Hi Guys,
I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on generic transistors- the ones that claim to be 'substitutes' for hard to find transistors (silicon transistors, that is)
Anyone ever tries them out? will thery shound markedly different in a given circuit (fuzz/overdrive/octave ciruits, I mean)
thanks once again guys,
Cheers,
Luke
What's generic would be the question that answers the question.
IMO undamaged transistors work.
Substituting Q's is like changing tires on a car...don't put bias ply on a car like Ferrari if you want it to corner....finding the exact right tire for your uses willmay take some testing and experimenting...often times these transistors don't care anymore than the ckt does as long as certain requuirements are met...like bias or enough gain, other ckts like FF are so picky that say only one of a Q I actually have comes close to attaining 'that' sound and nonne of the others are even near the ballpark.
Hi pete,
Sorry, you are right. I was talking about subbing the 2N5078 and 2N5088s in the Tychobrahe with PN200 and PN100s respectively. They are replacements for these transistors, as well as quite a few others.
Any idea if they will sound OK?
The PN200 is a "PNP general purpose amplifier at collector currents to 500mA." The PN100 is an "NPN general purpose medium power amp and switch with continuous collector current up to 500mA". I am sorry, but these descrip[tions are, by and large, greek to me.
Any guesses as to how they would go in the tychobrahe circiut? Please, please help.
Cheers,
Luke
and Socket the Transistors in any of your devices you're not absolutely certain about...There are ckts which 'don't care' much about different amps [within parameters] but for the most part I use sockets for transistors.
They would probably work fine, but the results you will get depends on how much gain the circuit actually has. General purpose transistors can be very, very noisy in an audio circuit when high gain is involved. The current involved is really inconsequential in this case.
I used NTE transistors for years, when I couldn't find the originals. For most things they will work. Yes, on most circuits I used transistor sockets so I could change them later.
Well I used 2N2222As in my Tone Machine, and I think they're the reason it's not working because the voltages are a bit askew. I'm waiting for some 2N3904s to arrive so I can see if the transistors really are the problem.
It's the large variation from transistor to transistor that makes the FF so picky. I think it's one of the down sides of Ge devices.
Anyway, there should be no problems substituting "equivalents" as a general rule. Double check datasheets for pinout. When I first starting building FX, I tried the JSH fuzz and never got it working, and now realize that I was assuming a standard pinout on some transistors that weren't actually pinned out that way.
well, good luck. As a general rule, the transistors that aren't being used to clip the signal offer much grace for interchangeing parts.
thanks for the tips, guys
I will keep you posted as to the outcomes
Take care,
Cheers,
Luke