[avocollector]

I always love the glorious advertising stories about the long plate vintage 1960's Rareashensteeth brand 12AX7's tested in the Avo mk V valve tester and how this will give you 'tone beyond belief' - for a modest $350 per unit. I plonk such things in with the 'tone sucking capacitors' in les Paul guitars, the gold plated connectors on guitar cords to 'noticibly reduce loss of highs' and last, but not least, the magic liquid you painted on the IC's in your solid state guitar amplifier to make it sound like a valve one nonsense. My amp gets whatever make I can find of the correct valve shoved in as a replacement and I've even left the 'tone sucking' capacitors in my Les Paul guitar. Perhaps the audio/guitar people will come to their senses or find some other quest to throw money at.

The sad thing is for those like myself who started to collect tube testers just for fun when prices were low but had to suspend it due to these activities - recall one of my early ones cost $25 - bog simple US type and still going today! I also have a non working one (forget the brand but definitely NOT an Avo) whose mains transformer and internals were so complex I hastily put it back together again for the wonderful day I get a round tuit. Have an old Palec one that uses an 01A valve, Taylor 45C and so on - was great fun until the audio/guitar valve people got in on the act. Now with the testers going for $125 and up for even a simple one, I've bowed out for now, But one day I WILL return - LOL.