Valves! Crazy!

[Vinny]

The seller has been selling valves for an age so knows what he is doing.

These test as duds -

LOT OF 3 x RARE MULLARD COPENHAGEN ECC83 LONG PLATE D- GETTER mCA, mCB 1953 | eBay

On the other hand, what will these finish at? 4 figures?

RARE STRONG MATCHED PAIR OF MULLARD ECC83 LONG PLATE SQUARE GETTER mC1 1955 | eBay

 

[chartz]

Pardon my French but this is pure folly.
Not even NOS, probably just pulled from some old radiogram at the local tip.

 

[Vinny]

Pardon my French but this is pure folly.

Not an unreasonable summation. Just watch the prices!

Hence my comments on two valve amp's recently - that they sold for less than the value of the valves in them.

 

[Barrymagrec]

I`m really going to have to sort out the many valves in my loft.....

18042s anyone?

 

[Vinny]

I`m really going to have to sort out the many valves in my loft.....

Take your time. Educated guess - prices are something like doubling every 12-15-18 months on the ECC valves. I've not been keeping any kind of eye on anything else as I don't use anything else.

 

[Tony L]

I’m astonished he is getting good money for obviously worn/dead valves in the first auction, though it is an absolutely honest listing so good luck to him.

The second pair are crazy rare and test as-new so could end up going very high I guess. 50s and early-60s Mullard ECCs seem to be exceptionally long life, so given the high-end hi-fi valve demographic are likely the last pair of valves the buyer will ever need, they’ll almost certainly see him out. I can understand wanting the best, and if those are what floats the person’s boat then why not?

FWIW I’m very well sorted for Mullard ECC83s, I’ve got 10 or so that all test strong including a couple of late-50s versions, though not as early as the second auction (F91s I think). Not something I’m actively hunting for now as I have more than I’ll ever need. I’d love to stumble over a couple of cheap sets of early Mullard EL84s (I have lots of 6P14P-EV), but really I got my valve buying done before the prices went mental and found a fair number for peanuts on local car boots, auctions etc years ago. I have a Verdier valve preamp, a Rift guitar amp and a Leak Stereo 20 & 2x TL12 Plus. The only things I could do with to stocking up on are 6V6s for the guitar amp (its just running on JJs at present). Other than that I have at least a lifetime’s supply stashed.

 

[snowman_al]

B****y hell, those are pricey. Better look after my Mullards.

The only things I could do with to stocking up on are 6V6s for the guitar amp (its just running on JJs at present). Other than that I have at least a lifetime’s supply stashed.

Tony, Better get some Russian 6n6c (6P6S) from the usual Ukrainian sources whilst they are still cheap. They are their 6V6 equivalent, like the 6P-14p is equivalent to the EL84.

 

[Tony L]

Cool, thanks, I’ll look into those!

 

[lawrence001]

Those nackered ones aren't even British they are rebadged Phillips I think. Isn't that doubly crazy? I noticed there are only 2 bidders bidding up the price to crazy levels, I'm not going to make any claims, but who stands to do well with some really silly sold prices on these valves...?

I've got a pair of Mullard ECC83s British made, untested but sounded great in an amp I had. Must dig them out but not sure they're long plates. One white and one yellow shield.

 

[Vinny]

Those nackered ones aren't even British they are rebadged Phillips I think

They are printed "Made in Holland".

Old valves are, obviously, getting scarcer and scarcer, so EXACTLY where any old valve was made is getting less and less of a concern to buyers.
Brands that were shunned previously are now in demand and online pundits laud them, in complete contrast to maybe 5 years ago.
I have quite a few of the once berated RWN/RFT/Erfurt ECC83 and although I find little difference in my Croft, across the brands, I have always liked them since buying them for £7-8 each maybe 4 years ago - they now sell for a few £10's each.

Anyone reading this - just check out current prices LLLLLOL

 

[Tony L]

I've got a pair of Mullard ECC83s British made, untested but sounded great in an amp I had. Must dig them out but not sure they're long plates. One white and one yellow shield.

The yellow shield will almost certainly be an I61 or I63 type, so short ladder plates. Look at the etched codes, there will be two lines; the top being the type, the bottom the factory and date-code.

 

[The Bish]

I can’t understand the logic of anyone buying the ones with low emission unless the bidders don’t understand what those readings mean. What would you use them for?

 

[Tony L]

Agreed. That has me baffled.

 

[Elephantears]

Crikey, I think it might be time to put my Mullard EL34s up for auction.

 

[Vinny]

I can’t understand the logic of anyone buying the ones with low emission unless the bidders don’t understand what those readings mean. What would you use them for?

Valve testers are rubbish, so there is that to contend with.
Based on minimal personal experience, low-testing valves will work, and will work fine, except that gain will be much reduced, which is what most of the dodgey numbers from testers actually refer to.

Personally, again based on minimal first hand experience, I'd believe low test results but ignore high ones beyond them being a reasonable vote of confidence in the valves actually working.

 

[Vinny]

Crikey, I think it might be time to put my Mullard EL34s up for auction.

Let them mature - interest rates are WAY beyond what you'd get from any financial institution.

 

[The Bish]

Let them mature - interest rates are WAY beyond what you'd get from any financial institution.

I’ve got gazillions of ECC83s, maybe I should start thinking about them as a pension pot!

 

[Tony L]

Valve testers are rubbish, so there is that to contend with.
Based on minimal personal experience, low-testing valves will work, and will work fine, except that gain will be much reduced, which is what most of the dodgey numbers from testers actually refer to.

Personally, again based on minimal first hand experience, I'd believe low test results but ignore high ones beyond them being a reasoable vote of confidence in the valves actually working.

The other thing to factor-in is a lot of valve buyers are guitarists not audiophiles, so low gain might not be undesirable in some contexts. They are no concerned about matched pairs of preamp valves etc, just how it sounds, and worn/low-gain, but not microphonic might be exactly what is wanted.

 

[Vinny]

The other thing to factor-in is a lot of valve buyers are guitarists not audiophiles

Good point - very few here think of anything at all but HiFi gear.
Do guitar amp's not slaughter valves compared to most preamp's though?

 

[Tony L]

Do guitar amp's not slaughter valves compared to most preamp's though?

It depends what they are being asked to do I guess, and I’d expect metal/hard rock to go through power valves pretty fast.

I’ve got a Rift PR6, kind of a boutique low-output Princeton Reverb clone suitable for the home. I never crank it up, I run it clean and add my filth with pedals. It seems very kind on valves, I’ve actually got a crazy-rare/valuable box-plate Mullard ECC83 in P1 as it sounds so good there. I don’t see why it would wear any faster on a clean sound there than in the Leak. To be honest I have no idea if distorting preamp valves hastens their demise at all. It doesn’t seem to with transistors, e.g. every fuzz pedal.