1963 Amperex Holland 7308 "Bugle Boy" (Verified by AudioTubes.com!!)

There is a lot of history on this tube and I wanted to share it with people other than those in the forum I posted this content on originally. According to Brent on AudioTubes.com, 99% of the 7308 Holland Bugle Boy tubes by Amperex, are all fakes by Richardson Electronics. Once I began photographing the tube, showing the Bugle Boy logo and the etched date/batch codes, we realized it’s real! Brent said this is the first one he has ever seen online.

Amperex 7308 Bugle Boy with Tektronix sticker. — Original Ebay pictures of the tube.

I reached out to Brent from http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm as I wanted to find out if they would agree or disagree with my findings. This is what he has to say in regards to this tube.

This tube has one of those Tektronix stickers on it that you can’t pull off. However the logo is obvious from the start in this picture you can see the logo barely showing at the bottom of the Tektronix sticker and the 7308 sticker.

In 20 years of tube collecting and tube selling, this is the FIRST real Bugle Boy 7308 I have ever seen! It appears your tube was originally imported into Canada, as it has HOLLAND etched into the glass at the top. This was standard for all Philips/Amperex tubes that were imported or sold in Canada. It is just possible that for some reason the Bugle Boy labels were only sold in Canada? The Holland name sandblasted into the glass is only seen on Dutch Philips or Amperex tubes coming out of Canada.

7308 Holland Bugle Boy Batch Code : 3K4 — 3K4 Batch Code

I think, due to the extreme rarity of a real Holland made and date coded 7308 Bugle boy, that 99% of those you actually encounter are fakes from Richardson Electronics. Your pictures do reinforce some facts that still tell the real thing from the fake: The fake 7308 or 6922 tubes NEVER have date codes or production codes on them. Yours does, so I will concede that you have one of the very few real Bugle Boy 7308 tubes in existence.

Thanks to Brent for letting me know more about the tube and confirming that this is a real 7308 Bugle Boy!

Here is an example of an Amperex 6DJ8 Bugle Boy logo. You can see the pins and the end of the “flute” sticking out the bottom and the right side of the Tektronix sticker in the EBay photos.

It is very difficult to show much of the Bugle Boy logo, but you can see it, if you look closely in the images at the top of the page. Here is one that I focused, where you can clearly see the main Bugle Boy logo body and hand, plus a tiny part of the flute.

Back-side of the Tektronix sticker, note the image was mirrored horizontally (to try and help see it).

Tube Specs from Original Ebay Ad:
***** Tested on our new proprietary tester , the E3444 Triplett/Westmore 501 :
It’s a Triplett 3444 / Westmore 501 that has been enhanced.
This tester uses regulated power sources for the bias, plate, & screen voltages, as well as modified operating & testing procedures.
Filament voltage is also controlled.
Tubes are tested in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications; measurements closely align with a laboratory tester built to rigorously measure vacuum tube characteristics.
Tubes can be accurately matched for gm & plate current at the manufacturer’s specified test points or at other specified test points.
***** This tester was prepared by Mr. Paul Hart of Falls Church , Virginia. *****
Industry Bogey transconductance = 12,500/12,500 µmhos &
Industry Bogey plate current = 15/15 mA
Results =
10,600/11,400 µmhos ~ 11.0/12.0 mA

*Note: You really need to look at the pictures after this first one in full size to see the Bugle Boy logos. I am not sure why these uploaded as such low resolution photos, I’ll try to find the original uploads (sent to Brent).

Funny enough the erased batch code is obvious even when zoomed out.