Tube testing

[omt]

Hi i am going to build a tube pedal (The real mc tube or the hotbox) and i have got a whole bunch of old 12ax7 12at7 and 12au7 and i wondered if there was an easy way to test if they work Before i start soldering there are about half used and half unused so is there a way to test them ?? like teesting the heaters to see if they are busted ?? I do know a decent amount of electronics but i have never worked with tubes before (Just bought some books from amazon to start learning).

[petemoore]

  Here's how I test actives...IC's Q's Tubes...
  Build a circuit with a socket for the active, try different actives and see how they do there.
  Back in the day' Woolworths had a tube tester machine set up...

[Paul Marossy]

Get an EICO 625 or similar tube tester. I got mine for $50 off of ebay. It's an emission tester, it won't measure transconductance and all that, but at least it will give you an idea of the general condition of the tube being tested.