If you had the chance to stockpile tubes....what would you grab

Hello all,
so I have met this guy who has rediculous amounts of tubes lying around. I am sure that if I gave him a hundred bucks he would let me choose a box full.

Now I know all the usual suspects, but what would you add to the list if you had the chance to stockpile for future projects.

I am thinking;

12au7
12av7
12ay7
12at7
6au6
6l6
6sl7
6v6
EF86


where should i stop.....I dont think price is an issue.

6SN7, 5687, ECC88/6DJ8

You may as well go for value in my opinion. You can sell and buy what you need later.

I'd look out for KT66/88, EL34, 6L6, 12**7, EF86 and 6V6.

6EU7
8417
6BQ5

Mint NOS VF14? (with Lord Lucan drinking ambrosia from the holy grail!  ;D)

a few 6386 might be ok too

Don't get greedy now! Or at least don't show the dollar signs in your eyes to the old tube guy.

Sometime these old tube guys like to see the torch get passed along to us "future old timers".  Believe it or not, I've had old timers simply give me stuff even after I've told them they could totally cash in on eBay.  Once upon a time, there was a mutual respect for honesty.  This was back in the day before Tom Foolery was replaced by Douche Baggery.

That being said, add these to your list:

12BZ7 (it's an AX7 on steroids)
7025
6267

5U4GB
5Y3GT
GZ34
EZ80 & EZ81

EL34 EL84
6L6 (any family)
6V6

If you think this is going to be a 1 time thang, you may want to avoid the super common tubes like 12AU7, AT7, 6AU6, 6FQ7.  I am a tube hoarder and I literally have gallons of those.  Focus on the 12AX7's, rectifiers, and output tubes.  You might want to search for some "unicorn" types too.  I'd drop some serious cash for a guaranteed working quad of 6DY7's.

AC701K

STC 4212 large triode for those single ended mono blocks that you have been promising yourself !  See pic here http://www.r-type.org/exhib/aaa0287.htm

If you ask me, Stock whatever you can get your hands on. It doesn't hurt to have quality replacement tubes because you will use them or sell them eventually. It's easy to go I don't think I need 12ax7's as they are super common but reality is a good 12ax7 NOS will hands down blow away the modern versions of the same tube.

VF14

Click to expand...

....

I wish....

Yeah, not looking to cash in or anything, (I am sure I will learn heaps from this guy)...just didnt want to come home with a bag of nasty 12ax7's or anything, and trying to look forward to the tube projects of the coming years (hopefully)....

Mac

. . . well since vf-14 was mentioned..

   
    - 348A
    - 347A
    - 1603
    - KT 66
    - 300B  for some nice line amps
    - 86
    - 328A
    - 6CA7

Big ol' triodes ie anything on a candelabra base,
anything by WE ie 101,102,205,211,212,242,252,275,300, etc etc
as above but made by STC (just prefix any of the above numbers with a 4)
RCA triodes ie 203,204,211,800,801,805,806,808,809,810,833,834,838,841,845 etc
British triodes ie PX4,PX25,PP5/400,DA30,DA60,DA100,PA20,PA40,MZ2-200 etc
others can add to the list
M

Hey M,
by candelabra do you mean Octal like these http://www.vacuumtube.com/6C8_6F8fpo_2.jpg

Mac

7119 (E182CC)
7044
E80CC
E180F
E810F
E81L
EF804S
2A3
437A
417A
50
45

Just to name a few. Most of those were used in vintage or modern audio. Some of these are very expensive. Take everything you can, the complete list would be way too long to refer to.

mac said:

Hey M,
by candelabra do you mean Octal like these http://www.vacuumtube.com/6C8_6F8fpo_2.jpg

Mac

Click to expand...

This

was more the kind of thing I was thinking about.
Not particularly useful I admit, but has a certain intrinsic beauty.
M