Best vendor to buy Mesa tubes from ?

[Jamme1961]

Also if I need a quad - ? Only see duets listed - silly but if I order two duets how do I know all four tubes are matched-

 

[Fiveband]

Buy a MaxiMatcher and match them yourself.

 

[Jamme1961]

Buy a MaxiMatcher and match them yourself.

It’s to late to match them once I buy them

 

[Fiveband]

It’s to late to match them once I buy them

The reality that I have faced is that to get good sets of tubes, I just have to buy large numbers of tubes and do my own matching. When I'm done, I can pair up the extras and sell them off.

Likewise, when I get some spare time, based on MaxiMatcher readings, I can test tubes with certain specs in amps to see where the sweet spot is.

 

[Rick]

If you’re buying Boogie tubes, let the vendor know you need a matched quad. They can make sure you get tubes with the right rating from M/B. I began using Sweetwater when M/B stopped selling them a while back, though I’ve noticed M/B now has some tubes back on the parts page. They obviously know what to send you.

Other tube-specific vendors should be able to assure your tubes are matched and in the range M/B specifies. The Tube Store used to do this for me, and Watford in the UK did as well.

 

[Jamme1961]

Yes I contacted some of the vendors and that’s what they said - just to let them know in the notes - I saved $40 going with a quad of 6l6 red base tubes at antique electronics- non Mesa branded tubes -

 

[Rick]

Yes I contacted some of the vendors and that’s what they said - just to let them know in the notes - I saved $40 going with a quad of 6l6 red base tubes at antique electronics- non Mesa branded tubes -

I’ve had good luck with it, and I think you’ll like the result if they did their part. Looking forward to hearing your opinion!