Germanium ain't cheap
- Thread starter giovanni
- Start date
peccary
Well-known member
Yeah, I'm wondering if they were all picked through. I guess we'll never know because I'd never admit to spending $350 on a couple dozen leaky transistors if it were me
peccary
Well-known member
There's still some good stuff to be had from Russia. I've noticed the prices creeping up lately, though.
fig
Village Idiot
Just west of Asheville. The company I worked for in the early to mid 80s had a location there. I'd always stay at the Red Roof Inn in W. Asheville. It was fairly new at the time.
Harry Klippton
Not Interested
This is why I stocked up
peccary
Well-known member
I wonder how much of that is due to regular members of this form
Preverb
Active member
What about Chuck's servo based Ge fuzz? It sounds like it might overcome some of the issues with germanium based fuzzes...
DAJE
Well-known member
I have a box of Ge transistors sourced from various former Soviet / Eastern Bloc states. Probably have over a hundred of them, and in testing I only have two duds, the rest are all usable. I'm not sure how much they cost all together, but I am entirely certain it was a fraction of that price.
Anyway, as I always say, you can ask whatever price you like, that doesn't mean anyone's buying at that price.
Anyway, as I always say, you can ask whatever price you like, that doesn't mean anyone's buying at that price.
Stickman393
Well-known member
Germanium (Ge)
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Shoot, you can getchaself a Troy ounce for close to two bills.
Username123
Well-known member
You got some of those magic transistors used in the magic vintage fuzz faces? I heard that nothing can replicate the tone of a vintage fuzz face. Apparently there are these things called transistors and in the circuit they make the circuit do better things for your tone so in other words they make good tone. Apparently different ones have different tones, but the vintage ones have the best tones out of all of them because they are vintage. Boutiquee bilders use these to get a great tone out of there fuzz faces. I've also heard that Jimmy Hendrix used germanium because it's tone is better because it is more vintage tone and older so it really let's the electrolytic caps age and dry out. I also hear that klon centaurs have certain diodes in them that do certain things, and only the originals are exact tonal matches. Trust me man, I can hear the difference. I can also hear the difference in cable price. My mogami platinum that I got for 150 on reverb gives me a honking low end, goosing mids, and screeching highs compared to my other cable. The Pico Farads make a lot of difference in the tone, the more Pico farads the less transperent the tone, kinda like buffers because true bypass is better. By the way I learned all of this stuff at the gear page! Everybody really helps clear confusion and be completely honest and not making myths about pedals like Josh Scott does with rats. We know white face rats have better tone! It's in the germanium transistors and carbon comp resistors!Don't buy that stuff. If you need a transistor let me know.
jeffwhitfield
Well-known member
At some point, Germanium's will go the way of the dodo bird. Surely there is a way to simulate what a Germanium does with modern components, right?
Well it depends on what you're using it for. For my Red Rooster boosts (Chickenhead boost) I use a low gain silicon transistor and a small cap to lose some highs and it sounds near enough to germanium for me. But I'm not using it primarily for the break-up in that application.
Ge sounds good in some fuzz circuits but it's so finicky to use. I pretty much can't be bothered any more, or if I do build something germanium I use some fine Russian transistors which work perfectly - better than the Euro scraps left around these days. I built a Hudson Broadcast recently and every single "name brand" Ge tranny I had sounded terrible. Every Russian PNP I had sounded usable.
Ge sounds good in some fuzz circuits but it's so finicky to use. I pretty much can't be bothered any more, or if I do build something germanium I use some fine Russian transistors which work perfectly - better than the Euro scraps left around these days. I built a Hudson Broadcast recently and every single "name brand" Ge tranny I had sounded terrible. Every Russian PNP I had sounded usable.
fig
Village Idiot
Derek, forgive any misconstrue but it sounds as though you prefer silicon to germanium.
My only advice is, know what it is you are buying. If you are not familiar with the polarity, hFE, and Iceo of these devices and/or what is needed for a circuit ask someone before pulling the trigger. Ignorance can be thwarted by a simple quest for truth. I know, I battle it in myself daily .
My only advice is, know what it is you are buying. If you are not familiar with the polarity, hFE, and Iceo of these devices and/or what is needed for a circuit ask someone before pulling the trigger. Ignorance can be thwarted by a simple quest for truth. I know, I battle it in myself daily .
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thesmokingman
Paid Hater
