Help! Where do you buy your tubes?

[tgk03]

A tube on my old Fender amp has broken. it is a 5Y3 GT. I see too many option and I am getting a little confused. Do I buy NOS from an eBay retailer? Russion Sovtek? Sweetwater?

What would you guys do?

 

[telecaster911]

I'd buy NOS for a rectifier tube. You'll never have to buy another one. I might have a JAN Phillips NOS in my tube stash. I'll check and see.

 

[telecaster911]

Oh. And I usually buy from antique electronic supply. Tubesandmore.com is there site.

 

[telecaster911]

Oops. I don't have it anymore, the Phillips.

 

[tgk03]

I'd buy NOS for a rectifier tube. You'll never have to buy another one. I might have a JAN Phillips NOS in my tube stash. I'll check and see.

That'd be cool, Tele. PM me if ya got it. edit. D'oh! Thanks for checkin'

Oh. And I usually buy from antique electronic supply. Tubesandmore.com is there site.

Thanks. I'll look 'em up.

 

[Modern Saint]

I buy from:

The Tube Depot

https://www.tubedepot.com/

and...

The Tube Store

http://www.thetubestore.com/

 

[DFB]

add Dougs tubes to that list

 

[Lerxst]

I've been very satisfied with the Tubestore and Doug.

http://www.thetubestore.com/Tubes/5Y3-Tube-Types

http://www.dougstubes.com/rectifiers/5y3.html



For comparison, my local shop sells JJs and a 6v6 is $27, plus sales tax, which you can get for $16 and $17 @ the tubestore and Doug's, respectively plus shipping.

 

[tgk03]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate it.

 

[Wyatt]

Never a Sovtek 5Y3GT, the voltage drop is all wrong and B+ voltages run higher than spec.

NOS 5Y3GT's are almost as affordable as new production and one usually lasts the average hobbyist players lifetime.

 

[sleewell]

laura aka the valve queen is the best.

 

[GilmourD]

Never a Sovtek 5Y3GT, the voltage drop is all wrong and B+ voltages run higher than spec.

NOS 5Y3GT's are almost as affordable as new production and one usually lasts the average hobbyist players lifetime.

Doesn't JJ make a properly spec'd 5Y3GT? I know somebody does.

 

[Modern Saint]

Never a Sovtek 5Y3GT, the voltage drop is all wrong and B+ voltages run higher than spec.

NOS 5Y3GT's are almost as affordable as new production and one usually lasts the average hobbyist players lifetime.

From what I recall, the Sovtek 5Y3 is not really a 5Y3 but another style rectifier. Can't remember what it was now.

 

[Modern Saint]

Doesn't JJ make a properly spec'd 5Y3GT? I know somebody does.

Yes JJ offers one. If you can get an NOS, I would go that route.

 

[xStonr]

I buy all over the place. It depends what I want, who has it, and pricing.

kcanostubes
dougs
tube store
tube depot
euro tubes
tube monger
ebay

 

[Tig]

https://www.eurotubes.com/

http://www.dougstubes.com/

 

[tgk03]

Wow. I just looked at Euro Tubes. A lot of info for noob like me. Thanks!

BTW, I bought a NOS from eBay. Exact same RCA tube. 12 bucks. I hope going cheap doesn't turn out to be more expensive.

 

[Wyatt]

I believe the JJ operates correctly. But I can still find NOS for only a few dollars more and I would expect the NOS to outlast the JJ by years, if not decades.

I've bought a dozen or so NOS JAN Tung Sol 5Y3GT for $10 a pop....cheaper than Sovtek or JJ.

 

[Cheese Grits]

https://www.eurotubes.com/

http://www.dougstubes.com/

I was looking at Eurotubes yesterday b/c it's time for new el84s for my Vox AC15, and I couldn't get past the hard on that guy seems to have for JJ tubes. Reading his reviews of all the Russian and Chinese tubes makes them sound like interchangeable shitvalves, and then JJ's are made to sound like Rivera personally came to your house in 1968 and purpose-built an amp for your specific room. The contrast is to the point where I have a hard time taking it seriously.

 

[Kerouac]

I went with Doug's for my VHT. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to take it to the tech yet to have him swap and bias. Maybe soon? Either way, buying from Doug was really easy and he was quite helpful.