LonestarBlues Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 This is my second tube purchase from Uncle Ned at Triode Electronics. I was happy with my first purchase. I am not a happy camper with my second purchase. I bought 4 GE NOS 6AV5 tubes for my Dehavilland Aries 845 monoblock amps. I needed some spare backup tubes. The 6AV5 tubes are not expensive-$5.95 a tube. Fedex delivered the tubes. I opened the box and 3 of the tube boxes had mold splotches on one end inside and outside of the tube boxes. Opened up all the boxes & pulled the tubes. Two tubes have mold/dirt on them- on both the plastic base & glass tube. The filthiest tube has some rusted/ corroded tube pins. The third tube is slightly dirty. The fourth tube is clean. I sent a nice email to Ned stating I was not happy with the moldy/ dirty tubes. Asked if the tubes were checked out before they were shipped to me. And if used tubes were possibly sent by mistake. Ned replied that this tube type has not been manufactured in 25 years, there's a limit as how picky we can be be about the cosmetics and still stock them & sell them for $5 a piece. The one's you got are probably 40 years old, so sure, they might look like they've sat in a dusty warehouse for 40 years. And no to sending me used tubes by mistake. I also asked if the tubes were tested prior to shipping. Ned replied Yes, we also guarantee them, if you have any problems with them we have others we can replace them any bad ones with. I sent a reply email to Ned's reply to me. Hello Ned. How much effort would it have been to clean the tubes prior to shipping & replacing moldy tube boxes? Two tubes look like there is mold on the tubes & one has some rusted/ corroded tube pins. Definitely mold inside & outside of the boxes. Selling tubes in this condition & expecting the customer to clean them up is b.s. and bad business practice in my humble opinion. Regards,M.D. I really have to question whether the tubes were actually checked out & tested. I would be ashamed to sell someone tubes in this condition. Waiting for a reply from Uncle Ned. Regards, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I have tubes - 4 pins with no mold. Also have 4 Genalex Royal Monarchs - all boxes pristine, 3 of 4 of the KT-88s in original plastic, one was opened. Have inexpensive radio tubes made in the 1930s, 1940s with no mold. For the tube with rust, the rust covering the pins should have some scrape marks from being inserted and pulled out of a tube tester. Though I would have questions about the readings if the pins are rusting. dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 You didn't clean them, did you? Don't you watch Antiques Roadshow, for gosh sakes?? That's "patina." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D0N Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 You dont really expect them to take every tube out of the box and clean it do you? I bet they don't even test em. If they were $50 tubes instead of $5 ones I'd expect they might be a little more concerned. But come on... $20?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I have gotten some dirty tubes before, I find that cheap, low demand tubes seem to have this problem more than expensive, in demand tubes. I have bought a LOT of stuff from Uncle Ned and never had a bad item sent, try the tubes out and if one does not work I am sure he will replace it. regards, tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 It's not likely that Ned tested them. I know I alway's clean dirty tube pins before I put them into hard to replace tube sockets on my tester. Ned a great guy but I have caught him in little white lies before but pretty harmless for the most part. Clean the tubes up and try them if they give you a problem I'm sure Ned will replace them. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 How do you guys clean tube pins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 But the inside of the glass tube is clean...Wipe the pins with bleetch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 ---------------- On 1/25/2005 10:20:09 AM Maron Horonzak wrote: But the inside of the glass tube is clean...Wipe the pins with bleetch. ---------------- I'd do that, but I hate sticking my finger down my throat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Ned at Triode and Michael Marx at SEND are among the most trusted purveyors of NOS vacuum tubes in the trade. I recently sold a guy a pair of 6AN8's, NOS, original RCA box crumbling with age. I had cleaned the grunge off the pins and wiped the glass with a windex-moistened cloth. He accused me of sending him used tubes. Not only that, but he was suspicious that I had tried to re-label because some of the printing on the glass became faint with the cleaning. So, you see, you can't win when dealing with all sorts and conditions of men. Me? I prefer the yellowed box, dust and corruption. That's something you can't fake! I can make it as clean as I want when it arrives. One of the brothers suggested chlorine bleach on the pins. Maybe there are better things. I use Goddard's (The Queen's Own) metal polish. Scrub the pins with a cotton swab dipped in it. After they dry, buff with a clean swab to remove the fine pumice film. This leaves no reactive coating that is apt to cause trouble later to the tube or the socket. DR BILL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I think that for $5 each for NOS, EXPECT to clean them yourself. What I expect $5 to buy is quite different than what I would expect $50 to buy. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 ---------------- On 1/25/2005 12:35:27 PM D-MAN wrote: I think that for $5 each for NOS, EXPECT to clean them yourself. What I expect $5 to buy is quite different than what I would expect $50 to buy. DM ---------------- I think this is the first D-Man and I have ever disagreed. If you bought those tubes from Antique Eletronics, they may cost more but I'm sure that they would be clean and tested. If you are in business selling a product, the $1.00 item is going to represent your reputation just as much as the $100.00 item. If you state tested for tubes it most likely would be evident through rust scraping that you put into a socket. But as you sell, those $1.00 items will add up faster than the $100.00 items. Richardson Electronics, Antique Electronics, many others would at least re-box the item. Being the age I am (52,) I have experienced "old -time" Customer Service. Also pride in the product you send out. It represents YOUand YOUR BUSINESS. Accepting things as this is part of the reason Customer Service such as provided by Klipsch or other getting fewer, good Companies. We don't hold them to a standard. One can say "it's only a $5.00 tube." Well that 4 examples there. $20.00 plus shipping. dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Two things come to mind from my own experience, one is the tendency to freak out when a purchase arrives and I exaggerate all kinds of apparent disappointments, only to later find that everything is fine. The other thing is to realize people in business are busy and cannot control every thing and every employeee in the stock room etc. so I usually cut them some slack and give them the benefit of the doubt (until they really really prove themselves to be jerks, which is generally unlikely if they have been in business for any length of time and want to stay in business). These comments, of course, do not apply to random eBay sellers, that is another can of worms and risks altogether. It would be a whole other expense for Ned to clean and rebox old NOS tubes, although I agree he may have equated his guarantee with "yes they were tested" which in his mind might be a calculated risk. C&S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I boil it down to a quick wipe with a cloth, white boxes are cheap. That could be done as he was preparing to ship them. His statement of how old they are, how long it's been since they were made. I have Duponts, Motorola tubes, Original Bugle Boy, loads of 35 lf5 or 6, Brimar, tubes in boxes stamped B-52 Project, etc. clean box and tube. Marconi, whatever, between the way I see it - questioning testing, and what how many lurkers are reading, he should make it his business to see what his employees do. Train them that what goes out the door to a customer is our reputation and your job. I Commanded 109. First problem report, re-train in core values, second they sat down with me. Third got a verbal and wriiten complaint, fourth a warning - verbal and written. It's accountability. For most today it's the blame game - I wasn't told, my childhood, it's only a xxx. dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 ---------------- On 1/25/2005 1:06:46 PM dodger wrote: I think this is the first D-Man and I have ever disagreed. dodger ---------------- I have SHAMED myself. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Shall we flogg D-Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallblock 350 Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 You have to look at this more realisticaly. The tube you bought has not been made since the late 1960's, and at one time, tubes were almost totally obsolete. Most were thrown away, and the ones that weren't were thrown in a box and stored in some musty place far out of sight. It is typical to find them in barns, basements, old run down warehouses, etc. The important thing is they are still available to some degree, so you shouldn't complain! Mold, filth, mouse piss, can all be cleaned off of glass. Tube vendors will take any kind of tubes, most types are somewhat scarce, you can't be picky. I'd take them over new production junk anyday. I have bought tubes from Ned in the same condition, then I bought some more. I have no complaints about the condition, I simply clean them off. The tubes I find locally are in the same condition, but usually worse. I can't say the same for the actual equipment they're used in though. Rust can seriously damage the transformers! I saw an Altec theatre amp today that ran (8) 807's per channel for a whopping 200W output. I really wanted the sucker to be nice, but it was stored outside and was too far gone for a restore. The cores of the transformers were completely rotted through, bummer. -RI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonestarBlues Posted January 26, 2005 Author Share Posted January 26, 2005 I am in complete agreement with Dodger as at age 46, I am old school. And believe in receiving competent customer service whether I spend $5.95 a tube or $100 a tube. I disagree with others opinions that it is ok to ship out moldy filthy tubes & then have Ned tell you well what do you expect, you only spent $5.00 a tube. That is a cop out in my opinion. I am aware of Uncle Ned's excellent reputation. I have spoken with him on the phone both times I ordered tubes & b.s.ed with him. I live in Texas & Uncle Ned used to live in El Paso, Texas many years ago. I did not get a response back from Ned to my second email. I am a very laid back easy going Texan. But this is the kind of crap that chaps my butt big time. Regards, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 ---------------- On 1/25/2005 4:40:09 PM D-MAN wrote: ---------------- On 1/25/2005 1:06:46 PM dodger wrote: I think this is the first D-Man and I have ever disagreed. dodger ---------------- I have SHAMED myself. DM ---------------- Nah, I just am less tolerant. You are still D-Man!! dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 ---------------- On 1/25/2005 9:37:40 PM smallblock 350 wrote: You have to look at this more realisticaly. The tube you bought has not been made since the late 1960's, and at one time, tubes were almost totally obsolete. Most were thrown away, and the ones that weren't were thrown in a box and stored in some musty place far out of sight. It is typical to find them in barns, basements, old run down warehouses, etc. The important thing is they are still available to some degree, so you shouldn't complain! Mold, filth, mouse piss, can all be cleaned off of glass. Tube vendors will take any kind of tubes, most types are somewhat scarce, you can't be picky. I'd take them over new production junk anyday. I have bought tubes from Ned in the same condition, then I bought some more. I have no complaints about the condition, I simply clean them off. The tubes I find locally are in the same condition, but usually worse. I can't say the same for the actual equipment they're used in though. Rust can seriously damage the transformers! I saw an Altec theatre amp today that ran (8) 807's per channel for a whopping 200W output. I really wanted the sucker to be nice, but it was stored outside and was too far gone for a restore. The cores of the transformers were completely rotted through, bummer. -RI ---------------- I do look at it realistically. If a Customer has bought before, the proper point in sales is to retain current Customers while gaining new. One of my Degrees is a Minor in Marketing. Each sale while in business is your reputation - what if Mike had bought 100 of those tubes. That's $500.00 plus shipping. If they were all like that - moldy, dirty, rusty pins, they would go back in a heartbeat. I've gone to flea markets and bought tubes in better shape. As I said, that's part of why we get junk and why Customer Service is poor. We accept junk and say well it hasn't been made in years. Well, Tube equipment hasn't been made in years. Mike is not happy, he got a load of crap when he called. Now what if Mike is looking for high priced tubes. What are the chances he will think of Triode. There are a number of tube sellers that take 10 secods or so to wipe a tube off. Rusty pins -if the tube has been sitting. If tested just before sending out there should be scrape marks. So do I believe it was tested if so, hecould wipe it off while waiting for it to warm up. No extra time. New white boxes - bulk, say 10 cents. Mold is not healthy on top of being lousy to have around. We complain about quality, yet we accept poor. Hey beer is only a couple of dollars a bottle. But Mike and I are the exception now. I get tired of arguing. But I get clean tubes in clean boxes even if they are only $2.50 a tube. And some of the tubes i Buy for my radios are even older. It's called pride. dodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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