New Production Germanium Transistors - What's The Scoop?
- Thread starter Ginsly
- Start date
spi
Well-known member
The only one that looks close is Solid State Inc
Is that who is making these transistors?
Is that who is making these transistors?
spi
Well-known member
these screenshots are from the tubesandmore/cedist/antiqueaudiosupply site
jessenator
Well-known member
Synertek?
Silicon Investigations Integrated Circuit Manufacturer logo Identification Page
Silicon Investigations IC manufacturer logo information is used as a starting point to research manufacturers during reverse engineering projects.
www.siliconinvestigations.com
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Feral Feline
Well-known member
I was thinking Synertek at first, as well, but I think Spi is spot in with Solid State Inc.
Thank you both for the links to logo-fest. I've DL'd the chart and made a PDF of the website from both your's and Spi's posts.
Thank you both for the links to logo-fest. I've DL'd the chart and made a PDF of the website from both your's and Spi's posts.
I bought a bag of 1N34A from China when I was still in Hong Kong, they looked like legit black-banded 1N34A but who knows, they could've been Schottky, still — however, given the number of duds mixed in with the bag, I'd like to think they're Ge.
Feral Feline
Well-known member
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jessenator
Well-known member
That weird faux-cube/triskellion thing they have on that logos page doesn't really cut it at 1990s web resolutions...
Ginsly
Well-known member
Checked in with AES, this is what they said:
“We only list NOS on brand specific premium options but that doesn't mean that other listings are not NOS. The nonspecific listings could be from a variety of manufacturers. We do update the photos to match the current stock. The closest thing to new production would be items that have been assembled in recent years using NOS materials. If there's a specific transistor you'd like to know more about we can look into it, but generally we get all our transistors from a multitude of vendors.”
I asked which ones might be “assembled in recent years using NOS materials”, we’ll see - very curious about all of this.
“We only list NOS on brand specific premium options but that doesn't mean that other listings are not NOS. The nonspecific listings could be from a variety of manufacturers. We do update the photos to match the current stock. The closest thing to new production would be items that have been assembled in recent years using NOS materials. If there's a specific transistor you'd like to know more about we can look into it, but generally we get all our transistors from a multitude of vendors.”
I asked which ones might be “assembled in recent years using NOS materials”, we’ll see - very curious about all of this.
PedalBuilder
Well-known member
Wouldn’t surprise me if this was a reference to a company selling relabeled NOS germanium, like the now-defunct NTE used to do.
CheapSuitG
Well-known member
So any time I see this post pop up, all I can think of is Seinfeld...
What's wiiiith their leakage?
JTEX
Well-known member
Do a quick scan through the catalogues of reliable, first-tier distributors: DigiKey, Mouser, Newark, and also (or even especially!) Asian-based ones such as LCSC. If none of them list germanium transistors in stock, then you can be pretty certain that nobody currently makes them, or you'd find them there. Simple as that!
I wouldn't trust any distributor that's not ISO-certified. There needs to be full traceability, documented chain of custody of the parts all the way to the manufacturer, lot number, datasheet, ROHS status and all such details, or there's basically zero credibility.
I wouldn't trust any distributor that's not ISO-certified. There needs to be full traceability, documented chain of custody of the parts all the way to the manufacturer, lot number, datasheet, ROHS status and all such details, or there's basically zero credibility.
Ginsly
Well-known member
Yep. I’m glad I asked since it seemed like some people were under the impression that they were still being made to a limited extent. I don’t see any evidence of that, though.
Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
Not true. D9x diodes are extremely leaky. Some 1N43A are leaky and some are not. Put D9x diodes in a BMP or Cornish G2 and the gain will approach zero dB. The only place leaky diode stand a chance of working is as hard clippers (ex Klon, Rat).
This holds true for all Ge devices, transistors & diodes:
You don't know what you have until you test them. Too much lot-to-lot and mfgr-to-mfgr variation.
PedalBuilder
Well-known member
Sure, but from what I can tell, the vast majority of builds that I see on here that use germanium diodes use them as hard clippers, e.g. Klon, Parentheses, Super Fuzz, Distortion+, or use them in designs that work best (IMO) with a leaky diode, such as the Tone Bender Mk. III/IV, Buzzaround, Dizzy Tone, although I recommend auditioning diode/transistor combinations for the latter type of circuit. Using germanium diodes in a feedback loop is much less common, so unless someone is building a G2, they should be fine with a D9.
jessenator
Well-known member
Exactly what I was thinking. There's also this solution I've used in a few G2 builds and love it.
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Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
A few years ago, New Jersey Semiconductor came into possession of NOS AC127 die. They packaged them up and were selling them thru distributors. So, in a way, they were new parts because they were packaged for the first time. I contacted one such distributor and asked for a data sheet. Crickets...
Ginsly
Well-known member
Ah. Those might be the “assembled in recent years using NOS materials” transistors AES had mentioned in their email.
Chuck D. Bones
Circuit Wizard
Ask AES for a datasheet, see what they say.
My take is that if a manufacturer or dealer can't or won't supply a datasheet, you don't know what you're buying. You're probably better off buying parts on eBay. At least with eBay, if the buyer is dissatisfied, they get their money back, no hassle.
My take is that if a manufacturer or dealer can't or won't supply a datasheet, you don't know what you're buying. You're probably better off buying parts on eBay. At least with eBay, if the buyer is dissatisfied, they get their money back, no hassle.
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