Equip your electronics bench- Help!!!

[finom1]

Look at this interesting video "restoration video" to understand how important it is to have a capacitor analyser with leakage test.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/1959-gibson-gibsonette-repair/

NB: he is using a capacitor checker Heathkit IT-11
http://tubularelectronics.com/Heath_Manual_Collection/Heath_Manuals_IT-NE/IT-11/IT-11.pdf

Hello,
What is better a,  IT -28 or IT -11?

Thank you.

[finom1]

Please vote for the scope you would buy first for working on tube guitar amps:
1 Hameg HM 605
or
2. HP1740A

Do both scopes have component capability testing built in?

Thank you!

[ez24]

Please vote for the scope you would buy first for working on tube guitar amps:
1 Hameg HM 605
or
2. HP1740A

Both are a gamble - if you have a trace you may have dirty switches.  As a gamble you may or may not get a good scope.  If you get a bad one - consider it as a waste of money.

Both of my used analog scopes had dirty switches PIA

There are a lot of analog pieces of shit out there.  (that is why people sell them as "unable to test")

Buying used scopes is a bad idea in my experience.  Unless  you can test them out before you buy them (maybe on CL)

I suggest you get a cap tester (an old one) as your next piece of equipment

[oldway]

Hello,
What is better a,  IT -28 or IT -11?

Thank you.

http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/capchkr2.htm

Please vote for the scope you would buy first for working on tube guitar amps:
1 Hameg HM 605
or
2. HP1740A

Do both scopes have component capability testing built in?

Thank you!

Only HM605 has component tester built in.
Component tester is useful for diagnosis in semi-conductors circuits, but useless with tubes. (like Huntron 2000 !)

[finom1]

OK, I will buy ether a Heathkit IT-11 or IT-28 in good condition & the right price.

I still need help with an analog meter for guitar amp projects that will be reliable & have features to complete most trouble shooting demands.

What would be a better choice: 
1. Tektronix 465B 100MHz 2-Channel Analog Oscilloscope
2. Tektronix 2215A 60MHz Oscilloscope

Thank you.

[oldway]

Tektronix 2205 (20 Mhz) would be cheaper and is enough to deal with tubes.

NB: regarding to new DSO oscilloscopes, it should be noted that failures caused by user errors (eg, surge on the vertical input) are not covered by warranty.
On the other hand, there are many complaints on this forum over very expensive repairs of recent DSO oscilloscopes.

[tautech]

Tektronix 2205 (20 Mhz) would be cheaper and is enough to deal with tubes.

NB: regarding to new DSO oscilloscopes, it should be noted that failures caused by user errors (eg, surge on the vertical input) are not covered by warranty.
On the other hand, there are many complaints on this forum over very expensive repairs of recent DSO oscilloscopes.

Quite.
All the more reason to ensure any choice of DSO is one with 400V capable channel inputs.

It must also be stated CRO's are not immune to input overvoltage events either that usually result in blown input FETs.

[oldway]

You buy a CRO and you pay US§100.00.

You blow the A channel input, you use then the B channel input (you don't need both channels for working with tube guitar amplifier)

When you blow the second channel, you sell the scope for parts for US§50.00

You loose only US§50.00 

[ez24]

What would be a better choice: 
1. Tektronix 465B 100MHz 2-Channel Analog Oscilloscope
2. Tektronix 2215A 60MHz Oscilloscope

Either if it works.  Watch out for dirty switches (the contacts). 

See if you can find one of these if you are going to work with tubes:

[finom1]

What would be a better choice: 
1. Tektronix 465B 100MHz 2-Channel Analog Oscilloscope
2. Tektronix 2215A 60MHz Oscilloscope

Either if it works.  Watch out for dirty switches (the contacts). 

See if you can find one of these if you are going to work with tubes:

Looks like it will exceed the budget for a family just starting out.

[rstofer]

OK, I will buy ether a Heathkit IT-11 or IT-28 in good condition & the right price.

I still need help with an analog meter for guitar amp projects that will be reliable & have features to complete most trouble shooting demands.

What would be a better choice: 
1. Tektronix 465B 100MHz 2-Channel Analog Oscilloscope
2. Tektronix 2215A 60MHz Oscilloscope

Thank you.

I really like the Tek 4xx series.  I have a 485 and it is excellent.

One of the purveyors of the 2215 scopes on eBay also has a 2235 for about $30 more.  Instead of 60 MHz, it is 100 MHz.  I  realize that the bandwidth is meaningless for audio work but extra bandwidth is always a good thing.  My 485 is a 350 MHz scope but I rarely use it beyond 100 MHz.

[oldway]

It is not realistic to use such a true boat anchor with more than 100 tubes for reason of weight, loss of space and electricity consumption.
But vacuum tube input stage is really bullet proof.

[finom1]

OK, I will buy ether a Heathkit IT-11 or IT-28 in good condition & the right price.

I still need help with an analog meter for guitar amp projects that will be reliable & have features to complete most trouble shooting demands.

What would be a better choice: 
1. Tektronix 465B 100MHz 2-Channel Analog Oscilloscope
2. Tektronix 2215A 60MHz Oscilloscope

Thank you.

I really like the Tek 4xx series.  I have a 485 and it is excellent.

One of the purbeyors of the 2215 scopes on eBay also has a 2235 for about $30 more.  Instead of 60 MHz, it is 100 MHz.  I  realize that the bandwidth is meaningless for audio work but extra bandwidth is always a good thing.  My 485 is a 350 MHz scope but I rarely use it beyond 100 MHz.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[oldway]

I have a 465B, a 2235A and 2236.
They are all very good, but in 2235 the power supply operates at high temperature and I installed a fan as on 2236.

I saw the prices of these oscilloscopes on ebay.com and they are close to the price of a new DSO.

One may wonder in this case if it is worth it.

As long as one remains in the range 50 to 100 US§, this question does not arise.
But with prices of 250 or higher more shipping, it should be reconsidered.

I would never pay such high prices for an analog oscilloscope, it's crazy !

[finom1]

I have a 465B, a 2235A and 2236.
They are all very good, but in 2235 the power supply operates at high temperature and I installed a fan as on 2236.

I saw the prices of these oscilloscopes on ebay.com and they are close to the price of a new DSO.

One may wonder in this case if it is worth it.

As long as one remains in the range 50 to 100 US§, this question does not arise.
But with prices of 250 or higher more shipping, it should be reconsidered.

I would never pay such high prices for an analog oscilloscope, it's crazy !

Well said.

[rstofer]

I have a 465B, a 2235A and 2236.
They are all very good, but in 2235 the power supply operates at high temperature and I installed a fan as on 2236.

I saw the prices of these oscilloscopes on ebay.com and they are close to the price of a new DSO.

One may wonder in this case if it is worth it.

As long as one remains in the range 50 to 100 US§, this question does not arise.
But with prices of 250 or higher more shipping, it should be reconsidered.

I would never pay such high prices for an analog oscilloscope, it's crazy !

Well said.

Which brings us back to DSOs and while there are some units that are cheaper than the DS1054Z, they all lack features that may well be worthwhile down the road and the cost difference doesn't justify skimping.  Get some 100x probes and call it good.

That video of the 555 was kind of fun.  I wouldn't have room for such a thing but it's interesting to see how Tektronix built things way back when.

[finom1]

I have a 465B, a 2235A and 2236.
They are all very good, but in 2235 the power supply operates at high temperature and I installed a fan as on 2236.

I saw the prices of these oscilloscopes on ebay.com and they are close to the price of a new DSO.

One may wonder in this case if it is worth it.

As long as one remains in the range 50 to 100 US§, this question does not arise.
But with prices of 250 or higher more shipping, it should be reconsidered.

I would never pay such high prices for an analog oscilloscope, it's crazy !

Well said.

[oldway]

...
Which brings us back to DSOs ...

Or to lower bandwith analog oscilloscopes who are a lot cheaper.

Why a 100Mhz scope ?

Audio bandwith is from 20 to 20Khz, a guitar tube amplifier hardly works from 50Hz to 10Khz.

In the past, I used an IO12 Heathkit of 5MHz and it was everything I needed to test and adjust the guitar amplifiers that I planned and making.

Note that I do not recommend this scope.
When it was new, it was already a piece of shit. 

But there are many more modern analog oscilloscopes 20Mhz that would do the job in the range of US § 50-100.

[finom1]

...
Which brings us back to DSOs ...

Or to lower bandwith analog oscilloscopes who are a lot cheaper.

Why a 100Mhz scope ?

Audio bandwith is from 20 to 20Khz, a guitar tube amplifier hardly works from 50Hz to 10Khz.

In the past, I used an IO12 Heathkit of 5MHz and it was everything I needed to test and adjust the guitar amplifiers that I planned and making.

Note that I do not recommend this scope.
When it was new, it was already a piece of shit. 

But there are many more modern analog oscilloscopes 20Mhz that would do the job in the range of US § 50-100.

Thank you for your advice. We are just starting out. Is it possible to find a Tested & Calibrated scope shipped under $200?

Thanks again!

[rstofer]

Thank you for your advice. We are just starting out. Is it possible to find a Tested & Calibrated scope shipped under $200?

Thanks again!

Calibrated might be a stretch but tested, they are all over the place:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-TAS-455-Analog-Oscilloscope-60-MHz-2-Channel-Tested-TAS455-/252452065591?hash=item3ac750d137:g:o6gAAOSwMNxXVyYg#shpCntId

$37 shipping to me.

[oldway]

If there is one scope you should NEVER use with tube circuits, nor with high voltage applications, that's the TAS4xx series of Tektronix.
Why ?
Because it's attenuator is an unobtainium hybrid. If you blow it, it can't be repaired.

It is also of low quality, not "made in USA".

[ez24]

This seller usually sells them for less than $200  (but close)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-Tek-465B-100-Mhz-oscilloscope-A-Fine-Commercial-Grade-Instrument-/282093392596?hash=item41ae1392d4:g:xL0AAOSwkl5XfpTm

I know, I have been bidding on his scopes for years including this one.  If you like this one, I will stop bidding (I do not need it - I just cannot stop myself).  For some reason or other, I just love the looks of a 465, so it is like a fix that I need.  I think it is the red knobs.

This instrument has been performance calibrated and adjusted by an accredited electronic technician .

  I think this means he checked it and it is ok.  So this ad is "true"

ps I would have saved a lot of money if I bought my first one from this seller

Also you can enter "refurbished" as a search term


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-465-100-MHz-Dual-Trace-Oscilloscope-Refurbished-/191895903623?hash=item2cade31d87:g:0JcAAOxy--NRqO5T

I really do not think this one is "refurbished".  To me, refurbished means the caps would be replaced.  And if someone did this they sure would say so.   The fine print says checked.  So this ad is "false"

[oldway]

Tektronix 465 : US§ 395 ?
Gold plated ? 

[ez24]

Tektronix 465 : US§ 395 ?
Gold plated ? 

It is the B model, as in bullion as in gold bullion

So yes

[oldway]

Thank you for your advice. We are just starting out. Is it possible to find a Tested & Calibrated scope shipped under $200?

Thanks again!

I think you don't know what "calibrated" means.
"Our prices for Oscilloscope calibration service range from:
$80.00 to $695.00"
https://www.custom-cal.com/TypeInfo.aspx?kn=147&srv=Oscilloscope_Calibration_Repair
If you send an oscilloscope to be calibrated, you probably pay more than §200 only for calibration.