So what do you do with old tubes?

[Eye_Of_The_Liger]

I blew a power tube in my amp last week, so I swapped them both out with a matched pair and rebiased and now I'm back up an runnin' again. Yay for me.

 

But, I still have one power tube from the old pair which I think still has some life in it. Actually, I have two or three single power tubes, from previous swaps, that I'm sure are still good. So what, do I just throw them away? Is there any way I can re-use them somehow, or is there some way to tell if they're still good without plugging them into my amp? Should I just put them in a box and leave them outside my door with a sign that says "FREE TUBES!!! USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!"?

 

Hmmmmm....

[Kenny Powers]

sell em on ebay?

[bullhead]

i still have most of my old tubes, at least the ones i know work. why? well... because they still do work. if a power tube (or set) dies, or a preamp tube goes microphonic, i'd rather have a less-than-ideal sound than none, (a squealing preamp tube is almost worse than no sound)

[RupertB]

i still have most of my old tubes, at least the ones i know work. why? well... because they still do work. if a power tube (or set) dies, or a preamp tube goes microphonic, i'd rather have a less-than-ideal sound than none, (a squealing preamp tube is almost worse than no sound)

 

 

Bingo!

 

They're my "limp along on an old one until my order comes in" tubes. I keep a backup set of nearly every power tube I use but having an extra "known good" tube is a good idea, even if its old.

[duncan]

i keep them as backups.

[Ron Burgandy]

+1 for backups.

If you're setting up for a gig and one tube doesn't fire up you can at least get through the gig with the backup. Better than having to borrow some other joker's gear that you're not used to.

[thefyn]

Agonize if they are working properly or not. What is the best way to check a tube if you only have an amp? I am scared if one is a dud it will fry something else

[Cougar Hunter]

get a univalve.

 

nothing to match

[-=Pennywise=-]

a peavey is biased so damn cold from the factory that you can throw anything into them

[starsnuffer]

I stick them up my butt. I keep them there for a few days, and then I sell them on ebay.

 

I put an average of 20 12AX7's up my ass every day. That's 7,300 tubes a year, and I've been doing it for 15 years. That's 109,500 tubes that have been up my butt, that other people have bought.

 

Soon, every amp in the world will be using tubes that have been up my butt. I can feel confidant that every CD I buy, and every show I go to is using my ass-tubes. That's brown sound right there, baby.

 

-W

[NixerX]

I stick them up my butt. I keep them there for a few days, and then I sell them on ebay. I put an average of 20 12AX7's up my ass every day. That's 7,300 tubes a year, and I've been doing it for 15 years. That's 109,500 tubes that have been up my butt, that other people have bought. Soon, every amp in the world will be using tubes that have been up my butt. I can feel confidant that every CD I buy, and every show I go to is using my ass-tubes. That's brown sound right there, baby. -W

 

 

You might have some NOS tubes up there by now.

[mseriously30]

I stick them up my butt. I keep them there for a few days, and then I sell them on ebay. I put an average of 20 12AX7's up my ass every day. That's 7,300 tubes a year, and I've been doing it for 15 years. That's 109,500 tubes that have been up my butt, that other people have bought. Soon, every amp in the world will be using tubes that have been up my butt. I can feel confidant that every CD I buy, and every show I go to is using my ass-tubes. That's brown sound right there, baby. -W

 

 

He's stolen my answer, word for word.

 

So, I'll suggest you buy a bunch of 40oz beers, get a baseball bat and hit them whilst gloriously drunk.

 

Only if the original quoted answer won't work, and/or you have anal issues.