Can I make the Fordoble "Grit" switch do something (anything)?

[keevohn]

I'm very happy with my Fordoble build, but for the life of me I can't hear a difference between the settings on the Grit switch. I have the Ge diodes socketed and tried different arrangements and different diodes, but no luck. Other build reports indicate that the difference between settings is subtle at best.

Is there something I can do to make the Grit more pronounced? Failing that, can I plug something else into the Ge sockets to have some kind of audible change? Maybe some time shaping?

Thanks!

 

[Nostradoomus]

what kind of diodes did you try?

 

[Sturdag Lagernathy]

You need leaky diodes. Still, it can be very subtle. It's not a "distortion" per se, it's more of a "crispiness" in the mid- high end. Play the boost clean for most apparent results.
Very low voltage Zeners can mimic germanium, but IMO, germ sounds best..

 

[keevohn]

So far I've tried D9B, BAT41, and 1N5817. I also have 1N4148, 1N914, 1N4001, and various LED's in my stash.

Thanks for the tip about leaky diodes. I'll have to test my D9B's and see where they stand.