Welcome to the Vacuum Tubes, Inc. Hall of Shame. The primary purpose of this page is to educate tube buyers on some deceptive marking and marketing practices that have existed in the tube industry. We also hope to illustrate that we know how to identify such fakes, and we will not sell them to our customers. The tubes shown here fall into three main categories:
Marked or remarked with intent to deceive - These are usually inexpensive, common tubes remarked to make them more valuable. This is usually done by changing the type printed on the tube, but can also be done by changing the country of origin. There were several major perpetrators. Please do not use any of these malicious fakes to get ideas of potential tube substitutes.
Marked or remarked as suitable substitutes - The original type is usually evident, but the tube is somehow remarked as suitable for another type. Again, do not confuse these with legitimate substitutes.
"Friday at the Tube Factory" - These are factory printing errors. These are not malicious, but can be confusing.
Just click on th links below to see pictures and descriptions.....
Marked With Intent To Deceive
Fake Single Plate 6B4G (remarked, rebased VT-25)
6L6GC #1, #2. #3 - False country of origin
Fake 7581A (remarked Russian 6L6GC)
Marked As Suitable Substitutes
Fake 6AJ8/ECH81 (remarked 6JX8/ECH84)
"Friday at the Tube Factory"