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Read this Ebay bullsh*t - how to spot an potential Amperex problem




I saw this auction and knew in ten seconds it was BS. So I sent an e-mail to the seller telling him his tubes were not Amperex made, not were they made in Germany, and how to tell what he had. He responded "cool". I figured he would be honest. But let the auction run and someone got screwed.

Amperex never made a 6L6GC. 6L6GC were an American made tube, never made in Germany. What he had were either Chinese or Russian (I couldn't tell from the pictures).

Here is a nugget for you guys. Richardson Electronics bought the Amperex name back around 1980. When that happened, Japanese 12AX7, 5AR4, and EL34 were labeled "Made in Holland" or "Made in England" and put in Amperex boxes. Japanese tubes are great tubes, but still you should know this.

The thing you want to look for in a bad Amperex tube is the printing on the box. On a "Amperex Amperex" there is a "R" for registered trademark that will either be at the top or below the X in Amperex. It could also be absent.

On a "Richardson Amperex" box, the "R" will be to the right of the X in Amperex, but centered. I have attached a picture showing two original Amperex boxes on the left, and one "Richardson Amperex" EL34 (Japan, labeled made in Holland).

The other thing to note is the printing for the tube type. Look at the Richardson Amperex EL34 box, and the heavy black type used. Compare the EL34 to the National 5AR4 to it's right. (National was Richardson)

I'm going to write a paper on fakes and put it on our website at some point. I used to get involved with that stuff but then people were calling me and asking if they got screwed or if they should bid on e-bay. There are some fakes, but not as much as you think. There is too much information.

But I would avoid Hong Kong sellers. Tubes are king in Hong Kong. And buyers know there stuff. If a tube is correct and new, it will sell for more there than they could get from selling it on ebay to buyers in the USA, and get cash. Use that logic and you would never buy a tube from Hong Kong.

What I do see is people selling badly used tubes as new. I see that a lot. Or supplying measurements that the average joe doesn't fully understand, looks impressive, but are from well-used tubes that still are good...but not for long.




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  • Read this Ebay bullsh*t - how to spot an potential Amperex problem - Kevin Deal 09:15:32 04/17/14 (0)

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