C. J. Clegg wrote:
Looking for the best all-tube general-coverage (0.5-30) receiver I can
get.

Need good operation on SSB and CW and capability on AM, along with
sensitivity, stability, ruggedness, and availability of replacement parts
e.g. tubes (that last one might be difficult...).

I'm thinking Collins 51Jx or R-390, although I remember that I really
liked an old Hammarlund I had once...

Collins R-390A is one of the best RF performers around. The audio quality
stinks and I would not consider it even slightly field-maintainable, but
if you want to pick weak signals up out of the muck you can't beat it even
with the latest Watkins-Johnson rig.

An outboard product detector will give you greatly improved SSB performance,
and will still make it under your price barrier if you can find one. If you
can find two, please call me because I want one too!
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."