[mikethedruid]

This is why I keep a stock of tubes. I make sure I have a complete set of extra tubes for all the radios in my collection, including 01As and WD11s. Once you start building a stock of tubes you'll find that you don't need to buy many, just the odd ones in particular sets, since you will already have the common ones. In my own case it has exceeded this. I now have hundreds of tubes, shelves full of them, and large boxes too. Needless to say, I don't often have to buy them any more, yet I still do. As for these rectifier and amplifier tubes, they are still available on eBay at fair prices. I'd much prefer to use them than try to change to solid state and have to use a variac every time I want to use the radio.