Where do I Go for Tubes now that Brent Jessee has Closed Shop?

@psbcity 

Thanks for your post.

You are the first person to recommend tube purchase on eBay! How do you avoid being ripped off? Do you have vendors that you've purchased from that are honest about age, usage, abuse, NOS vs ANOS, etc...

If one can trust some vendors on eBay this opens a whole source for NOS tubes.

But I'm still wary. I have had my share of awful eBay transactions. 

The tube buyers I have purchased from on ebay have obviously sold many of them and have pro equipment and 100% feedback. Probably near ten pairs without issue.

Sure is a lot cheaper. 

There is a ton of tubes worldwide, but not real easy or smart to deal with international dealers, right now. Every ebay purchase I have made for 12au7 tubes has been US stateside.

I bought a few sets of Sylvania and RCA 12AU7 vintage from 1950s tubes on ebay. So far, all perform as they should, but they are not new and they were not advertised as NOS, just that they tested NOS. Well, they might test new but they might last half as long or less as true NOS. That’s fine with me, especially considering that I couldn’t find them new anywhere. Prices were fair, sellers’ feedback 100% positive or very close to it. But I probably wouldn’t buy test NOS Mullard long plates for $500 pair, something that I saw on ebay, too much for me for used tubes that might only last for one/two years.

Let’s be real - were most of Brent Jesse’s tubes really NOS? I have serious doubts. The Mazda 12AX7’s I got from him early on measured a LOT stronger than the ones he sold years later. Ebay is a fine source of tubes. I’ve had good results and the prices are better. You DON'T need to buy strictly NOS anyways. Check seller feedback, and look for measurements from a good tester (not emissions). If you do this a lot, you’ll want to have your own tester to re-match and screen the duds. 

Brent advertised his tubes as either NOS or used test NOS. It's a matter of trust when buying vintage tubes, including what tube testers are used.

In some cases, ebay is the only source of tubes.