Old Vacuum Tubes

[wave]

So my buddy got this box of tubes from a guy on Craigslist. There were all different kinds and evidently they came from a guy that worked at a recording studio. So the first thing I ask my friend is "Hey, any 6386 tubes in that box?".
Well sure enough, there were 4 of them. So I got them.
They are definitely used (according to the tube boxes they were in a Sta-Level)

My question is, is there any way to visually inspect them to see if they're even worth messing with?
There is some flashing on the top of them but no white areas.

I also got some:
5670W
6AL5
6HA5
6XW4

I don't know what these were for, any answers?

The coolest one is a GE made 6AL5 branded with the HP (Hewlett Packard) logo.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dmp]

6AL5 acts like a diode - used in the sidechain of vari-mu compressors. A common tube.
The 6xw4 might be a 6x4?? if so, a common rectifier tube.
I don't know if I've ever noticed anything visually different about good and bad tubes, if there is nothing obvious. Best to try them out!

 

[emrr]

To temper excitement, if the 6386 were in a stalevel, and aren't anymore, they are likely weak, noisy, or out of balance. Radio stations kept everything like that as emergency spares.  Find something to try them in.