[NJARC] One tube

[John Ruccolo]

This past summer at InfoAge, I heard a story from a nice older gentleman who is a ham and an AT+T/WE retiree. I don't recall his name, but he is a member of Quarter Century Wireless Assoc. at InfoAGe.

At one time he had *100* WE-300's. Mostly B's with some A's, mostly NOS, with a few used. He sold the entire lot for $500. He told me that he expected to get a buck a piece for them, so $500 seemed like a generous offer. I wouldn't have believed this if I had not heard it first-hand.

Only later did he find out the *true* value of the tubes. He didn't seem at all bitter about it. I sure as hell would be....but that's just me. I'm still mad at myself for throwing away three 350B's (basically high-class 6L6G's) about 20 years ago. ;-)

Remember, at one time this stuff was obsolete, and AT+T and WE were just throwing it out. That's how he got the tubes.

The Asians are absolutely CRAZY about anything Western Electric.

While I think the prices of these tubes have reached ludicrous levels, does anyone remember hearing a pair of WE-300B amps at Kutztown about 4 or 5 years ago? The sound was absolutely superb.


JR


--- On Mon, 11/10/08, AMCMATADOR at aol.com <AMCMATADOR at aol.com> wrote:

> From: AMCMATADOR at aol.com <AMCMATADOR at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [NJARC] One tube
> To: njarc at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Monday, November 10, 2008, 5:35 PM
> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> _______________________________________________
> Crazy as this many sound, had it been a 300A, it would have
> brought even  
> more. They are a strange lot, who can hear the difference
> between a tube from  
> 1936 and 1951..... I think of it as a funny role reversal.
> Our electronics  
> market is flooded with cheap Asian import goods, and the
> Asians all want to buy  
> our old high quality electronic gear.... Ahhhhh
> Progress!!!! 
> **************AOL Search: Your one stop for directions,
> recipes and all other 
> Holiday needs. Search Now. 
> (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212792382x1200798498/aol?redir=http://searchblog.aol.com/2008/11/04/happy-holidays-from
> -aol-search/?ncid=emlcntussear00000001)
> _______________________________________________
> NJARC mailing list
> NJARC at mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/njarc