[Amps] Alpha 87A Tubes

[Larry P. Greenberg]

I copied the following from the Alpha website.  

    The Alpha 87A, 89 and 86 were designed to use the YC-238 tube which is an Eimac 3CX800A7 that has been screened for low grid current. Replacing one or both of the tubes in your amplifier with a regular 3CX800 or with a 3CPX800 could lead to unintended problems and consequences which again we are not able to cover under warranty.

I don't find YC-238 tubes on the Eimac website.  While I understand that we may not want to use non Eimac tubes in our amplifiers, I don't understand why replacements cannot be non-matched Eimac 3CX800A7 tubes that can be purchased from known wholesale dealers or reputable hamfest dealers.  I would like to keep spare finals on the shelf but $1,500 a pair is really steep.  

Has anybody used regular 3CX800A7's in their amplifier?  Is the YC-238 nomenclature an Eimac name or an Alpha name?  Does anybody have a specification sheet that they can send me?  

Larry, WA9MAG