2N404 Germanium Transistors from NTE?

[farwest1]

I recently built a Simulcast using a NOS Russian Ge transistor from Small Bear. I think the transistor is bad (it squeals), so went to buy a different transistor, but Small Bear is closed because of the pandemic.

Elsewhere, I managed to find some brand-new 2N404 Germanium Transistors from NTE. Does anyone know about these?

There's not much info on them, and I can't find anything on the diy pedal forums about whether these are good for Rangemaster-type pedals.

 

[Reno315]

I picked up the OC71 from here:

OC71 / CV5712 Mullard UK Germanium Transistor

Great for your Rangemaster or Tonebender clones and other fuzzbox / distortion projects, these Mullard made OC71 / CV5712 germanium transistors are getting harder and harder to find. Check out what all the fuzz is about.

www.tubedepot.com

And the 2 Simulcasts I built sound fantastic with them.

I am not sure about 2n404 on how it would sound.

 

[Nostradoomus]

Before you go spending more cash on a new transistor, make a thread in the troubleshooting forum with some clear close up shots of your work. It could be another issue altogether!

 

[farwest1]

Before you go spending more cash on a new transistor, make a thread in the troubleshooting forum with some clear close up shots of your work. It could be another issue altogether!

Thanks, yes, I had threads both here and on DIYStomboxes and Reddit. People who looked at it couldn't find errors.

A few people who had similar problems told me it was fixed when they swapped out their cheap Russian transistors for different (American, British) ones.

BTW, the Simulcast is an insanely tight pedal when the components are fitted in. The bodies of those big caps don't really fit above their PCB sockets, unless there's some way to do it that I didn't realize. I was concerned that maybe just the fact that the bodies were touching was causing a short. But I get sound, and every short I've had in the past has just cancelled the sound. If I'm playing/strumming, it sounds great. When I stop, the squeal sets in.

Simulcast Oscillation Squeal

EDIT: SOLVED! It was a faulty Russian Ge transistor. I swapped it out for an NTE 2N404 Ge transistor from Digi-Key, and it works great. When Small Bear reopens, I may try a few other transistors in the socket. ORIGINAL POST: I built a Simulcast that will be incredible.....if I can get it...

forum.pedalpcb.com

 

[Nostradoomus]

Ahhh okay well you’ve gone that far. I’ve got a simulcast built up, I can test some other transistors when I get home later and mail you one or two if you’d like. Don’t spend 20 bucks on a new one

 

[farwest1]

Ahhh okay well you’ve gone that far. I’ve got a simulcast built up, I can test some other transistors when I get home later and mail you one or two if you’d like. Don’t spend 20 bucks on a new one

Wow, that would be amazing! I can return the favor somehow. Yeah, the only other Ge transistors I have around are matched NPN sets that I used for a Tone Bender MKII build.

 

[ch ra]

Has anyone tried the 2N404 in the Duocast/Simulcast? I have to do a digi-key order and I saw they have 2n404s for a fairly reasonable price. OC71s are crazy expensive.