RFT 12AX7 NOS NIB Good Deal on E-bay!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:29 pm

sub wrote:
killertone wrote:I bought a NIB NOS RFT 12AX7 from another guy on ebay today for $20. Can't wait to hear it. I also got an Amperex 12AX7 (Holland), Mullard 12AX7 (GB), Tung Sol 12AX7 (USA), and a pair of Sylvania 12AX7's (USA)...I am stoked about trying all of them.
very cool! Please post when you tried these stuffs!

I sure will...I got another pair of those RFT's today so now I have three RFT's total...just what I needed for my '77 JMP 2203...I put some NOS JAN Phillips 12AX7WA's in that amp last night and it sounded unreal...I love those old Phillips tubes...

killertone · Post by **killertone** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:32 pm

Oops, that was me...I keep forgetting to sign in...

BrianH · Post by **BrianH** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:25 pm

killertone wrote:I bought a NIB NOS RFT 12AX7 from another guy on ebay today for $20. Can't wait to hear it. I also got an Amperex 12AX7 (Holland), Mullard 12AX7 (GB), Tung Sol 12AX7 (USA), and a pair of Sylvania 12AX7's (USA)...I am stoked about trying all of them.

I just grabbed a pair of the RFTs, too, they're a good deal. I already have one on order from TT plus an Amperex 12AX7.

I'm no tube expert, but what color logo are the Sylvanias? I had a bunch of green and reds, I found them to be too low in gain for my tastes in V1, especially the greens. Might be great in a Fender, though. The Syl's were no where near Mullard territory. I really like TT's '01 EI greyplate Telefunken copies, but they do go micro pretty easily. Huge gain, huge low end... awesome in V2 and V3 cuz of the microphonics. For $11 @, you can't go wrong. If they weren't micro, I'd like 'em better than Mullards.

killertone · Post by **killertone** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:34 pm

My Syls are labeled Baldwin...they are definitely lower gain than other 12AX7's, but they are very musical sounding, balanced, and zero fizz. That is worth a litttle less gain IMO.

Everyone that I have ever talked to that has used the Ei's has the same problem. They are all micro. If you could go through 100 of them you could probably find a couple that are really good. We don't have that luxury...

BrianH · Post by **BrianH** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 12:00 am

I think the Sylvania's are nice and woody-sounding. Zero fizz is right. Not my thing, though, so I wound up selling off most of what I had.

Even tested non-micro EI's can go micro soon after use, which is a big bummer because they sound so good. But again, I think they're GREAT in V2 and V3 where being microphonis typically doesn't rear its head, and cheap at only $11 a pop.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:33 pm

I got the RFTs in today. Ill find time to try em out and compare/contrast tomorrow.

So that gives me
2 RFTs
1 Siemens
1 Mullard (with 6 more on the way

)
2 Heerlen Holand Amperex's

BrianH · Post by **BrianH** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:40 pm

Mine should be sitting on my stoop at home, hopefully not soaked in snow + sleet.

My '56 Junior is in transit back to me from Joe Glaser (refret and Plek'ing), so I can only evaluate tubes with a reissue Fender Mustang, Danelectro, or my wife's pink Daisy Rock guitar. oof.

5150loveeddie · Post by **5150loveeddie** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:43 pm

Billy Batz wrote:I got the RFTs in today. Ill find time to try em out and compare/contrast tomorrow.

So that gives me
2 RFTs
1 Siemens
1 Mullard (with 6 more on the way )
2 Heerlen Holand Amperex's

Where did you get the mules?

Just score on 3 GE 12ax7 (7025)

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:44 pm

Their next on my list

I got em from a source

killertone · Post by **killertone** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:25 pm

12AX7s I now have:

7 RFT's

3 Mullards (2 More coming)

2 Sylvanias

1 Tung Sol

1 Amperex Holland

2 GE 5751s

8 JAN Phillips 12AX7WA

All old glass! I can't wait to try them...I will post my results.

sub · Post by **sub** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:32 pm

Billy Batz wrote:I got the RFTs in today. Ill find time to try em out and compare/contrast tomorrow.

So that gives me
2 RFTs
1 Siemens
1 Mullard (with 6 more on the way )
2 Heerlen Holand Amperex's

can't wait

BrianH · Post by **BrianH** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:31 pm

Got my three RFT's (one from TT, two from ebay) and a Holland Amperex. Been playing with lots of NOS tubes in V1 of my plexi clone. FWIW, here are my opinions:

Mullard Blackburn factory short plate: Have about 10 of these. Great gain, nice low end, they have this unique hollow mid tone to them. I can see why folks go crazy for them but they're not quite my bag.

RFT: About the same gain, but they have less sustain than the Mullards, if that means anything. A bit more grind to the tone, with a bit more low end. Definitely nice. I like them better than Mullards.

Amperex: I only have one. Similar to the RFT's with more sustain. Love them. Tons of gain, grind, and low end. For lack of a less ghey term, they sing. One of my favorites.

Older stock EI grey smooth plate Telefunken copies: I love these tubes. Massive gain and low end. Fuzzier than the others with less detail. They can be kind of mushy. Too bad they go micro so often. Awesome tubes for V2 and V3.

Telefunken smooth plate: I only have one of these, and it's similar to the EI, but less fuzzy with a little less gain.

Sylvania green screening: Tried four and I don't care for them much, but they're nice toobs. Nice mid bump, but not enough gain for me. The red screened ones have a bit more gain and thump. Clear and woody.

That's all off the top of my head and I have more different tubes. Again, these are just my opinions and what I have. Who knows what variations of each tube I really have. All of these tubes are splitting hairs, they're all nice. I think the Amperex comes out on top.

Three RFT's, one Amperex.

killertone · Post by **killertone** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:41 pm

Cool. I think it's great to get other peoples' take on the sounds of these tubes. I just went nuts and bought a crapload more tubes tonight (Mullards, GE, Amperex, Sylvania) and I am stoked about trying them all.

I am a little bummed because I received my RFT's from the guy on ebay and one of them has an insane rattle in it. He is going to swap it for me but the hassle sucks. Oh well...that's ebay for ya.

BrianH · Post by **BrianH** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:52 pm

That's tubes for ya! You never know if one is going to be CRAZY with microphonics or sound great.

Guitar Adjuster · Post by **Guitar Adjuster** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:19 pm

Has anyone tried NOS RCA 12ax7's?

Allen