From FB group Vintage Transistor Radios
I’ve considered converting a tube set to transistors. The problem is getting tube bases that aren’t sharp and breakable glass. Some old electronics used tube base type plugs for relays and plug-in modules.
Then there is the problem of dealing with the higher voltage. Transistors can handle 300V, but low power JFETs aren’t that high, maybe 60 volts. But a JFET and transistor could be combined. The JFET acts like a high input impedance tube, and the transistor handles the high voltage.
Since all solid-state ‘tubes’ would be socketed, the set could be easily converted back to hollow-state firebottles.