Recommendations for a vacum tube tester

In 1950 they were $25

My tester was $159 in 1959….

Cheap ones ('emissions' testers) did but a decent (transconductance) tester could cost about $800 back then. That's about $10K in today's dollars- a significant but essential investment for a TV repair shop.

@ieales Awesome!!

I own 5 or 6 Hickok and a Jackson 648. For my own use. I cannot imagine having tube gear and not having a tube tester. FWIW, my go to testers are my 752 and my 539b. Should probably sell the rest and buy more tubes

@oddiofyl or others …my Hickok 600A arrived and It seems to be working as expected.  Numbers vary compared to other testers but it seems very good at determining if a tube is good or bad, it’s strength and how well balanced the triodes test.
 I have a question on what the Mut. Cond. number means that is listed on the tube list chart.  From what i read it is the average of what a new testing tube should test.  Tubes can go higher or lower but no more than 30% lower than that number to be considered good.  Sound right or not?  Thanks

The 600A is a good unit for home use.    You can order "bogey" tubes from Brent Jessee.   They have preamp bogey tubes and power bogey tubes. 

The word "Bogey" is basically a perfect of a 6l6 .    Likewise with a bogey preamp tube, which is a 12v dual triode , I think a 12ax7.   

By verifying your results of the tester against the known value of the tube you have an idea whether it is accurate or not.   

I just used a 12au7 and 6l6 that were tested with a computerized tester to determine whether my readings were good and they.were tight, within 50 Micromhos.    I think that's  close enough for home use.   

Enjoy !    It's fun testing tubes , you will know who has sold you premium tubes and you'll know who has screwed you 

I just went through a bunch of e180f driver tubes for my amp.  That tester allowed me to sort out the best of the NOS ones I had.   A perfectly matched pair of Mullards.  Amp sounds great.  If you save yourself from putting a shorted tube in like mine did the tester paid for itself

The 600 is like mine, super easy to use .  Just make sure you double check all of your dial settings or you can damage the meter or blow the lamp fuse.  

PM me if you need any tube values that aren't in your documentation,  I have an expanded manual and values for WE and other obsolete tubes if you need them.