Are tubes for a Sony G70 still available?

$750 to $1000 each from Sony with the LC hardware attached.

$645 to $695 from VDC each for the bare tube that you need to install onto your existing LC hardware (easy to do, instructions are on my site).

There's a $100 core charge on top of that, but they are NEW tubes, not rebuilds.

Curt

What's a core charge? I've never heard that term before.

James

Ah. Got it. Thanks.

The new tubes VDC sells are OEM Panasonic tubes. Not sure if they can still get 08's, but you can fit 07's with a simple mod.

Why do they charge a "core charge" if they are new tubes.....and the 'core' isn't ever used...seems like a scam charge.....they get glass for a rebuild that's not associated with the new tube sale....WTF?

Do the tubes from VDC have the C elements installed? As I remember there is a charge for them to install your C elements onto the new tubes. This adds to the price of the tubes. The green tube from sony comes complete from about 800. The blue is about 1000. Is this right? I'm in the same boat as you Pete. I have a completely functional G70 with great tubes and a fully functional spare with bad tubes. I also have an almost complete set of spare boards too. I recently put in my order for an RS1. If this works for me I'll be dumping all of the G70 stuff.

Oops, Curt answer my question in his post. The tubes from VDC do not come with the C elements.

VDC has bare P16LJE08 (or 07) tubes. To make it a "G70" tube, they have to reuse your old LC housing (including C element), and fit a Sony HV lead.

I did not think they would charge a "core charge" for the useless worn tube, but they do need the LC housing.

A bare tube looks a bit like a light bulb. All the black engineeringy stuff hanging off the front is the LC housing.

All of the posts we do around here telling people not to refer to tubes as bulbs, and now this post from a bona fide CRT tech...

Why all 3? the Red almost never needs replacing. Considering it'a only putting out 20% of the light output even a Red with 5K hours on it is equal to a Green with 1K hours on it in terms of Phosphor wear. A brand new B+G is $1300., simply specify Sony anode leads and swap the LC cells yourself. Send your old tubes back and get the refund on the core charge.
AFA the core charge being a scam, I don't think they are out to scam anybody. Some part of the old tube is being re-used by Pannasonic when they build a new tube. I'm guessing it's probably the Bell, they most likely cut the tube face off and discard it but re-use some of old glass like the Bell and neck? Either way the new tubes I've bought from VDC in the last couple of years have been excellent, not a single problem.

Panasonic doesn't reuse the bell - or any part of the tube.

Look at an old bell, the silver lining inside has turned brown. A nrew tube is still shiny silver.

TSE explained why once - radiation I think.

So why-oh-why are they $100 dearer without an exchange....for us down here in OZ, shipping is a be-atch, it would cost nearly that to send them.

i want to buy a set of G70 tubes from SONY,can someone please tell me how to contact the proper department???i cant find any info,thanks.

shiny silver? I don't rememebr a shiny silver lining inside a tube and I have seen a few brand new ones that came directly from Pannasonic. That lining BTW is called an Aquadag conductive coating. "IF" Pannasonic does in fact re-use the tube Bell-glass, I am sure they would re-apply the coating.


I am sure someone here on the forum would offer to ship some burnt tubes in on your behalf if you pay the $15. fed-ex gound fee's. I have 4 burnt G70 tubes and even though it would take an hour to pull and strip them I would do it for someone down Undah simply to save them the horrible trans-global shipping cost.
I don't have the Sony info but the tubes will be much cheaper from VDC Florida. $650. each with core exchange and you would have to swap over your LC chambers. Just call 1-800-241-5005 , ask for Gina and tell her you need new P16 tubes with Sony Anode lead.

You can purchase new G70 tubes (and other parts) direct from Sony here:

https://servicesplus.us.sony.biz/sony-parts.aspx

Just type "VPH-G70" where it says Model Pre-fix. I got six pages of results and the tubes are on the second page. Strangley though, they only list Red and Green. I wonder if they've run out of Blue.

On the last page they list tubes for the VPHG70VRU for $1500 each. Interesting.

-Mark

Not the dag on the outside, the silver coating on the inside, visible through the undagged part of the bell. Go and look at a tube - a newish one will be silver, an old one will have gone brown.

thanks Mark.Blue is listed on page 5.

It's in storage so I can't look at it, but I think I have a new A1501425A for a VPHG70VRU.


I couldn't find the blue yesterday. Glad to know they're all still available!

To fit a bare tube from VDC just requires siliconing the HV lead, and swapping the housing - which is EASY on a G70. And the HV boots on sony tubes are pretty robust - easy to get off.

It's not a hard job at all. Seems to me that much effort is worth $850 per tube....

From recent experience.....DITTO