Hi
Just a thought - how about things similar to this:
Events Diary - British Vintage Wireless Society
Plenty of vintage radio and other type swapmeets\jumble etc.
Admittedly, a bit of a pain to get to (2nd floor living noted!) but may help to get rid of a lot of stuff.
HTH
Dave
Just a thought - how about things similar to this:
Events Diary - British Vintage Wireless Society
Plenty of vintage radio and other type swapmeets\jumble etc.
Admittedly, a bit of a pain to get to (2nd floor living noted!) but may help to get rid of a lot of stuff.
HTH
Dave
Magz - I think I've reached the end stop with tubes - nothing sounds better than 26, 46, 10Y etc, and all the other DHTs like 30 and 1G4GT are pretty close. So I have a lot of projects to clear out that brought me to that point - they can all be configured for use with the best DHTs, no problem there.
I have bizarre hankering to build a solid state output stage..... I'm sure you'll all groan but I know nothing of solid state and it would be a challenge! I may regret it......
Re Vintage Wireless meets - would people buy DHT tubes in general? Or is it just wirelesses and radio equipment?
Andy
I have bizarre hankering to build a solid state output stage..... I'm sure you'll all groan but I know nothing of solid state and it would be a challenge! I may regret it......
Re Vintage Wireless meets - would people buy DHT tubes in general? Or is it just wirelesses and radio equipment?
Andy
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Hey Andy
If you would like to try Solid State before getting rid of all that great stuff (and maybe regretting it) you're welcome to borrow my F5 for a while. I can easily drop it around to yours.
Having heard your setup i think you'll find it lacking 'life'... But in your system who knows until you try.
Regards
Iestyn
If you would like to try Solid State before getting rid of all that great stuff (and maybe regretting it) you're welcome to borrow my F5 for a while. I can easily drop it around to yours.
Having heard your setup i think you'll find it lacking 'life'... But in your system who knows until you try.
Regards
Iestyn
Hey Man,
I am brand new to this site, in fact this is my first post. I am curious about learning how to build tube amps. You mentioned that you had a bunch of extra kits around. I live in the US and have been searching over here for more infomation.
If you have any good entry level kits, that will give good sound quality, I would love to get a hold of them, and give them a new home.
Do you have any you want to part with? If your just going to toss it I would love to build it instead. With that said though how much would it cost to get you to part with them... I am not looking to cherry pick your stuff, just get enough to have a good basic start.
Cheers.
I am brand new to this site, in fact this is my first post. I am curious about learning how to build tube amps. You mentioned that you had a bunch of extra kits around. I live in the US and have been searching over here for more infomation.
If you have any good entry level kits, that will give good sound quality, I would love to get a hold of them, and give them a new home.
Do you have any you want to part with? If your just going to toss it I would love to build it instead. With that said though how much would it cost to get you to part with them... I am not looking to cherry pick your stuff, just get enough to have a good basic start.
Cheers.
Hi Andy;
Here's my suggestion for you.
Separate out your most valuable tubes, and other high value, lightweight items, i.e. like teflon caps, etc.
These are hard to replace, easy to carry and ship, and can be sold in lots on EBay or elsewhere and shipped around the globe.
Then make a stock of your heavy iron, chassis, etc that you don't want to carry anywhere.
Sell the heavy stuff on Ebay or other Audio forums, perhaps like here, or Audiogon. Specify "local pickup only, no exceptions". Take LOTS of pictures. Perhaps join a free photo site and create albums so you can give people links to see it all. This stuff you may have to give away for less $, but sold in lots, it will disappear. It's quite possible when people come to pickup, they may buy more.
BTW, I have a box of 2C22's and 26 tubes here bought at your recommendation that I have not done a thing with yet! Hope to soon though.
You are likely doing the right thing, though. Last year I helped a woman clear out her fathers inventory of electronics parts, saved over his lifetime, after he passed away. It was an enormous job for her, most of it of it was junk, filling 4 large outdoor sheds. At the end she was selling it for $2 a wheelbarrow. I grabbed what I could, filling the back of my car completely 5 times trying to save the stuff of most value to pass on to others. Huge volumes of things like quality pots, and so on. It did not even make a dent. Most of it ended up in the dumpster.
It really got me thinking about how I didn't want to do that to anyone in my family, and slowly I'm reducing what I have here as well. Like you, I have a lot.
Bob
Here's my suggestion for you.
Separate out your most valuable tubes, and other high value, lightweight items, i.e. like teflon caps, etc.
These are hard to replace, easy to carry and ship, and can be sold in lots on EBay or elsewhere and shipped around the globe.
Then make a stock of your heavy iron, chassis, etc that you don't want to carry anywhere.
Sell the heavy stuff on Ebay or other Audio forums, perhaps like here, or Audiogon. Specify "local pickup only, no exceptions". Take LOTS of pictures. Perhaps join a free photo site and create albums so you can give people links to see it all. This stuff you may have to give away for less $, but sold in lots, it will disappear. It's quite possible when people come to pickup, they may buy more.
BTW, I have a box of 2C22's and 26 tubes here bought at your recommendation that I have not done a thing with yet! Hope to soon though.
You are likely doing the right thing, though. Last year I helped a woman clear out her fathers inventory of electronics parts, saved over his lifetime, after he passed away. It was an enormous job for her, most of it of it was junk, filling 4 large outdoor sheds. At the end she was selling it for $2 a wheelbarrow. I grabbed what I could, filling the back of my car completely 5 times trying to save the stuff of most value to pass on to others. Huge volumes of things like quality pots, and so on. It did not even make a dent. Most of it ended up in the dumpster.
It really got me thinking about how I didn't want to do that to anyone in my family, and slowly I'm reducing what I have here as well. Like you, I have a lot.
Bob
My intuition tells me that mixing the goodies with the less-goodies wouldn't have the desired results. The price you get will probably be the same as for the goodies alone, and since the box is bigger, shipping is higher, and bidders will be fewer. The less-goodies will probably end up in the landfill after that exchange regardless. The winner in that deal would be the postal carrier.
I would probably (if it were my problem) sell the goodies, getting a decent price for them, and sell cheap or donate (or otherwise unload) the box of less goodies, perhaps to one of those ubiquitous surplus junk stores that like to call themselves "antique shops", but really are just old crap stores. (A 1967 GE toaster in harvest gold with both knobs missing is more old crap than antique!) A box of low-demand tubes would fit right in there. I'm glaring deviously at a box full of 1B3 diodes as I say this.
Selling a bulk box of low-demand tubes on eBay might get you some cash, you never know. But listing the lot contents and packing them for shipment such that they don't arrive as a box of broken glass, might not be worth the effort.
I'm pretty sure you would not have much problem selling the iron.
..Todd
I would probably (if it were my problem) sell the goodies, getting a decent price for them, and sell cheap or donate (or otherwise unload) the box of less goodies, perhaps to one of those ubiquitous surplus junk stores that like to call themselves "antique shops", but really are just old crap stores. (A 1967 GE toaster in harvest gold with both knobs missing is more old crap than antique!) A box of low-demand tubes would fit right in there. I'm glaring deviously at a box full of 1B3 diodes as I say this.
Selling a bulk box of low-demand tubes on eBay might get you some cash, you never know. But listing the lot contents and packing them for shipment such that they don't arrive as a box of broken glass, might not be worth the effort.
I'm pretty sure you would not have much problem selling the iron.
..Todd
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Hi BFNY
I hear you! I had to clear out my father's stuff - he was a hoarder - and it's something nobody wants to do. I'm pretty central in London, and even small rooms rent out for money. It's just not a place you want to accumulate stuff in. I grew up in the country - my Dad was a doctor and we had a big house. There were specific rooms like the library, the workshop, the garage, the garden shed and so on. City dwellers can only dream of these things, but habits stay in your head - I find it hard to think of any appartment big or small without a "workshop" of some kind, and a kitchen table is just too kinky.
I'm going to start dividing stuff into free, low price and premium price lots. That's a good idea. When the free stuff goes I'll have more space to move and can start on the low price stuff. The premium stuff can wait - top tubes, teflon caps etc. - since it's light and easily stored. Starting to develop some plans here. And as everyone says, photos, photos, photos. My son uses an online photo site - he's a designer. I'll ask him.
This is all really useful
andy
I hear you! I had to clear out my father's stuff - he was a hoarder - and it's something nobody wants to do. I'm pretty central in London, and even small rooms rent out for money. It's just not a place you want to accumulate stuff in. I grew up in the country - my Dad was a doctor and we had a big house. There were specific rooms like the library, the workshop, the garage, the garden shed and so on. City dwellers can only dream of these things, but habits stay in your head - I find it hard to think of any appartment big or small without a "workshop" of some kind, and a kitchen table is just too kinky.
I'm going to start dividing stuff into free, low price and premium price lots. That's a good idea. When the free stuff goes I'll have more space to move and can start on the low price stuff. The premium stuff can wait - top tubes, teflon caps etc. - since it's light and easily stored. Starting to develop some plans here. And as everyone says, photos, photos, photos. My son uses an online photo site - he's a designer. I'll ask him.
This is all really useful
andy
Another thought.
One way to maximise the re-distribution, possibly, would be to put together 'kits' of parts to build amps, pre-'s etc. That way you could bundle up the more esoteric tubes etc with the more prosaic components without it sounding like a grab bag.
Include a circuit diagram and it goes from a bag of bits to a readymade 'project'.
Dave
One way to maximise the re-distribution, possibly, would be to put together 'kits' of parts to build amps, pre-'s etc. That way you could bundle up the more esoteric tubes etc with the more prosaic components without it sounding like a grab bag.
Include a circuit diagram and it goes from a bag of bits to a readymade 'project'.
Dave
Andy,
I think you should have a long hard look at your inventory list. Take any parts you think will sell readily and sell them.
Many Tubes come to mind (71A, 10Y, 26 all should have markets), branded transformers and the collection of russian surplus cap's. You can post them here and on e-pay etc.
All of these I think you can turn back into cash and within a sensible amount of time. You may even attract some people who will buy pretty the job lot of the "hot picks" if you offer some discount.
For the rest I would make some job lots based around an unfinished project/chassis and offer them here, to the London DIY Circle and via the HiFi World DIY Board, Lenco Haven and so on. You should able to make some money back on those and slowly clear out stuff.
Given than an Audio Jumble in Tonbridge Wells is coming up, maybe take a table there and take a lot of the stuff there and let people drive hard bargains with you if they take a lot?
For myself, do you have any of these nice GEC Pleesy rotary switches left that used to fly around the UK's surplus markets? Also, if you have NIB NOS 10Y and 26, let me have a list, I may be able to get diyhifisupply to make an offer on these to allow a limited run of Tram II DHT Pre's with 26 and 10Y...
Ciao T
I think you should have a long hard look at your inventory list. Take any parts you think will sell readily and sell them.
Many Tubes come to mind (71A, 10Y, 26 all should have markets), branded transformers and the collection of russian surplus cap's. You can post them here and on e-pay etc.
All of these I think you can turn back into cash and within a sensible amount of time. You may even attract some people who will buy pretty the job lot of the "hot picks" if you offer some discount.
For the rest I would make some job lots based around an unfinished project/chassis and offer them here, to the London DIY Circle and via the HiFi World DIY Board, Lenco Haven and so on. You should able to make some money back on those and slowly clear out stuff.
Given than an Audio Jumble in Tonbridge Wells is coming up, maybe take a table there and take a lot of the stuff there and let people drive hard bargains with you if they take a lot?
For myself, do you have any of these nice GEC Pleesy rotary switches left that used to fly around the UK's surplus markets? Also, if you have NIB NOS 10Y and 26, let me have a list, I may be able to get diyhifisupply to make an offer on these to allow a limited run of Tram II DHT Pre's with 26 and 10Y...
Ciao T
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Hi Andy,
Congratulations on your retirement and your pursuit of happiness. Post some of your songs on Youtube for the diyaudio community to hear and see with the caveat of playing a recording through a vacuum tube amp and homemade speakers.
I have to say, you have a tough job ahead of you. I have had to clear out five spaces in the last four years (two of them commercial) and it is not an easy job. My uncle had every hand metal working and plumbing tool known to man from his days of tool and die making, but none that were new (which suits me fine). I had to help my aunt clear what was left before she went to Florida for the better weather. And it was tough. The way cool still modern fifty year old furniture went quickly as did most of the lamps and rugs.
My aunt gave me the tools as she knew it would be in good hands, some of those tools made the furniture, stairway railings, and those lamps. I think that I only threw out an adjustable wrench because the screw adjuster was stripped.
Working for a landlord, the commercials stuff was easier to dispose of (people are looking for office furniture all the time), but a lot more heavy work and more trips to the dump.
At the end of the day you will feel much relieved and better.
Anyway, enough of my stories. I wish you all the best.
Congratulations on your retirement and your pursuit of happiness. Post some of your songs on Youtube for the diyaudio community to hear and see with the caveat of playing a recording through a vacuum tube amp and homemade speakers.
I have to say, you have a tough job ahead of you. I have had to clear out five spaces in the last four years (two of them commercial) and it is not an easy job. My uncle had every hand metal working and plumbing tool known to man from his days of tool and die making, but none that were new (which suits me fine). I had to help my aunt clear what was left before she went to Florida for the better weather. And it was tough. The way cool still modern fifty year old furniture went quickly as did most of the lamps and rugs.
My aunt gave me the tools as she knew it would be in good hands, some of those tools made the furniture, stairway railings, and those lamps. I think that I only threw out an adjustable wrench because the screw adjuster was stripped.
Working for a landlord, the commercials stuff was easier to dispose of (people are looking for office furniture all the time), but a lot more heavy work and more trips to the dump.
At the end of the day you will feel much relieved and better.
Anyway, enough of my stories. I wish you all the best.
Andy
Sounds like you are narrowing down on a plan. Whilst there is arguably a larger market for popular pentodes and IDHTs, those interested in DHTs tend to be pretty fanatical, and many would probably leap at the chance of a bulk lot of a particular type of DHT, especially from a known source.
Best of luck
Simon
Sounds like you are narrowing down on a plan. Whilst there is arguably a larger market for popular pentodes and IDHTs, those interested in DHTs tend to be pretty fanatical, and many would probably leap at the chance of a bulk lot of a particular type of DHT, especially from a known source.
Best of luck
Simon
Post your unfinished projects here and at other DIY sites at about 1/2 the cost of the parts + shipping. I wouldn't for a second try to sell that kind of stuff on eBay, too many idiots who would expect it to plug write in and have it work, even though you have stated clearly in the description with bold caps and huge fonts that the thing is not in working order yet. Ask me how I know.
I would not go that far. eBay will get you a good dollar for anything, nothing comes close to that market. If you have something valuable, people will bid. These are niche hobby items so it pays to put it on a world-wide platform. It's the chance you take dealing with the "Public", sell your items "as is" at state that in the ad and return policy and you will be fine.
I find pretty much all people good when dealing with vintage electronics. I don't even think a dumb person would even be looking for 50 year old parts.
Most problems are caused when sellers exaggerate what they are selling. Take good pictures and expose all the flaws you can, that way the buyers you do get will be happily surprised.
Audiogon does not want boxes of "stuff". You might try the odd item there, but again eBay will likely get you better money every time.
Best thing to do is start a thread in the tube amp section, but make it look like you need advise, rather then advertising, that way you get good exposure instead of having it moved to the proper forum "Swap Meet".
FYI: Everybody is a cherry picker. It's called Capitalism.
Have you ever asked for the worst car and offer to pay extra for it?
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A few years back I sold an automotive 12V amplifier on E-Bay. The buyer plugged it into 240V and wondered why it caught fire.
There are some idiots on there.
That is funny! But yes, I agree with you -- there are more idiots on eBay than ever right now.
These are all good points. when I come round to selling all my projects I'll sell them "nearly finished" so I know that they will go to somebody who understands tubes and can take responsibility for finishing it. So I'll be putting all the photos up on swap meet as soon as I can. You guys are the best!
Andy
Andy
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