# 12AY7 Tubes



## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Is Electro Harmonix the only company that offers a current production 12AY7 tube?


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

vadsy said:


> Is Electro Harmonix the only company that offers a current production 12AY7 tube?


I believe so. I have never seen another modern tube of any other brand.

Wild Bill/Busen Amps


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

http://tubedepot.com/12ay7.html
These guys have a few different ones.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

That's it...EH or NOS.



vadsy said:


> Is Electro Harmonix the only company that offers a current production 12AY7 tube?


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

That's what I thought, EH or NOS. It seems odd that no one else makes this tube anymore. I do shop at TubeDepot and the selection of NOS is far greater than the current production but for this project I'm not looking to spend NOS money.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

I might have a few pulls around...


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

That would be great! I'm hesitant to buy another EH as the new one I put in didn't last long and started to rattle pretty bad.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

The EH isn't a bad tube at all. I have one that I use my my Apex 460 Tube Condenser mic and I'm pretty happy with how it sounds in that application. I'd use it in a guitar amp with no worries.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

So looking at some alternatives to the EH, I noticed some NOS tubes that even though marked 12AY7 have different internal characteristics, some have short and some have longer plates. What's the difference, electrically, tonally?


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

vadsy said:


> So looking at some alternatives to the EH, I noticed some NOS tubes that even though marked 12AY7 have different internal characteristics, some have short and some have longer plates. What's the difference, electrically, tonally?


None! Electrons don't care. There is no sound inside a tube, only electricity.

Differenct manufacturers found it more convenient to use a different size plate. The plate receives electrons. It can only accept as many as are coming from the cathode, after being regulated by the grid. A bigger catchers mitt doesn't make any changes to the size of the baseball.

Usually we see differences with some brands because they would use whatever plate of a certain size was used in the biggest number of all the different tubes they made. They didn't make the plate or all the other bits and pieces themselves. They would outsource that part of the operation. So if they could offer a purchase order for a larger number of long plates they would get a better price. The fact that the plates were a bit long for some tube types didn't matter, as long as it would fit inside a standard size glass envelope.

Again, I worked for the tail end of the Canadian Westinghouse Tube Manufacturing Division. Those old folks who were left taught me priceless information. I never realized at the time that it would be useful much later.

Wild Bill./Busen Amps


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

The NOS GE 6072A's are great-sounding tubes.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I decided to try the EH again and also get a NOS, nothing crazy or fancy. It is a bit more than I initially wanted to spend but I remembered that a few years ago I bought a NOS 12AY7 and its gotten a ton of use in my main amp while the new EH crapped out in a mostly dormant amp. I might have gotten a bad one but now I'll have a chance to compare and a backup.

Thanks


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

I've had pretty good luck with the EH AY's Vadim. I much, much prefer NOS, but the price is crazy. Good thing I laid in some stock a few years ago when Angela still had them for $18.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Angela....?


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Oops, sorry, blast from the past. Steve used to have a great selection of NOS tubes, long gone. 

http://angela.com/


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

I found these. But they ain't cheap! http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/store/products/12at7-tii-pair-or-single/


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

bzrkrage said:


> I found these. But they ain't cheap! http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/store/products/12at7-tii-pair-or-single/


those tubes are a bargain compared to this
http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/purchase/psvane-teflon-capacitors/

This has to be under the *"you've got to be kidding me!!"
*
G.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

> I found these. But they ain't cheap! http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/stor...air-or-single/


I've dealt with these in high end amps and preamps. A lot of tube related issues.


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## lchender (Dec 6, 2011)

Hi Vadsy,

KCA NOS Tubes has a good reputation over at thegearpage.net if you need somewhere to look. His prices on NOS 12AY7 tubes seem reasonable. I've had good luck with his ANOS tubes (he tests them rigorously and they actually test as described) and his NOS tubes are priced reasonably as well.

www.kcanostubes.com


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