Does this metal base GZ34 look bad?

[flood]

Hey there guys,

Need a spot of help - while this tube tests up quite strong on my simple B&K 650, there is some heavy flashing gathering at the bottom. Is this a sign of a dying tube or something?

I'm putting this tube on eBay, was wondering how to describe it correctly. inputs would be greatly appreciated.

here's a link to the photobucket album showing the tube from different sides as well as the test result photos: http://s812.photobucket.com/albums/zz44 ... se%20GZ34/

[Andy Le Blanc]

Sometimes the phenolic base holds carbon trace where it flashed over.
if your lucky it will be on the out side and you get after it with a small wire brush
but otherwise if the devise is misbehaving under normal conditions its no good.
But it should still hold a little value to a collector looking for an example of a specific tube type.

[Phil_S]

How does it perform when you plug it into an amp? If it performs OK, then I'd say you state your observations in the eBay ad copy and let them decide if they want to bid. Just tell the plain truth. I find that is what gets the most bids. People don't like it when the seller appears shifty.

[flood]

How does it perform when you plug it into an amp? If it performs OK, then I'd say you state your observations in the eBay ad copy and let them decide if they want to bid. Just tell the plain truth. I find that is what gets the most bids. People don't like it when the seller appears shifty.

hi phil,

i really don't know - i don't have an amp (or access to one, for that matter) that takes GZ34s (there's a general lack of tube amps in india on the whole, so all my amps are self-made). i'm pretty open and direct about the stuff i'm selling, so i guess i'm going to have to go with "not tested, no reserve, as-is, no returns".

to make things worse, i have a new ebay account since ebay germany (where i lived as a student) won't let me "migrate" my 100% positive ebay account internationally for whatever reasons, so i have to start from 0 ratings.

i've stated this elsewhere on this forum - i just have a lot of tubes that i bought over the years and sorted out recently, and would like to sell a large number of them to a. repay a gloomy student loan and b. finance my stompbox/amp startup.

thanks for the assistance.

[David Root]

It's obviously seen some serious use but those old metal base GZ34s have a reputation for being tuff-tuff-tuff!

Since it measures OK it should be fine. Still, you haven't amp-tested it, so the suggested disclaimers would be the way to go.

[Alexo]

I've heard that some old Mullard tubes can have that smokey/oily look and still be fine. I've got an EL84 that looks that way and tests better than any of my other '84's. ...just wish I had another!

[flood]

Sometimes the phenolic base holds carbon trace where it flashed over.
if your lucky it will be on the out side and you get after it with a small wire brush
but otherwise if the devise is misbehaving under normal conditions its no good.
But it should still hold a little value to a collector looking for an example of a specific tube type.

hi andy, perhaps my choice of words was a bit confusing... by the flashing, i meant the getter flashing; i.e. the silver reflective (barium compound?) surface that absorbs gases inside the tube.

i haven't observed a second flashing near the base of the GZ34s i'Ve seen on the internet. all the flashings i have seen are at the top... not both at the top and the bottom, so i was wondering if flashings can "deposit" themselves elsewhere in a tube.

here's a picture:

[IMG1200]http://i36.tinypic.com/b3pgt1.jpg[/img]