My eBay GE transistor experience

[flemming]

This isn't necessarily an endorsement, just sharing my experience. I picked up a some MP38A and P28 transistors from this ebay seller:

Security Measure

www.ebay.com

6 pcs Germanium Ge NPN transistor MP38A ~ 2SD195, 2SD33, OC75 Tone Bender USSR | eBay

Similar to the 2SD195, 2SD33, OC75, 107NU70. Power dissipation 0.15W. Maximum temperature 85°C. Forward current transfer ratio (hFE) 45-100. Collector capacitance 50pF.

www.ebay.com

12pcs Germanium Transistor Low Noise PNP P28 ~ 2N220 2N222 AC160 USSR NOS | eBay

Similar to the 2N220, 2N222, AC160. Noise Factor 5dB. Maximum temperature 85°C. Forward current transfer ratio (hFE) 20-200. Collector capacitance 50pF.

www.ebay.com

I grabbed 20 of each (The listing quantities were different at the time). Before buying them I reached out to the seller to see about combining shipping. Because the items were already discounted eBay wouldn't let me automatically group them together. The seller got back to me right away and made a custom listing for these two items with reduced shipping. Shipping for one item was $9.80, combined it was $12. Grand total was $37.55 for 40 total. They arrived from the Ukraine in slightly less than 1 month.

I plugged all of them into a breadboard so I could let them sit for a while and not touch them while testing. Results were as follows:

P28 - hfe 50-80 (one outlier of 120), leakage was 16-27uA
MP38A - hfe 50-60 with a few slightly outside that range, leakage 82-140uA (2 were > 200, half were < 100uA)

These were tested with a TC-1 so given what was said here the above may not be the most accurate.

 

[wintercept]

Are you in the US? If so did you have any issues with customs or extra charges?

I’ve wanted to grab a box of these for years but haven’t had the guts.

 

[Betty Wont]

I have nothing but great experiences buying parts from Russsian type places on ebay. Super prices, all usable parts, and no missing packages or customs issues. Dozens of orders from as many vendors over the last few years. I buy all of my germanium parts this way now.

 

[peccary]

Are you in the US? If so did you have any issues with customs or extra charges?

I’ve wanted to grab a box of these for years but haven’t had the guts.

I've ordered from Russia and Bulgaria four or five times and always had a good experience same as @Betty Wont (I'm in California). I think it's a living for many people selling these kinds of things and they take it seriously. Shipping may take three months, but I've always had the seller actually ship within 48 hours each time.

And I've never had any issues with owing for customs or anything like that.

 

[flemming]

Are you in the US? If so did you have any issues with customs or extra charges?

I’ve wanted to grab a box of these for years but haven’t had the guts.

Yup, in the US and no problems. Tracking was a black hole for a few weeks, but once it was received in the US it was cleared right away. Now if you want to talk about what can happen with US customs when shipping beer from Belgiam that's a different story. Pro-tip us DHL.

 

[peccary]

Yup, in the US and no problems. Tracking was a black hole for a few weeks, but once it was received in the US it was cleared right away. Now if you want to talk about what can happen with US customs when shipping beer from Belgiam that's a different story. Pro-tip us DHL.

My wife and I went to a few countries in western Europe for our honeymoon about 8 years ago, and Belgium was one of our stops. We are both big beer fans and knew that we'd be leaving Belgium with lots of booze. We brought old undershirts and underwear and socks and whatnot that we could toss to make space for beer. Our giant backpacks were crammed with amazing beers and lambics.

Coming through customs in LA was an awful experience and took ages. The last customs agent we saw before leaving asked us what we had in our bags and I told him that we have a bunch of beer. He asked me how much and I gave him an exact number of ounces. I don't remember the number now, but I was paranoid about customs and alcohol, so I had it all worked out so that it was under the allowed amount.

I remember thinking that he was going to give us a hard time because he kept asking questions about the beer. The guy finally laughed and made a joke and let us through, but honestly think he just saw how tired and exhausted we were looking and let us go through. We'd been up for nearly 30 hours or so at that point!

 

[flemming]

My wife and I went to a few countries in western Europe for our honeymoon about 8 years ago, and Belgium was one of our stops. We are both big beer fans and knew that we'd be leaving Belgium with lots of booze. We brought old undershirts and underwear and socks and whatnot that we could toss to make space for beer. Our giant backpacks were crammed with amazing beers and lambics.

I don't want to derail this into a thread about beer, because I can talk about Lambic/Gueuze and beer in general like Chuck D. Bones talks about pedals I've made several trips to Belgium and always go with two suitcases inside each other and then I fill them both with 50lbs of beer and bring back my clothes in a carry on. But I've also had a local proxy pick up stuff for me from Cantillon, etc and mail it to the US. West coast customs is known for actually doing their jobs and well refuse a giant box of beer and return it to the sender. So people will either relay it through someone on the east coast or just eat the extra cost of using DHL. DHL does their own customs and clearly they don't give a Fuuuuuu.... Boxes will make it to me in California and two days.

 

[peccary]

I don't want to derail this into a thread about beer, because I can talk about Lambic/Gueuze and beer in general like Chuck D. Bones talks about pedals I've made several trips to Belgium and always go with two suitcases inside each other and then I fill them both with 50lbs of beer and bring back my clothes in a carry on. But I've also had a local proxy pick up stuff for me from Cantillon, etc and mail it to the US. West coast customs is known for actually doing their jobs and well refuse a giant box of beer and return it to the sender. So people will either relay it through someone on the east coast or just eat the extra cost of using DHL. DHL does their own customs and clearly they don't give a Fuuuuuu.... Boxes will make it to me in California and two days.

That's awesome. I can't wait to get back to Belgium. Cantillion and De Halve Maan were my favorite to visit. I'm sure you've been t' Poatersgat and De Garre. It took is like half an hour to find De Garre, that tiny little street was impossible to see!

Belgium was one of my favorite places to visit and I can't wait to get back. If there is ever any room on those shipments please let me know. My wife and I drank our last remaining Belgian on our last anniversary. It was incredible:

New item by Joe B

photos.app.goo.gl

Sorry this became about beer!

 

[Betty Wont]

Russian trannies...
Belgian beers...
This orgy is coming together.
Now, how about getting the hash back to the states from Holland?!?!