Tube Tester

Buy Hickok if you want a really good tester and size is not a big concern.

http://www2.gdi.net/~padgett/hictube.htm#750

I have an extra one I'm not using. It tests 4,5,6,7 pin large, regular and miniature, octal, loctal, 9-pin miniature tubes, nuvistors and pilot lamps. It checks: emission, open or shorted tube elements, Cathode-to-filiment leakage, and a GAS test. It also has a line voltage adj., Illuminated Speed roll chart (Lists over 700 types) also has a supplementary tube chart. $75.

Budget and function are all relative. I like to have basic one and hope below $100 that will work. How would Sencore, Eico, Mercury, or Superior Instruments compare with Hickok? Do I need to get a conductance one?
Darrell, what brand and model number is yours?

you would want a mutual conductance unit. for that price range, look for heath kit, B&K, knight, eico or superior in ebay. The B&K is solid state and do not tube 4 pins like 300B. The hickok 533 is a good unit but u need some luck to find it at $100.

Kara Chaffee sells and services Hickok Tube testers among other things. I can't say enough good things about Kara, one of the really good guys in the business. Check out his webpage at www.tubewizard.com