I do work for a friend that hunts ebay for tube equipment deals.
He pays me in tubes, an occasional amp, and
he just sent me this tester.
I know zilch about tube testers.
Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, it looks
pretty hip. I'm happy even if I end up
having to restore it.
(I have not plugged it in or opened it up).
Just how cool is it?
What do I need to watch out for?
Can I match tubes with it?
Hickock 6000A Tube Tester-How Cool is That?
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Re: Hickock 6000A Tube Tester-How Cool is That?
OK. This wasn't rocket science after all.
The donor has been using it up until now, so
it's safe to run.
I still would like an education beyond the manual on the ins and outs of it.
The donor has been using it up until now, so
it's safe to run.
I still would like an education beyond the manual on the ins and outs of it.
Re: Hickock 6000A Tube Tester-How Cool is That?
Someone laid one of these cool retro testers on me too.
Guess what though, they're not all that useful for testing your guitar-amp tubes. It's always been better for me to listen to 'em in the amp [higher operating voltages, for one thing] with the speaker hooked up. You can gently tap, etc. and hear rattling and find other problems easily that way.
I guess you could kinda match power tubes. Better though to compare them in your bias-rite, or rig up something w/ some surplus gauges.
Guess what though, they're not all that useful for testing your guitar-amp tubes. It's always been better for me to listen to 'em in the amp [higher operating voltages, for one thing] with the speaker hooked up. You can gently tap, etc. and hear rattling and find other problems easily that way.
I guess you could kinda match power tubes. Better though to compare them in your bias-rite, or rig up something w/ some surplus gauges.
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Guitar Bob
Re: Hickock 6000A Tube Tester-How Cool is That?
OK, I figured it out.
I re-read the manual and it makes more sense now.
I just have to set the shunt to the range and read the
mutual conductance directly from the scale.
Still, is this the number I use to "match" power tubes
and check for matching twin triodes?
I re-read the manual and it makes more sense now.
I just have to set the shunt to the range and read the
mutual conductance directly from the scale.
Still, is this the number I use to "match" power tubes
and check for matching twin triodes?
Re: Hickock 6000A Tube Tester-How Cool is That?
Cygnus,
I almost bid on one on Ebay but decided not to because they are hard to calibrate so I heard and I haven't used once since early 1980 at radio shack.
Baxtercat'
SO do you have multiple tube sockets to test many different type of preamp tubes and octal in that test amp? Red Hot Chile looks good.
Mark
I almost bid on one on Ebay but decided not to because they are hard to calibrate so I heard and I haven't used once since early 1980 at radio shack.
Baxtercat'
SO do you have multiple tube sockets to test many different type of preamp tubes and octal in that test amp? Red Hot Chile looks good.
Mark
Re: Hickock 6000A Tube Tester-How Cool is That?
Thanks. That's fabric BTW. I brushed/laminated it on with Mod-Podge from the craft store. It's almost like vinyl once it's dry.
...No extra sockets in there. Each of the two pwr. tube sockets is hooked up to a gauge. They do make it easy to set bias and check if tubes are matched, etc. Those surplus-store gauges are probably for looks as much as anything [a good conversation opener at clubs].
...No extra sockets in there. Each of the two pwr. tube sockets is hooked up to a gauge. They do make it easy to set bias and check if tubes are matched, etc. Those surplus-store gauges are probably for looks as much as anything [a good conversation opener at clubs].
Guitar Bob
Re: Hickock 6000A Tube Tester-How Cool is That?
That is a very cool, and good looking rig!