Mystery stocking

Boy. Honestly, at 50 bucks, hard to justify.

Cost of entry is relatively low, but the most likely outcome is some stuff you're not likely to really need/use for a slightly inflated price ($40 minimum MSRP @ A cost of about $50 shipped + tax)

Strings might not be the right gauge/type for your use. Stickers are advertising for brands that they oughta give away for free anyways. Ditto for shirts.

I mean, I come from a place where I'm astounded that folks tend to pay extra wear clothes with obvious brands on them *period*. It's a remarkable scam if one takes a few steps back and looks at it from like, an alien perspective.

Here...pay us inflated prices for our shirts, which are priced this way because you're buying the brand, which therefore increases brand awareness and increases the price that we can command for our shirts, directly benefitting the brand while directly increasing the amount one has to pay for said shirts.

Don't get me wrong, I've fallen prey to the same impulse. But it's a little bit whacky. /Stickman's obligatory anti-capitalist rant.

That all said, this is basically a lottery ticket. Which, honestly, I used to say was a tax on those who can't do math...but now I'm more inclined to say "well, unlikely outcomes happen all the time, so why not try?"

I won't be buying in, but at least that means your odds of getting a good one are increased ;).
 
I rushed to get a mustery stocking the second they opened last year since every year prior they sold out right away. It was kinda telling that they wound up being open for orders almost 24 full hours that year before they sold out. Mine was a definite box of sad: two immensely hideous low-quality guitar straps, a set of strings I’ll never use, and a single Reverb sticker.

I’m still kinda tempted to get a mystery box again this year. Maybe if they’re not sold out by the morning.

I find the Wren and Cuff or Chase Bliss mystery boxes to be more intriguing, though I sadly didn't have the cash to blow on the chase bliss box, and don’t have the cash for the wren and cuff box.
 
Has anyone ever used those Wingman replacement knobs that look like you put a can opener on your pedal? That's the closest thing I've ever got of any value from the mystery boxes (even though I've never used them). Oh and a decent Fender strap that matches my Jazz Bass. I haven't worn a small shirt in about 50 years. And invariably the string gauges are way too light.

I did get a Fender tuner once that broke within a week.

This is the first year I've passed since it started. Probably the year I would have won a guitar...
 
Tbh this sounds like a lottery, which never really makes monetary sense. But you might win something good. I would advise to avoid those. But hey, if you're fine with getting a little excitement and then disappointment for $50, it's your money. But factor the disappointment in it when trying to decide.

This is the first I've heard of the Wren and Cuff mystery box, which does seem like decent value for US people, but $35 shipping + taxes for it to europe means it would cost almost 200€, roughly the same that a lot of their pedals cost new. So not amazing value here, compared to the Chase Bliss box.
 
owlexifry said:
not much different to playing the soviet npn ge transistor lottery
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Eh. As long as you stick to MP11A, MP35, and MP38A, you can have some confidence that you’ll get something useful. I know lots of people who have bought the PG mystery sock over the years, and pretty much every one of them would have been better off keeping their cash.
 
PedalBuilder said:
Eh.
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Stickman393 said:
Nah dude.
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it was more of a joke (regarding the relatively large unknown variability) than a serious comment. ahh it's been a rough year i guess 😅

@PedalBuilder my last Ge purchase was actually per your referral:
PedalBuilder said:
This seller has some sample MP38A measurements using a TC1 tester, so you'll have a good idea of what you're receiving. I bought 100 GT310B transistors from him last year; all of them were in spec, and the sample measurements on the listing that I bought were representative of the average transistor that I received.
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i grabbed x20 of those MP38A (npn) and tested them last weekend.
result (RG keen method):
- mostly around 50-70 Hfe, a few lower, a couple outliers at 70-80, and x2 high reading duds with massive leak.
- leakages mostly around 110-200 uA, with a couple higher outliers.

if old mate was testing random samples with a TC-1 and showing off ~90, ~120, ~70 Hfe values, I guess I haven't done too badly.
(I've never used a TC-1 - i'm assuming they don't account for leakage very well).

in contrast - in a much cheaper lot of MP38, Hfe range was about 20-36, but all had leakage under 100uA.

just started trying out x2 MP38A (50-60 Hfe) in an EQD Hoof circuit on breadboard and so far they sound pretty good.
(red LEDs on a big muff? holy shit that's loud)
 
Damn you Jimi, after long deliberation (and absolutely no alcohol or other such factors) I pulled the trigger and did it. Every year I think "this is a total ripoff" and yet I faulter. The fact that I think it's still open as opposed to years ago when it was open for less than 6 seconds is a telling factor. Telling me I'm an idiot.
 
Ok, this is definitely the last year. I got a mediocre strap and a set of strings and a few picks I can’t use. I should have just set fire to the money. Better yet given it to a homeless person.
 
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