Germanium Transistor Lot

[BuddytheReow]

Where's a good place to get a mixed bag of germanium transistors, both NPN and PNP for a relatively good price? I'm looking on ebay, but not sure if this is reliable (thinking J201s here) or if I should bite the bullet and randomly pick from Small Bear before they go. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[caiofilipini]

Smallbear would definitely be my recommendation. eBay is hit or miss, unless you know the seller's reputation.
Pedal Hacker is another great source, but they don't always have a ton of germanium transistors available.

 

[fig]

Are you looking for experimental purposes, or do you have specific circuits in mind?

Edit: or another reason...sorry if it seemed I was limiting you to only those options.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Nothing specific, per se. Maybe a tonebender or FF among others. Other schematics/layouts out there just call for a PNP or NPN and list the hfe and sometimes leakage. Since I'm not that knowledgeable on the part numbers I figured I'd get a mixed bag and experiment til my breadboard's melted.

Edit: From what I've read the part number really doesn't matter; it's the gain and leakage that does. Oh, and polarity too

 

[chongmagic]

Just as an FYI, Small Bear is out of stock of most their Ge transistors.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Just as an FYI, Small Bear is out of stock of most their Ge transistors.

*Panics*

 

[Harry Klippton]

 

[fig]

Oh lookie, a new prop!

 

[Big Monk]

Nothing specific, per se. Maybe a tonebender or FF among others. Other schematics/layouts out there just call for a PNP or NPN and list the hfe and sometimes leakage. Since I'm not that knowledgeable on the part numbers I figured I'd get a mixed bag and experiment til my breadboard's melted.

Just as an FYI, Small Bear is out of stock of most their Ge transistors.

They still have a ton of GE 2N169 “Flat Hats”. He must have abandoned his stash for matching. Get them while you still can.

 

[BuddytheReow]

They still have a ton of GE 2N169 “Flat Hats”. He must have abandoned his stash for matching. Get them while you still can.

What is that one used for? THe Ampeg scrambler? Are there others?

 

[fig]

The part number is really insignificant (apart from PNP or NPN). What they are used in really depends on their individual gain and leakage.

 

[peccary]

I've bought a few lots off eBay from Russia of different types. I'd guess that I could probably build about any germanium fuzz I'd want with what I have.

 

[thesmokingman]

What is that one used for? THe Ampeg scrambler? Are there others?

I built an NPN tone bender mkII on the carbon black pcb with those ... the transistors are a tight fit but it is currently my favorite pedal

 

[Big Monk]

What is that one used for? THe Ampeg scrambler? Are there others?

No. They are just generally awesome, low leakage NPNs. I had to abandon my Scrambler contest idea to keep my cost down on Small Bear. I ordered the Aion Aperture instead but I can point you to all the devices for the Scrambler if you want.

 

[Big Monk]

Just as an FYI, Small Bear is out of stock of most their Ge transistors.

There are tons of Germanium transistors left. He just doesn’t have any matches sets left.

 

[Preverb]

I just decided to try and start building pedals but USPS recently stopped shipping to Australia. Doesn't seem to be any decent source for Ge transistors here.

 

[Harry Klippton]

I just decided to try and start building pedals but USPS recently stopped shipping to Australia. Doesn't seem to be any decent source for Ge transistors here.

diyguitarpedals.com.au, A shop for all diy guitar pedal enthusiasts!

diyguitarpedals.com.au : - DIYGP PCBs & Kits Diodes Germanium Transistor Sets ICs Trimpot Transistors Wire Accessories Capacitors Pedal Decals Vactrol / Optocoupler Resistors Switches LED Enclosures Knobs DBE PCB's Audio & Power Potentiometers ecommerce, open source, shop, online shopping

www.diyguitarpedals.com.au

DIY Guitar Pedals got you although I didn't check if any are in stock

 

[Preverb]

diyguitarpedals.com.au, A shop for all diy guitar pedal enthusiasts!

diyguitarpedals.com.au : - DIYGP PCBs & Kits Diodes Germanium Transistor Sets ICs Trimpot Transistors Wire Accessories Capacitors Pedal Decals Vactrol / Optocoupler Resistors Switches LED Enclosures Knobs DBE PCB's Audio & Power Potentiometers ecommerce, open source, shop, online shopping

www.diyguitarpedals.com.au

DIY Guitar Pedals got you although I didn't check if any are in stock

Mostly out of stock. He has AC125s that are out of spec. Lower range. [Less than 60hfe (low leakage)]
Does that mean that they are going to be lower gain or that they are just going to be an overall mess?

 

[Big Monk]

Mostly out of stock. He has AC125s that are out of spec. Lower range. [Less than 60hfe (low leakage)]
Does that mean that they are going to be lower gain or that they are just going to be an overall mess?

He has some Russian Fuzz Face and Tonebender sets in stock.

 

[Preverb]

He has some Russian Fuzz Face and Tonebender sets in stock.

The Russian ones will work but will the Tonebender ones be usable with analogman sunface?