edgarallanpoe
Well-known member
That tube tester is an awesome piece. Way more than you will ever need to test guitar tubes.
Robotube @ Mesa for tube testing
- Thread starter edgarallanpoe
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fatboy135
Well-known member
sylvania.
please don´t go to mesa boogie and ask if you can get the robotube as a spare :lol:
Why did you really need a tube tester??'
please don´t go to mesa boogie and ask if you can get the robotube as a spare :lol:
Why did you really need a tube tester??'
Yeah,but even the best tube tester wont tell you as much as putting the tube in your amp.Dont get me wrong,I aint saying a tube tester is worthless,but any tube tester you see on ebay wont tell you much more than good or bad.The one Mesa calls Robo-Tube is more complex and expensive than the average tube amp tech needs.If you are going to buy one,make sure it is capable of testing the noval (12AX7) type.Hickock is a good name,but they make several in that line, TV-7,TV-2 etc.,they all look similar but some wont test 9-pin tubes.I would also recommend staying away from the emmission type,go for the GM or mutual conductance tester type.Do your homework,it is easy to get burned with these things,and be prepared to do some refurbishing,these are vintage gear and will most likely need at least a calibration.There is a lot of info on the net,do some research before jumping into a purchase.And be prepared to spend $200 or more for something that might not work right without some TLC.
Try reading this http://www.tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html
edgarallanpoe
Well-known member
Ill take my tester, and a good amp over someone else's suggestion any day...A good tester will let you listen for microphonics and will give you an excellent idea as to how strong/weak a tube is. Despite what people might tell you, it really is not rocket science.
Nice 539,edgar.I had one years ago that was stolen from a studio I was working for.The microphonic test is a nice feature,but even tubes that show acceptable on the tester will sometimes be unacceptable in a high gain circuit like a Mesa.Just like a tube that is fine in a Fender lower gain circuit,can squeal like a pig in a higher gain amp.That is why the best test is "in circuit".I do get a lot of use out of my tester since I buy a lot of NOS tubes from "non-dealer" sources,so it is a big help in culling the bad ones.But for the average amp user,it is probably an unnecessary expense.
edgarallanpoe
Well-known member
Absolutely, nothing replaces an actual test in an amp. A tester will keep you from wasting time on obviously bad tubes though. Fortunately for me, I was able to pick this up years ago when they were cheap. It has been invaluable for me becuase, like you, I don't always buy my tubes from reliable sources.
edgarallanpoe
Well-known member
It did. I am tempted to sell this one and get something simpler because I only need a fraction of what this tester can do.
