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Amperex 5AR4 with no etching - is it really a Mullard?

Posted by LowRedMoon (A) on March 30, 2006 at 07:52:52

Is there a such thing as a "counterfeit" tube?

I just acquired an Amperex Bugle Boy labeled 5AR4. It looks like a Mullard internally, has two small halo getters and the typical hole in the guide pin. The base is black, the bottom mica insulator does not touch the envelope and there is a very clean, even getter flash that goes all the way down to the top mica insulator (which does have contact with the envelope). The short axis on each plate have 4 notches per side. The envelope is just as wide as the base and about 5mm taller than a Sovtek GZ34.

The only number marking that I can distinguish is screened, not etched on the tube. It simply says 341. There appears to be no etching whatsoever on the tube, and no spots where it may have been scraped off.

It's just strange to me because every Mullard EL34 that I have is etched with production code(s).

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Adam

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