i need some help with my transistor....

[el duderino]

Hey i started to build my first distortion unit and i need help with the transistor, its a general purpose NPN its black and the three pins are coming out of it in a straight line.

i can read the normal silver ones with the little tab where the emiter is but i cant read the small black ones can someone help!?
please. :?

[Ge_Whiz]

We need to know the transistor number - the pin-out order varies between different types.

[Peter Snowberg]

Welcome to the forums.

Just for future reference, the case style of your transistor is called TO-92 and for most general purpose NPNs if you have the flat side facing you with the leads going down, the connections are usually E-B-C. As Ge_Whiz points out though, you really need the number to make sure. There is a lot of variation out there.

Take care and best of luck on your build!
-Peter

[petemoore]

I just put them in the DMM's Hfe checker different ways till it shows some 'reasonable' Hfe #, then try it in a circuit that calls for something like it.
 I didn't know how reliable this is, but it seems to work every time for me.