EQD 20th Anniversary Hoof and "military spec germanium"

M

manfesto

Well-known member
Aight before I call foul, can someone smarter than me confirm this for me?


"It features the same hand soldered through-hole construction and super rare military spec germanium transistors that were used in the original version that launched EarthQuaker Devices 20 years ago."

Gutshot shows they're 2N1304s.
Screenshot 2024-12-10 at 4.49.18 PM.png
Isn't the mil-spec version of the 2N1304 a CV part number (I googled and couldn't find a definitive answer)?

(Not that it matters tonally, obviously, but at some point the fluffy ad-copy falls into lies and deception right?)
 
Last edited:
The bass player in my band bought an original hoof reaper from a much smaller Earthquaker Devices when he was working in Akron.

I could get gut shots of it Saturday if that would be at all useful.
 
jcpst said:
The bass player in my band bought an original hoof reaper from a much smaller Earthquaker Devices when he was working in Akron.

I could get gut shots of it Saturday if that would be at all useful.
Click to expand...
EQD's used pretty much whatever germaniums they can get their hands on over the years AFAIK. An acquaintance had me clone his "Hoof Reaper that was the best version of the Hoof he'd ever played, way better than the newer versions" (which, weird how the old version of whatever is always better than the new version innit???) and it had MP38s in it.

(I did design and fab a 125B-sized 2-in-1 PCB with both the Hoof and Green Ringer circuits, though, so still ended up being a fun exercise!)

(also if anyone wants a board hmu, I still have spares lol)

Not really worried about what particular transistors they used at any given point in time, just more wondering if by calling 2N1304s "military spec" they're crossing the line of false advertising, or if someone knows something about 2N1304s that I don't.
 
Last edited:
Screenshot 2024-12-10 at 4.42.30 PM.png
So Hoof #001 had a 2N1308 and a CV7351 (which is the UK mil spec equivalent of the 2N1308)

I did finally manage to find this table - https://www.qsl.net/g8yoa/cv_table.html - that says the mil spec equivalent of the 2N1304 is the CV7349, so unless I'm missing something, there *is* a mil-spec version of the 2N1304, and EQD is *not* using it.

Again, it totally doesn't matter from a tonal perspective -

but this reissue is just using 2N1304s, a transistor that is neither "military spec" nor is it even the same transistor that was in the original 3-knob Hoof.

EQD's ad-copy plays it fast and loose sometimes, but this one I feel is particularly egregious since it's just a straight-up falsehood.
 
manfesto said:
Ooh, any chance the markings would be around the side of the can? Haven't seen a JAN version before
Click to expand...
Ive never seen a jan with markings on the side and top.
But, it just means they were screen for a tighter/better yield.
There's nothing special about a mil-spec part. Just that there should be no lemons(low hfe/unusable leakage). In some instances, there may be modifications, but they don't tend to carry the same part number and will get their own designator.
It's also wholly possible they're using JAN labeled parts and whoever took the photo photographed a prototype.

In the end, JAN only helps the builder because more of the transistors will be useful.
 
jwin615 said:
Ive never seen a jan with markings on the side and top.
But, it just means they were screen for a tighter/better yield.
There's nothing special about a mil-spec part. Just that there should be no lemons(low hfe/unusable leakage). In some instances, there may be modifications, but they don't tend to carry the same part number and will get their own designator.
It's also wholly possible they're using JAN labeled parts and whoever took the photo photographed a prototype.

In the end, JAN only helps the builder because more of the transistors will be useful.
Click to expand...
Yeah I know mil spec doesn't mean anything special (just tighter tolerances since the military can't afford field failures) - but it doesn't change the fact that if you advertise your product as using mil spec parts, and you're not, then regardless of the reason, you're being untruthful.

If production units have JAN or CV transistors in them and they just took pics of a prototype they didn't intend for sale, I'll take all of this back (well, some of it. I'd still consider the listing's images misleading, but at least the sold products would be legit). I'm sure a gutshot of one of these will pop up sooner or later to confirm.
 
owlexifry said:
keen to see a schematic, can't seem to find any of this og 3knob version.
Click to expand...
seriously though does anyone know the tone section recipe for this 3 knob job?
(assuming this is the only real difference from the 4 knob versions)

IMG_6239.jpeg
as it turns out, i already breadboarded a sort-of-hoof last week and i've currently got a triangle spec tone control on it (+ fixed volume ctrl)
reading through the background info, i'm currently on the assumption it's probably a V7/soviet spec tone circuit?
1733983191218.png
 
owlexifry said:
reading through the background info, i'm currently on the assumption it's probably a V7/soviet spec tone circuit?
View attachment 86951
Click to expand...
That's a good question, it was originally supposed to be like a modded version of the Black Keys guy's particular Green Russian, but Green Russian values are pretty far off from the values in the 4-knob Hoof...

Assuming the 4-knob is an evolution of the 3-knob, 22K/6n8 and 39K/6n8 might be a good starting point?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top