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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: christobean on January 14, 2007, 11:23:52 PM

Title: germanium transistors?
Post by: christobean on January 14, 2007, 11:23:52 PM
http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G2299 (http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G2299)

does anyone know if these are good for any distortion pedals or anything? they seem pretty cheap so i was curious.
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: petemoore on January 15, 2007, 01:56:32 AM
  High speed switching is what read there.
  You can probably build something with them, but the HF specification may or may not be what you want. 
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: dxm1 on January 15, 2007, 04:20:04 AM
Quote from: christobean on January 14, 2007, 11:23:52 PM
http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G2299 (http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G2299)

does anyone know if these are good for any distortion pedals or anything? they seem pretty cheap so i was curious.

According to this:

http://www.dscc.dla.mil/Downloads/MilSpec/Docs/MIL-PRF-19500/mil19500ss9.pdf

it looks like pretty low gain, as well as low voltage...
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: Meanderthal on January 15, 2007, 08:24:59 AM
 Dunno about those germaniums, but I just scooped up a bunch of those 2n5133... might just be mojo, but I swear I hear a difference with these. Thanks for reminding me where to get 'em!
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: zjokka on January 15, 2007, 03:21:16 PM
Quote from: dxm1 on January 15, 2007, 04:20:04 AM
Quote from: christobean on January 14, 2007, 11:23:52 PM
http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G2299 (http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G2299)

does anyone know if these are good for any distortion pedals or anything? they seem pretty cheap so i was curious.

According to this:

http://www.dscc.dla.mil/Downloads/MilSpec/Docs/MIL-PRF-19500/mil19500ss9.pdf

it looks like pretty low gain, as well as low voltage...


HF 5.5 IS pretty low
and $1 is not really very cheap
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: Mark Hammer on January 15, 2007, 03:40:02 PM
Quote from: Meanderthal on January 15, 2007, 08:24:59 AM
Dunno about those germaniums, but I just scooped up a bunch of those 2n5133... might just be mojo, but I swear I hear a difference with these. Thanks for reminding me where to get 'em!
Those were the tranny of choice at E-H for a while.  Of course, at that time, the reasons for "choice" would likely be a combination of cost, serendipitous availability, and tone.  Some folks prefer the BMP that used a quartet of them.  My old Muff Fuzz used a pair, though I was none too thrilled with the tone.
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: Meanderthal on January 15, 2007, 06:12:59 PM
 Yeah, I used them in a hog's foot, Axis/Foxey lady, and a bmp. I socketed all 3 builds, and for some reason all 3 sounded better with the 2N5133, a bit more grit or something. Forgot where I got 'em, ran out, now I've ordered more. Could just as easy get by with 5088, but... I like the option of having these...
Cool lookin too, even though that means nothing.

Sorry, I'm OT.
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: christobean on January 15, 2007, 07:09:49 PM
Quote from: zjokka on January 15, 2007, 03:21:16 PM
HF 5.5 IS pretty low
and $1 is not really very cheap

definately agree with the low hF, but $1 is very cheap considering its 6 bux a piece from the store here.
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: aron on January 16, 2007, 01:11:54 AM
Quotedefinately agree with the low hF, but $1 is very cheap considering its 6 bux a piece from the store here.

Please don't start this again. You have no idea how many transistors I need to go test to get to that single one that you can purchase from the store. Not to mention all the other things that are involved in selling these.
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: christobean on January 16, 2007, 03:11:17 PM
Quote from: aron on January 16, 2007, 01:11:54 AM
Quotedefinately agree with the low hF, but $1 is very cheap considering its 6 bux a piece from the store here.

Please don't start this again. You have no idea how many transistors I need to go test to get to that single one that you can purchase from the store. Not to mention all the other things that are involved in selling these.

oh, i wasnt complaining or anything, actually its kool that you have em considering how hard it is to find good ones for stompboxes. i was just saying 1 dollar is much cheaper than 6 dollars.
Title: Re: germanium transistors?
Post by: tester on January 18, 2007, 04:07:02 AM
The truth is I will probably feel better when I run out of them. What a pain to test!

I will probably offer the ones that are lower gain (or keep those to myself - I like the low gain ones). Maybe offer the higher gain/low leakage ones.