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From: jatwood@netcom.com (John Atwood)
Subject: Ken-Rad Tubes
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 1994 17:59:56 GMT

Kevin (x90ballast@gwmich.edu) writes:

>  I just purchased some Ken-Rad tubes for a future SE project.  These tubes
>were made in Owensboro, Kentucky.  I was wondering if these are actually
>RCA tubes.  What year did Ken-Rad close down?   How is the quality of these
>tubes?

Ken-Rad is an old-time tube company dating from the 1920's. Ken-Rad was bought
by General-Electric in the late 1940's, although they continued to produce
Ken-Rad branded tubes through the early 1950's. Afterwards their plant in
Kentucky produced GE's receiving tubes. It produced tubes up until fairly
recently. Anyone know their recent history?

Many tubes were "cross-branded", especially in the late 1950's and later, when
a proliferation of tube types prevented every tube company from manufacturing
all tube types. However, you can usually tell the original manufacturer by
looking at the tube type label. Ken-Rad and early GE tubes had an octagon
around the tube type, as did RCA and Sylvania, but the RCA octagon and
lettering was more rounded. In the mid-1950s, GE changed over to a distinctive
etched-glass type label that had the the tube type, "USA", and a pattern of
dots (probably the date code), with no octagon. All GE tubes, as well as late
Ken-Rad tubes seem to have an ubiquitous "188-5" as part of the brand label
(printed in white).

Ken-Rad and GE tubes always seemed to have pretty good quality. Whereas RCA
tubes started to have a decline in quality control in the late 1960's and
early '70s, GE and Sylvania kept their quality good up until near the end.
There is a chance that you might find a bad tube here and there, but I have
never found any reason to distrust Ken-Rad.

What type of tubes are you planning to use for your SE project?

- John

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John Atwood                 jatwood@netcom.COM
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