my free samples (germanium NPN) are here!

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lcipher3

Active member
Boy it took forever... but you know the post office.... :ROFLMAO:
And those op amps - they said they were "8 pin" but I don' think they're gong to fit a PDIP8.

IMG_0504.jpg
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Seriously - pretty cool score. My friend was cleaning out his garage and gave me a bunch of his dads old stuff from 60s...
Germanium 2N1304 and 2N1306s assorted tubes, and those P2 op amps (one of the first - cost over $200 back in the early 60s!)
 
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lcipher3

Active member
Some interesting back story on the P2 and people who tried to reverse engineer it:

"You see, it turns out there was some interaction between the input of the first RF amplifier and the output of the 4th amplifier, that made the P2 work, when you assembled the two pc boards close together. It would not work with any other layout, orientation, or circuit-assembly technique. So none of our competitors ever second-sourced the P2. "

https://www.electronicdesign.com/te...e/21801817/whats-all-this-profit-stuff-anyhow
 
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HamishR

Well-known member
Anything which uses Ge transistors. My personal favourite uses for Ge trannies would be Skreddys like the Hybrid Overdrive or Screwdriver, or the Marshall Supafuzz which is also my favourite Tonebender. The Supafuzz was made by Solasound for Marshall way back when and is a fatter sounding fuzz than the typical Tonebender.

If you can get a meter which will tell you the hfe and leakage of the transistors it will make it a bit easier to use them.
 
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lcipher3

Active member
HamishR said:
Anything which uses Ge transistors. My personal favourite uses for Ge trannies would be Skreddys like the Hybrid Overdrive or Screwdriver, or the Marshall Supafuzz which is also my favourite Tonebender. The Supafuzz was made by Solasound for Marshall way back when and is a fatter sounding fuzz than the typical Tonebender.

If you can get a meter which will tell you the hfe and leakage of the transistors it will make it a bit easier to use them.
Click to expand...

thank - any of these available as diy pcb like pedalpcb versions?
 
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HamishR

Well-known member
The PedalPCB Tone Vendor MkII is quite similar to the Supa Fuzz I built. The main differences are the electrolytics - for the 5µF caps use 10µF and for the 10nF at C4 use a 47nF. If you have NPN Ge trannies then you don't need the voltage inverter section at all. It's a very simple circuit. The main thing is to use your lowest hfe transistor in Q1, Q2 should be around half as much again and the last transistor should have the highest hfe. It's very much a case of try it and see.

The Chickenhead is also my favourite version of rangemaster style boosters. All you need is one good NPN Ge. Fantastic, off-the-scale-with-mojo booster. :cool:
 
Kroars

Kroars

Active member
Chuck D. Bones said:
I built a 1304 and was not impressed. Just my opinion.

Besides the Skreddy pedals Hamish mentioned, the Fuschia is a great application for a Ge tranny.
Click to expand...
I just finished one myself and the best way I can describe it is ‘timid’. It lacks any real umph. I’m wondering if it’s the 2N1304’s? Also, the trimpot doesn’t seem to have any real affect on the sound.
 
Chuck D. Bones

Chuck D. Bones

Well-known member
Sorry if my misspelling threw you off.

BJFe used a 2N5952 JFET if the schematics on the 'net are to be believed. Find a JFET with Vp around 2-3V and you're good to go.

Mouser has PN4393 in a TO-92 package.
 
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lcipher3

Active member
Chuck D. Bones said:
Sorry if my misspelling threw you off.

BJFe used a 2N5952 JFET if the schematics on the 'net are to be believed. Find a JFET with Vp around 2-3V and you're good to go.

Mouser has PN4393 in a TO-92 package.
Click to expand...

Thanks!~ How critical is the hfe on the 2N1308? I only have 2N1304 and 2N1306

2N1304 120 typical
2N1306 135 typical
2N1308 170 typical
 
Chuck D. Bones

Chuck D. Bones

Well-known member
Q3's HFE is not critical in the Fuchsia. I always recommend socketing germanium transistors so you can try different ones.

Here's a pic of my prototype with a 2N1306 installed. Check the date code, that transistor is over 40 years old!

Pink Purple Deluxe - guts 01.jpg
 
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