BTW - Make sure you don't get just a 12AX7.  The "A" at the end designates that the tube is quieter (there's also an industrial number for this type of tube: 7025).  There are some very specific design differences and, unfortunately and obviously, it will cost a bit more!

Don't ask how much I paid for some of the Mullards I have...  *Sigh*

Don't ask how much I paid for some of the Mullards I have... *Sigh*

 
Hey, you know, I bought some Golden Dragons once that sounded great in a guitar amp- tube preamp after a lo0ng drawn out repair sequence. I sent the amp back for repair or replacement at the third juncture and they sent me a different amp with worn out speakers and no Golden Dragons. I couldn't get two more Golden Dragons. LOL. Tube Tech... where has it gone?

Wow - that sucks!  I keep some basic Sovtek's around for whenever I sell one of my pre's with Mullards in it, but I guess I'll swap 'em if I ever need service too!

Note for any who care, you can change preamp tubes willy nilly without needing to rebias, but most amps require a rebias when you change power tubes (shouldn't apply to either Mesa Boogie amps or THD's like Univalves).

Well,... flavor is everything when you're melting a Tootsie Pop. All the flavors are Tootsie Pops but they don't taste the same till ya bite em. It was a rainy day and the room felt like a cloud. We never found that feeling again, I don't know why.

mike_mccue


Notice the word "English"? :-)

The new official Mullards are to the best of my knowledge from the Russian Sovtek factory.

I was asking John if he had any of the Blackburn Mullards, or perhaps some from a plant in Canada using Mullard tooling.


best regards,
mike

I don't consider current production Mullards or Gold Lion tubes to be genuine. The names, logo's and artwork were all purchased several years ago. They're all Russian. The Mullard tubes I have are a mix of tubes made in England and maybe Canada. I really go by the internals and don't pay much attention to the screening unless it's markings that are etched into the glass.


Ruby, Golden Dragon, Valve arts and Groove tubes are all resellers that buy wholesale and put on their screening and sort according to their standards. Ruby seems to have one of the best screening programs, while groove tubes is something different.


Next week I'll be working on some online reviews of different 5751 tubes and the EF86. Since one of my amps is built around these tubes it easy for me to test and review. If you want to read other stuff just Google - John Templeton tubes.

I had an in-law that worked at the RCA manufacturing facility in NJ from the 1950’s through the 1980’s.  A few years ago I had to clean out a storage shed and took home boxes of tubes.  My understanding is that she worked on the line that manufactured tubes and my guess is that she did quality control work.  Many of the tubes appeared new … no boxes, these were off the manufacturing line … with notes written on them with wax pencil.  When I first acquired them, I borrowed a simple tube tester from a guitar player friend of mine and every tube I tested, tested good.

I still have a pretty big box of TV and radio tubes but, I gave most of the guitar pre-amp and amp tubes away to friends.  I still have these two 7025’s.  Age wise they can be anywhere from the 1950’s to the 1980’s.  The hand lettering in red on one of them says 73 18-5 and the hand lettering in green on the other one says 74-E-1.  I suspect they came off the production line, got tested then went home in a lunch box.

They are all yours if you want them; I also have a 12AU7A, a 12AZ7 and a 12AV7.

I'll take the 7025s for sure Dave (unless ampfixer says not to )


Maybe ampfixer wants the others?

quantumeffect


I had an in-law that worked at the RCA manufacturing facility in NJ from the 1950’s through the 1980’s.  A few years ago I had to clean out a storage shed and took home boxes of tubes.  My understanding is that she worked on the line that manufactured tubes and my guess is that she did quality control work.  Many of the tubes appeared new … no boxes, these were off the manufacturing line … with notes written on them with wax pencil.  When I first acquired them, I borrowed a simple tube tester from a guitar player friend of mine and every tube I tested, tested good.

I still have a pretty big box of TV and radio tubes but, I gave most of the guitar pre-amp and amp tubes away to friends.  I still have these two 7025’s.  Age wise they can be anywhere from the 1950’s to the 1980’s.  The hand lettering in red on one of them says 73 18-5 and the hand lettering in green on the other one says 74-E-1.  I suspect they came off the production line, got tested then went home in a lunch box.

They are all yours if you want them; I also have a 12AU7A, a 12AZ7 and a 12AV7.

Wow, now THAT'S a nice gesture!  It's not often someone offers up a couple hundred worth of quality tubes for free.  (I guess those subliminals you've been putting into your songs are paying off now Bapu!)

This is turning into a scene from Pay It Forward. 

ampfixer

mike_mccue


Notice the word "English"? :-)

The new official Mullards are to the best of my knowledge from the Russian Sovtek factory.

I was asking John if he had any of the Blackburn Mullards, or perhaps some from a plant in Canada using Mullard tooling.


best regards,
mike

I don't consider current production Mullards or Gold Lion tubes to be genuine. The names, logo's and artwork were all purchased several years ago. They're all Russian. The Mullard tubes I have are a mix of tubes made in England and maybe Canada. I really go by the internals and don't pay much attention to the screening unless it's markings that are etched into the glass.


Ruby, Golden Dragon, Valve arts and Groove tubes are all resellers that buy wholesale and put on their screening and sort according to their standards. Ruby seems to have one of the best screening programs, while groove tubes is something different.


Next week I'll be working on some online reviews of different 5751 tubes and the EF86. Since one of my amps is built around these tubes it easy for me to test and review. If you want to read other stuff just Google - John Templeton tubes.

:-)
Aw come on, the box says Mullard right on it. ;-) :-)




Here's a part of my personal stash of 12Ax7s:








I was afraid I was gonna run out so I started accumulating them about 30 years ago and I still have the urge to get more. 


When I fix an amp I source other tubes for the player... I need these for myself. :-)


I like the for real English Mullards... they actually seem to offer a stronger low frequency response than many other 12AX7s. But they are sort of expensive to buy now a a days.

John, If you are sitting on a big stash of Mullard 12AX7s... PM me... I'm cheap but I know quality!!! :-)


Here's some spectrum analysis read outs I did a couple years ago using a REAMP to play the same very guitar riff through the very same mic, in the exact same position with the exact same preamp and preamp settings. All I did was swap a tube, let it warm up and run the test.








I was surprised to see that the reputation for the Mullard tone could be somewhat substantiated through experience. 




Tube sound characteristics are heavily dependent on the circuit they are working in... so it's not realistic to speculate how a tube will sound in some other circuit but it's lots of fun!






BTW, John Templeton, I've been reading your reviews since before you were a forum member. ;-) That's why I recognized you when you started posting. They are great reviews. I'm still working on my stash of "NATO" tubes so I haven't needed much info about the SINO or ex-Soviet tubes but I find it to be great reading and it's re assuring to think that people are paying attention to tube production with enthusiasm.



best regards,
mike