Tubes/Valves for WS52
 

Can anyone explain the rarity of the valve 12 Y4G used in the WS52?

I had one reference that stated it was the same as an ARP 3, is this correct?

Geoff

Geoff
 

There are two commercial valves out there in this series, the 12Y4 and the 12Y4G. Technically, the 12Y4 should be a metal can style tube and the 12Y4G a shouldered glass style, but in the real world, the 'G' suffix was often omitted by manufacturers of glass tubes. The ARP3 was the military ID for either of the commercial items. They are also referenced as a CV 523. They were designed in great Britain around 1943 by Marconi-Osram. Not sure how that fits into the history of the 52-Set, but this value may very well have been a custom design for that particular set. I have an early 1950 Hickock Tube Tester and it does not show up in the tube charts for it at all.

There is currently a company on the web called Vacuum Tubes Inc that sells the 12Y4 for $4.00 USF. They can be found at: www.vacuumtubesinc.com


They also show up from time to time on ebay, usually in multiple lots. Typically being flogged by Tube Collectors who cannot figure out what they are used for, so unload them and they seem to go cheap. Lucky us!!


Hope that helps.


David

Hello David
Thanks for the info, have the Spare Valves and Parts case and the Remote Receiver Operating Cases.
Working on filling them with their stock items.
The 12Y4 was the only mystery tube, it might have been an unique valve used only for the 52 Set. Searched the web and boards, turned up very little reference.

Thanks for the link, lucky day rarest is cheapest, go figure eh?!

Geoff