sylvania 6SN7GTA (early versions) and 4 RCA 6SN7GTA sidegetters...both open at $12.95-(no reserve) went unbid on...All tested very high, were clean and I have 100% Pos feedback...my conclusion is that there are really not many buyers hanging out on eBay and the ones that do are clueless bottom-feeders looking for a miracle. I was amazed...and don't think I'll waste any more time on eBay....I think eBay is "circling the drain" as far as tubes are concerned...Thanks for the rant-time. ...Oh..and I was grinding my teeth while the above thread was going on (the $7 coin-base one).....grrrrr : >)

Skip

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - How about coin based, side gettters, GE 6SN7 GTB tubes? - pastito 15:55:00 10/04/04 (28)

How about RCA 6SN7? and Toshiba? (I'm going hunting today) - pastito 08:01:32 10/05/04 (6)

Get the non-coin based Sylvania.........nt - Jimmy 14:35:42 10/05/04 (0)

Why don't you Listen for yourself? - Jack G 10:03:16 10/05/04 (4)

Because my iron is being wound.... - pastito 12:39:10 10/05/04 (3)

It is being wound forever? - Jack G 13:48:57 10/05/04 (2)

Yeap, old man, takes forever... but he has been winding for the last 30 years! - pastito 14:00:33 10/05/04 (1)

Hopefully not on the same tranny - Jack G 15:07:43 10/05/04 (0)

Too bad, they where only $7 each! - pastito 19:24:22 10/04/04 (9)

Re: Too bad, they where only $7 each! - GrayBeard 20:16:57 10/04/04 (7)

Bob: - Stephæn 08:31:02 10/05/04 (0)

Re: Too bad, they where only $7 each! - Robert H. 21:55:49 10/04/04 (5)

Re: Too bad, they where only $7 each! - GrayBeard 22:59:19 10/04/04 (4)

This attitude is more likely to cost you sales than get you sales - Triodeuser 07:05:19 10/05/04 (1)

Re: This attitude is more likely to cost you sales than get you sales - GrayBeard 07:58:23 10/05/04 (0)

Re: Too bad, they where only $7 each! - GrayBeard 06:56:41 10/05/04 (0)

Oh Please-You should pay Rod a fee for that ad. - Jack G 04:34:12 10/05/04 (0)

Re: Too bad, they where only $7 each! - Len_ 19:46:33 10/04/04 (0)

Re: How about coin based, side gettters, GE 6SN7 GTB tubes? - Jimmy 19:12:43 10/04/04 (0)

Re: How about coin based, side gettters, GE 6SN7 GTB tubes? - peasoup 18:15:14 10/04/04 (0)

Haven't heard them myself, but.... - JimL 17:50:15 10/04/04 (0)

Ugh...I'm sure you can get them cheap..but - obleo 17:29:14 10/04/04 (7)

The 6SN7 cat is out of the bag... - Steve O 20:44:45 10/04/04 (6)

Re: The 6SN7 cat is out of the bag... - Jimmy 05:18:37 10/05/04 (5)

$0.50/tube for NOS tubes of any type is a good deal... - Steve O 06:12:23 10/05/04 (4)

Who let the dogs out?... - obleo 08:16:51 10/05/04 (1)

Re: Boy, its a rare day one of my eBay auctions does not sell....nt - Jimmy 14:40:40 10/05/04 (0)

He didn't say NOS (nt) - Jack G 07:10:44 10/05/04 (1)

Yeah, I know but in the context of the original post, NOS was implied (nt) - Steve O 10:22:08 10/05/04 (0)

Follow Ups

Who let the dogs out?... - obleo 08:16:51 10/05/04 (1)

Re: Boy, its a rare day one of my eBay auctions does not sell....nt - Jimmy 14:40:40 10/05/04 (0)

You can not post to an archived thread.