AliExpress Transistors
- Thread starter ac30irons
- Start date
PedalBuilder
Well-known member
I’d be very skeptical of any western germanium transistors like the 2N1308 that are listed on AliExpress. They are almost certainly fakes. If you’re lucky, they are re-labeled Chinese germanium transistors. That said, there are some good Chinese germanium transistors out there. Search the forum for 3AX31* or 3BX31* to get an idea. I’ve bought both PNP (3AX31C) and NPN (3BX31A/B). Most of the PNP transistors were good, but I’d skip the NPN ones if I were doing it again, as almost all of them were duds. (Ali gave me a refund for the defective NPNs, so it could have been worse.) If you don’t want an adventure sourcing your transistors, you’re better off buying ex-Soviet germanium from Ukraine on eBay. Vendors like Oleg/Alexer1 from Sovcom are reliable and trustworthy; I’ve bought tons of stuff from him and all of it was good.
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PedalBuilder
Well-known member
Try MP11A, MP35, or MP38A.
Thanks a lot dude
There's a US based seller in FL that I got a few lots of BARTs from, Next something, Next Gen semi? Anyway, smooth transaction and they measured out good(not pre-picked).
38As are getting a little harder/more expensive to come by. If you are looking to get them before Thanksgiving...
38As are getting a little harder/more expensive to come by. If you are looking to get them before Thanksgiving...
I’m in the UK. I’ve been getting 1306s from Langex but I’m trucking through them !!!
Harry Klippton
Well-known member
I was buying boxes of BARTs from Russia before the current conflict. Bummed I can't still do that. They were so much cheaper
Yeah. I don't know if the 38As are drying up, due to conflict or due to commercial builders using them/sellers getting hip to commercial builders using them. Wish I'd bought a box earlier but I'll be alright.
There is something kinda rad looking about the BARTs though. Couple of those and a few high voltage axial film caps and you have yourself a business model.
If I ever fck around and start laying out PCBs, I want to make a muff layout with BARTs for the transistors and the diodes. I'm sure it will sound like sweaty testicles but it would look like a power plant(and probably draw 500mA)! May actually fill a big box!
darwin999
Well-known member
If you want genuine Ge transistors or diodes, I would buy Russian NOS ones from Alexer1/SOVCOM (in Ukraine) on eBay.
What they offer are legit, and very good quality.
Anything from AliExpress are very likely fake trash - and you need to have the gear + time to test them as well.
When you add in the low probability of success plus the testing time, the price is no longer a deal...
Note added:
They (Alexer1/SOVCOM) often note western equivalent part #s, and they show the Russian spec sheets.
Just take the jpegs of the Russian spec sheets, and paste them into Google translation so you have hard numbers to compare to.
What they offer are legit, and very good quality.
Anything from AliExpress are very likely fake trash - and you need to have the gear + time to test them as well.
When you add in the low probability of success plus the testing time, the price is no longer a deal...
Note added:
They (Alexer1/SOVCOM) often note western equivalent part #s, and they show the Russian spec sheets.
Just take the jpegs of the Russian spec sheets, and paste them into Google translation so you have hard numbers to compare to.
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darwin999
Well-known member
Helpful info: If you see more than one item you want from Alexer1/SOVCOM, put them in your cart and then request combined shipping. You will have to commit to buying them, but don't pay for them yet. Wait 12-24 hours, and Oleg will respond with a combined shipping price that's less than the sum of the individual shipping costs. It's worth doing. Otherwise, they don't see that things are going to the same person and thus don't combine shipping.
Thanks for all the advice. Got to be honest, I’m a little nervous to drop on something incase a shed load are out of tolerance
Out of tolerance isnpart of playing the game.Thanks for all the advice. Got to be honest, I’m a little nervous to drop on something incase a shed load are out of tolerance
Stick to the recommended part numbers from the recommended sellers and you'll have good yields. Ruskies used germanium transistors into the 70s-80s, when the rest of the world moved to Si. That's 2xieh longer than the West. They got pretty good at making them. 38s are particularly tight in my experience. Off memory, half of my last batch were sub-20uA leakage. You will need a way to measure them as some will be too leaky though. Or, just audition until you find ones that sound good.
Ruskies, I thought that was a British saying
I’m all set up with my peak atlas. Suppose if I buy 100 I can pass some on ! What range do you find the 38s tend to be ?Of the top of my head, fwiw, most were 40-65 with a handful up near/just over 100.Ruskies, I thought that was a British saying
IIRC 38s were binned with 38As being the higher hfe.
darwin999
Well-known member
I've never received a bad leaker on any of my ~6 transistor packs from them, in fact in two different batches every transistor measured as having zero leakage (DCA75 measurement).
Note added for clarity: the 'them' I'm referring to here is Alexer1/SOVCOM on eBay. Every single Ge diode and transistor I've bought from them has been in spec, and none have had unusable leakage (many/most measured no leakage).
Note added for clarity: the 'them' I'm referring to here is Alexer1/SOVCOM on eBay. Every single Ge diode and transistor I've bought from them has been in spec, and none have had unusable leakage (many/most measured no leakage).
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PedalBuilder
Well-known member
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.
Thanks man, they work out roughly the same price as what I get 1306s a piece for from Langrex. Oh, what to do !!!
