Western Electric 212E vacuum tube

The company I work for is in the midst of cleaning out a studio location.  Most radio engineers are some form of pack rat.  I know I have been guilty of this myself, not wanting to throw something away because tomorrow, it might be needed.  That was carried out to the extreme at this location.  One of the things that I found in my clean-out was a Western Electric 212E vacuum tube.

Western Electric 212E vacuum tube
Western Electric 212E vacuum tube

It is an impressive thing, measures about 12 1/2 inches tall, including the pins.  I am thinking this is pretty old, it probably came from a pre-WWII Western Electric AM transmitter.  This would make the most sense, as the station signed on in 1926 with 250 watts.  Back in the day,  Western Electric was the patent holder for AM technology.   In fact, there was some talk of suing General Electric for patent infringement after the airing of the world series by WJZ and WGY in 1922.  Parent company AT&T was working on radio modulation techniques to implement with their telephone system.

These tubes were used for audio amplification, according to the spec sheet, the plate could dissipate 275 watts.  Filament voltages is 14 volts at 6.2 amps, the plate voltage was 3,000 volts, maximum.  It is a tetrode.  The RF counterpart to this tube is the WE 308A.

From what I am to understand, these have not been made since 1960 or so.   I also understand there is quite a cult following for this tube amongst Asian audiophiles.  There are several examples of extremely low distortion class A and AB amplifiers using this tube type.  Some prices on eBay are in the $1,500 to $2,000 per tube range.  Unfortunately, I don’t think this one works anymore as there is a loose screw and little bits of what looks like control grid wire in the bottom of it.  It does light up with 12 volts on the filament, however.

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23 thoughts on “Western Electric 212E vacuum tube”

  1. The 212E was introduced in 1937 and was used in WE transmitters 5C, 6B, 7A, 12B, 301B, 302B, 303B, 304B, 306A, and the D-156000 trans-oceanic “Long Lines” rigs. The Western Electric tube plant in Kansas City made some of the finest tubes in their day. Probably the most renowned is the 300B which is a triode used in Class A amplifiers. It is similar to the 2A3, but better. Another one is the 350B which was very popular and used in a Western Electric 250 Watt transmitter that went on the air in 1946 locally. And of course, Jim Weldon’s (Continental) 500 kW “Border Blaster” which used the huge Western Electric type 320A with sapphire guides for filament expansion. Bernie Magers ran the Kansas City plant and has published an excellent book on the tubes they built. He also was the one who had the regrettable duty of closing this plant in 1988. The last tube to be built there was the highly sought after 300B.

  2. The book you mention is:
    Magers, Bernard: 75 Years of Western Electric Tube Manufacturing 2nd Ed. Tempe, AZ: Antique Electronic Supply, 1994

  3. There is a vignette about the 212 tube in the first chapter of the book titled, “Surely you’re joking, Mr. Feynman!” which is available from a number of *.edu sites without charge. To find a copy google “surely you’re joking mr. feynman pdf” . Richard Feynmann was a US Physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project and later won a Nobel Prize for his work on Quantum Electrodynamics (QED).

  4. People are crazy for anything Western Electric. Do a Ebay search for Wester Electric wire. You’ll find useless 10 foot lengths of cloth covered wire for $400. I don’t get it. Makes a search of the junk pile a treasure hunt.

  5. I have found a Western Electric JAN 212E vacuum tube. If you are interested please email me. Dave

  6. I have just come across a WE 212-E. The flash is very good and the glass is clear. I am interested
    in selling it.

    Please contact me if you are interested.

  7. I still have a Western Electric Jan 212E. If anyone is interested in this thing please email me. I entered a similar message almost a year ago and got no response. Thank you

  8. This really isn’t a buying and selling site, although I don’t mind if people try that here. You might want to post on some of the audio forums. I know the WE212-E is very popular with audio enthusiasts, who like to take them and make class A audio amplifiers out of them. To each his own, I suppose…

  9. Hello,I am looking to buy WE212 for my amp. If you have for sale please email me. Thankyou.

  10. I have a 212E tube and would like to display it with the filament lit up. How do you hook up 12 volt DC to do this. How are the pins hooked up. Pic would help. Thanks

  11. If anyone has a dead 212, I may be interested in buying it for display only. So reasonably clean/good condition. I’m NOT an audiophile who wants one at any cost, I’m retired but willing to pay s reasonable price including shipping. Cheers

  12. I have one in excellent condition, impedance classification #3, filament tested good,getter structure spot welds are all intact and good,lettering is good and clear, the glass is very clear.

  13. I have a 212D western electric vaccum tube in appears to be in very good condition no cracks filiment looks to be in good condition just wondering what it’s value is my email address tracysausa3@gmail.com

  14. Looking for a WE 212e to pair up with one I bought many years ago. Mine has the impedance No. 2 on it. Please email me. Thank you!

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