# Buying Tubes



## jfk911 (May 23, 2008)

So I have always used the tube store when buying tubes for my amps, however since they deal in US dollars and our dollar is going for shit, its getting more expensive.

So my question is where do most of you guys buy your tubes online from, and do you care if the site deals in US dollars?


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

I got news for you. They all deal in US funds. Other than music stores or stereo shops, there are only two tube dealers in Canada. Both price in US funds. The largest wholesaler (New Sensor) is based in the US, so the stores all pay in US funds. Most other online retailers of tubes are also in the US. Your only other option is Ebay and I wouldn't trust anybody there to supply good quality tested tubes.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I'm going to keep using the tube store.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

I buy from The Tube Store 9 times outta 10. I feel your pain about the Canadian dollar crashing. Makes buying any new gear pretty brutal. If a forum member is selling something you like I'd recommend that option too. I bought a big lot of tubes from a member here and saved easily a couple hundred bones. 4 Sovtek KT88's for 100$??? WIN!


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## CAMARO68 (Feb 24, 2006)

Yeah I feel you.....I wanted to try some new pre-amp tubes in my 79 - 2203 as the ones in there were old and wanted a change for the better. Same thing I went to the tube store and the prices in US dollars with shipping on that
is crazy right now. I went to the local Long & Mcquade and although they don't have much normally I bought a groove tube one and a JJ one they had and even though they wanted double the price for the tubes it was still cheaper
then buying from the tube store. I have bought 2 sets of power tubes for 2 100w amps and the service and quickness at the tube store has always been great but both times I received the power tubes and had them put in buy a good tech 
he could not as one from each 4 set I bought was bad so had to be returned back which they replaced it of course but was just a pain in the butt lol. Also ordered a few pre-amp tubes there before some JJ's and a tung sol and the tung was 
bad and rang out like crazy. Never bothered to try and get replacement of that though. Hit or miss I guess.


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## jfk911 (May 23, 2008)

I just checked Steve's music and their CDN prices are almost exactly the same as the tube stores with the conversion. $20 dollars per 12AX7 and $37 for a pair of EL84 both electro-harmonix. So I'm pretty sure ill just suck it up and go to the tube store and get the tung-sol 12AX7 and some JJ El84. This just means I wont buy any extra tubes to experiment


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

If you can source local for the same price, it will save the shipping cost if you have to return a defect.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I check ebay for stuff that is misspelled. sometimes you find really expensive stuff cheap because no one bid on the item due to the spelling mistake. LOL


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

knight_yyz said:


> I check ebay for stuff that is misspelled. sometimes you find really expensive stuff cheap because no one bid on the item due to the spelling mistake. LOL


+1 to this. Just last week I found a Custom Shop "V_o_broVerb" amp on feebay for _cheap _and grabbed it. You just never know...

To the OP, I have no EL84 amps and hence no spare tubes but others here may have some if you put up a WTB. I always keep new 12AX7 spares on hand if you need a couple but I'd start by looking here for someone with all of those tubes (single ship cost). Good luck!


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I do with with all my tools. Starrett look for it with one R or 1 T. Mitutoyo spell tah anyway you want and it will usually yield a hit or two . LOL 

I have spare tubes from my vibroverb. I wont need them, all the tubes are NOS in the amp now and for the amount I play and the volume i use they should last me foever


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

jfk911 said:


> So I have always used the tube store when buying tubes for my amps, however since they deal in US dollars and our dollar is going for shit, its getting more expensive.
> 
> So my question is where do most of you guys buy your tubes online from, and do you care if the site deals in US dollars?


Because tubes are all sourced in the US, the price would be comparable to the USD value, even if a company listed their prices in CAD. As our dollar drops and their ordering gets more expensive, they'd just raise their prices to compensate. Until a Canadian tube supplier comes to town, there are no better options (that I'm aware of) than the tube store.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

I just did a small comparison between the Tubestore, another local tube supplier (who I seldom use) and a US wholesale supplier that I use for misc. parts. Without shipping the US supplier was $17.00 cheaper on a $100.00 (approx) order. However the big difference is the shipping. If I want to wait 3 weeks for the mail the US wholesaler is still cheaper (about $15.00). If I need it faster ie via UPS or US Priority Mail, then the Tubestore becomes cheaper by about $15.00 and I get it next day. Also no brokerage fees.
I could probably save some money on tubes if I bought several hundred dollars worth, but again brokerage or duty might balance things out. It would appear there are no bargains in tubes as long as our dollar is in the tank.

Also or those people that buy mislabelled product, be very careful. A lot of the misprinted stuff is done on purpose and are low grade counterfeits. The misprinted labels are to get passed copyright or for semi-blind people who don't notice. I've had "misprinted" amps on the bench and they were not only not working but potentially dangerous.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

Well, here's the idea then! Canadian made boutique tubes.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

Lord-Humongous said:


> Well, here's the idea then! Canadian made boutique tubes.


A 12AX7 priced about $300.00. However I wonder what happened to all the tube manufacturing equipment from the Hamilton Westinghouse plant (not that you could find anybody to run it).


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