[[email protected]]

So, I was working this weekend and as a "tip" for my services, I was
allowed to cart off a few large boxes of 1950's and 60's vacuum tubes
that the previous owner had left in the attic. Now, I need a
recommendation on what to do with it...

I've started sorting through them, and it's just a huge random mess of
stuff.

A few questions... how can I test them? Is there any possible way to
sell these without testing them? Almost all of them are still in their
original boxes, from RCA, Tun-Sol, National Union, Sylvania, etc....

Is there a market for every single tube type, or am I going to be stuck
with a lot of unwanted tubes if I try to sell them individually? Is
there a good way to sell these as a lot?

[Peter Wieck]

wrote:
So, I was working this weekend and as a "tip" for my services, I was
allowed to cart off a few large boxes of 1950's and 60's vacuum tubes
that the previous owner had left in the attic. Now, I need a
recommendation on what to do with it...

I've started sorting through them, and it's just a huge random mess of
stuff.

A few questions... how can I test them? Is there any possible way to
sell these without testing them? Almost all of them are still in their
original boxes, from RCA, Tun-Sol, National Union, Sylvania, etc....

Is there a market for every single tube type, or am I going to be stuck
with a lot of unwanted tubes if I try to sell them individually? Is
there a good way to sell these as a lot?

Mpffffff... any given random vacuum tube may be worth from 30 seconds
of target practice to a reasonable fraction of an Ivy League tuition.

Go to www.tubesandmore.com

and you will see "offered" prices for many types of tubes. That should
help you some. NOS (New Old Stock) is always better than pulls or used.


Beware of sharks, they will pick you clean before you feel the first
bite.

Testing is a vast and rapidly moving target. Where are you? That may
help as there are lots of radio clubs around the country that have the
occasional honest soul who will help you rationalize and cull your
collection.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

[Mark Oppat]

Most of all 50's-60's tubes found today are for TV sets of that era and have
very little value. Some are usable in radio, audio or RF applications and
will sell individually or in smaller lots on eBay. Then, you take the rest
of the lot and sell it as one big lot.

The key factor is what types you have and if they are really new in box or
are "pulls".

Also, where are you located? There are more customers in the urban areas
than in the rural areas... so a local sale is less likely in Utah than in
LA, for instance.

Mark Oppat


wrote in message
oups.com...
So, I was working this weekend and as a "tip" for my services, I was
allowed to cart off a few large boxes of 1950's and 60's vacuum tubes
that the previous owner had left in the attic. Now, I need a
recommendation on what to do with it...

I've started sorting through them, and it's just a huge random mess of
stuff.

A few questions... how can I test them? Is there any possible way to
sell these without testing them? Almost all of them are still in their
original boxes, from RCA, Tun-Sol, National Union, Sylvania, etc....

Is there a market for every single tube type, or am I going to be stuck
with a lot of unwanted tubes if I try to sell them individually? Is
there a good way to sell these as a lot?

[Michael A. Terrell]

Peter Wieck wrote:

Testing is a vast and rapidly moving target. Where are you? That may
help as there are lots of radio clubs around the country that have the
occasional honest soul who will help you rationalize and cull your
collection.

IP address: 141.151.21.206
Reverse DNS:
pool-141-151-21-206.phlapa.east.verizon.net.
Reverse DNS authenticity: [Verified]
ASN: 7021
ASN Name: VRIS-7021
IP range connectivity: 1
Registrar (per ASN): ARIN
Country (per IP registrar): US [United States]
Country Currency: USD [United States Dollars]
Country IP Range: 141.150.0.0 to 141.151.255.255
Country fraud profile: Normal
City (per outside source): Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Country (per outside source): US [United States]
Private (internal) IP? No
IP address registrar: whois.arin.net
Known Proxy? No



--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

[Patrick Turner]

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote:

Peter Wieck wrote:

Testing is a vast and rapidly moving target. Where are you? That may
help as there are lots of radio clubs around the country that have the
occasional honest soul who will help you rationalize and cull your
collection.

IP address: 141.151.21.206
Reverse DNS:
pool-141-151-21-206.phlapa.east.verizon.net.
Reverse DNS authenticity: [Verified]
ASN: 7021
ASN Name: VRIS-7021
IP range connectivity: 1
Registrar (per ASN): ARIN
Country (per IP registrar): US [United States]
Country Currency: USD [United States Dollars]
Country IP Range: 141.150.0.0 to 141.151.255.255
Country fraud profile: Normal
City (per outside source): Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Country (per outside source): US [United States]
Private (internal) IP? No
IP address registrar: whois.arin.net
Known Proxy? No

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Every single box of stray tubes I have been offered have turned out to
be mostly
well used pulls, and inside new looking boxes there were old tubes,
placed there
because the new one was used 35 years ago, and the oldun was kept as an
emergency
replacement, perhaps its works a bit, but not 100%.

Most old tubes found in miscellaneous lots were not part of an audio
enthuisast't
pristine collection, but what a typical radio-TV repair person had left
over from
his work before he died; I know tech guys who have huge tube collections
but maybe I die first, so I'd never get to bid for them at a deceased
estate auction.

I have hundreds of tubes and many new-in-boxes old stock, but I've never
paid more than
$1 each for a batch because out of say 100 tubes there would be only 10
that are
usable in something I would be happy to sell to someone else, eg, when i
find
a stray 12AU7 it is often noisy although it works and may test OK, so it
has a negative value.

All the audio tubes found in any cast off batches need careful
noise/gain testing, something a tube tester doesn't do well.

Patrick Turner.

[Peter Wieck]

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

City (per outside source): Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Well, now.

If the OP is actually from this area (Philadelphia region) and not
using a local ISP, I would be glad to help out. Testers I got, various
books and such as well. The Delaware Valley Historic Radio Club would
be glad to help, or if he is from across the river, the New Jersey
Antique Radio Club will step up.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

[Lord Valve]

Post a list.

LV




wrote:

So, I was working this weekend and as a "tip" for my services, I was
allowed to cart off a few large boxes of 1950's and 60's vacuum tubes
that the previous owner had left in the attic. Now, I need a
recommendation on what to do with it...

I've started sorting through them, and it's just a huge random mess of
stuff.

A few questions... how can I test them? Is there any possible way to
sell these without testing them? Almost all of them are still in their
original boxes, from RCA, Tun-Sol, National Union, Sylvania, etc....

Is there a market for every single tube type, or am I going to be stuck
with a lot of unwanted tubes if I try to sell them individually? Is
there a good way to sell these as a lot?

[[email protected]]

wrote:
So, I was working this weekend and as a "tip" for my services, I was
allowed to cart off a few large boxes of 1950's and 60's vacuum tubes
that the previous owner had left in the attic. Now, I need a
recommendation on what to do with it...

I've started sorting through them, and it's just a huge random mess of
stuff.

A few questions... how can I test them? Is there any possible way to
sell these without testing them? Almost all of them are still in their
original boxes, from RCA, Tun-Sol, National Union, Sylvania, etc....

Is there a market for every single tube type, or am I going to be stuck
with a lot of unwanted tubes if I try to sell them individually? Is
there a good way to sell these as a lot?

The vast, vast majority of used tubes will fetch pennies at most. There
are exceptions.

The new boxed tubes will average less than a dollar each if you can
sell them at all.

There will be exceptions of course and you may find a couple desirable
tubes that will be worth real money. Plug the tube numbers into search
engines and see what you find!

Tim.

[[email protected]]

Hi all,

Thanks for the recommendations... I really appreciate it. I'll post
back in a few weeks when I have a full list of what I have... life is
going to be hectic for the next few weeks, then I'm going on vacation
for a week. So sometime in mid february, I'll have a list to show
anyone who's interested. I haven't counted yet, but I think it's
easily 300-600 tubes that I have... maybe more.

Anyway, thanks again for all the help.

Dan

[Carter-k8vt]

wrote:
So, I was working this weekend and as a "tip" for my services, I was
allowed to cart off a few large boxes of 1950's and 60's vacuum tubes
that the previous owner had left in the attic. Now, I need a
recommendation on what to do with it...

I've started sorting through them, and it's just a huge random mess
of stuff.

A few questions... how can I test them?

Not to be flip, but...with a tube tester. Either buy or borrow one from
a friend.

Is there any possible way to sell these without testing them?

Yes, just offer them "as-is"; however, some TV tubes will have no (or
very little) value at all, tested or not. If they are more desirable
tubes, you will get less money "as-is" than tested.

Is there a market for every single tube type,

No

or am I going to be stuck with a lot of unwanted tubes if I try to
sell them individually?

More than likely.

Is there a good way to sell these as a lot?

Sure, offer them on eBay as a lot, either tested or as-is, depending on
what you do about getting a tester.

Good luck!