Where is Warm Audio finding all their NOS Germaniums?
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SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Seems insanely cheap to have 3 x oc75s, an oc76 and a sft337 transistors in it. I wonder if they're actually unused 60s stock or 'reissues' made in the 90s/ early 2000s like those 'Nkt275's you can pick up from Ebay. I could definitely see a company calling 'reissued' parts from the 90s nos.
I've been hunting for gut shot but havent seen one yet.
I've been hunting for gut shot but havent seen one yet.
Never knew they ever “reissued” germaniums. Wonder if they were more consistent, seeing they were made using modern practices, or the inconsistency is stuck with the material itself
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Yeah there's at least one factory still making germanium transistors. Dunlop and a few other companies had some transistors made and stamped with Nkt275 and a few other famous model numbers. I can't remember the name of the factory though. I'll grab some pics of the 'reissues'
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
If you see any transistors with that logo that looks like a G then they're more modern transistors which have been stamped with a model number of 60s transistors.
I've no idea what they're like I've never heard any but I've seen Nkt275, oc81d and oc44s stamped with that logo. None of them are in the same transistor package as the originals so they're pretty easy to spot whether they have the G logo or not.
Edit - dsi was the other one I've seen making transistors stamped with Newmarket or mullard transistor model numbers. This is a dsi oc81d, not made by mullard in 60s
I've no idea what they're like I've never heard any but I've seen Nkt275, oc81d and oc44s stamped with that logo. None of them are in the same transistor package as the originals so they're pretty easy to spot whether they have the G logo or not.
Edit - dsi was the other one I've seen making transistors stamped with Newmarket or mullard transistor model numbers. This is a dsi oc81d, not made by mullard in 60s
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TIL.
Truly if there’s money to be made “reissuing” stuff, *someone* out there’s gonna do it
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
I've just seen these posted on reddit. The oc76 look like legit NOS mullard transistors but the rest of them are the same package as the 'nkt275' I posted above. They're definitely not made by mullard and quite a stretch to call them NOS OC75s. Though in fairness they don't mention mullard in anything I've seen so far though.
passtheducky
Active member
Maybe from wherever Boss got ‘em all to make all those benders a few years back.
Doesn’t look good for the rest of us mortals.
Doesn’t look good for the rest of us mortals.
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Boss used 2n404a in those pedals. You can still buy those quite easily.
Robert
Reverse Engineer
passtheducky
Active member
Cool. I never looked inside a Bossbender. Thanks for the clarification.
I’m not a huge fan of Warm but that work looks legit.
I’m not a huge fan of Warm but that work looks legit.
benny_profane
Well-known member
What manufacturer?
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
Central semiconductor
PedalBuilder
Well-known member
The "OC75" transistors might be Chinese 3AX31B/C transistors. The package looks identical, and you can buy them by the hundred on Chinese ecommerce sites for less than 30¢ per transistor. And critically they have the right gain and leakage specs to work well in a Tone Bender Mk. II. Checks all the boxes for cheap, readily available, and having the right specs.
