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Can you touch the tubes?

I was talking to someone at the tube store about replacing some KT 150 tubes and he said it was perfectly fine to touch the tubes.

I've always thought you're supposed to handle these things very carefully with white gloves or a microfiber cloth.

Handling them with my fingers makes it easier to pull them out , insert them more securely.

Does it really matter if my fingerprints get on the glass or should I clean them off with a microfiber cloth after I touch them?

emergingsoul
chayro
2,987 posts
 

It’s funny how all us audiophiles are so skittish about tubes. Any of you older guitarists or bass players remember the abuse everyone gave to those Ampeg, Sunn, Marshalls. Throwing them down in the back of trucks and car trunks. I don’t remember anyone ever even think about the tubes. I don’t remember one tube ever breaking. Then again, memory of those days are a bit foggy for some reason.

theflattire
182 posts
 

I have a rubber suction type tube puller around here somewhere but I never use it.

If the tubes are hot I just use a sock.

pehare's avatar
pehare
835 posts
 

Roger Modjeski (RIP) aka Music Reference, The Authority on tubes said '"yes, it's fine to touch tubes just get the peanut butter off your fingers"

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,898 posts
 

You’re thinking of those awful halogen lamp bulbs popular in the 80s. Tubes are perfectly fine with skin oils on them. They really don’t care. You’re actually far more likely to damage tubes from them slipping through some silly cotton gloves.

tablejockey
3,903 posts
 

You’re pushing/pulling those tubes in/out of their socket-that’s done by the base of the tube.

Vacuum tubes powered WWI/WWII. There wasn’t concern for MIC white gloves and heeding goofy audiophool "rules".

Touch the glass if you must- no one is looking.

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