Buy a used Mullard that test as new, you can pick up one for under $100. RCA’s are fun and sound good, kind of in the middle between Mullard and Telefunkens. RCA’s are more of a guitar tube and sounds like it but still a nice tube. Telefunkens are very detailed, refined, either you like them or you don’t. The Gold Lion gold pin sound like they tried to copy the Telefunkens character. If you need a place to buy a used Tele pm me,
I agree with all this, pretty much :)
Used-tests-strong tubes, from smaller tube sellers with good feedback, is THE way to get good value for your money. If you go to big tube dealers, they’ll charge a huge premium, and their tubes aren’t always better. Some of these 12AX7's still have such large populations (most Teles, RCAs, Mullards), it’s crazy to pay big for ’em. A dud happens here and there, but a small tube like this won’t blow up your amp and speakers without LOTS of help from bad engineering elsewhere.
I’d say that reissue Gold Lions remind me more of Amperex (Holland) than Teles, but not far off either way (especially if you mean smooth plates).