Mercury drugstore tube tester
 

There's a Mercury drugstore tube tester, that looks to be from the '60's, at the flea market. It has a bunch of tubes with it; but, most of what I saw looked like off brand tubes. The tube tester is turquoise in color; but, it looks like someone cleaned their paint brush on the door over the tube storage compartment.

I wouldn't mind having one of these; but, he wants $175 for this one. Actually, he wantend $250; but, said he'd let me have it for $175. I may be wrong; but, $175 still seems on the high side. What do you think?

Those things make much better collectibles/display items than they do tube testers. They were only basic emission testers, and many were reportedly "biased" to read low, to help encourage replacement tube sales.

One would make a great addition to a TV display room (especially is it has all the lighted signage, etc.), but if you really want to test tubes, you would be better served with something like a military TV-7 (older tubes) or a B&K 747 (newer tubes).

Speaking of funny tube testers, has anyone ever seen something that tests
the whole CRT, including the screen, like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HICKOK-590-T...item19d5021b1d

thats pretty cool!

AFAIK, that Hickok unit was the only unit of it's type, outside of the custom test jigs used by CRT manufacturers. Saw one at a hamfest many years ago, but it was too far gone to repair. Severe flood damage.

Probably WAY too expensive for most TV repair shops, though. Hard to use on a CRT when it is still installed in the cabinet, as well. Maybe they targeted it at CRT rebuilders?

I would love to have one as a display piece. But I don't think I would pay over 100 bucks for one for reasons listed. I just bought one of the 60s Sencore mighty mites that was a estate sale piece. A fellow offered it to me and cost me about 40 bucks total, that was with shipping. I also have a hickok and a Precision tester. They are from the 40s.