ME4003: lower hfe than expected

[traktop]

Tonight is smd fet mounting  and transistor measurement night

I was measuring 100 x ME4003  ,(TO106), transistors that I ordered to english ebay seller "gOOfie" the other day with the following results:

13 x 170/220 hfe
57 x 230/290 hfe
25 x 300/350 hfe
5 x 400/450 hfe

To be sincere, I didn´t expected to get so low gain transistors, (>300hfe as data sheet information).

Anyway, I heard very good things about this trannies in this forum, so based on your experiences, what are your recommendations for this trannies and such gains?(I guess lots of fuzzfaces on the horizon...)
Cheers, Gilberto.
 
 

[rocket88]

I've got a few thousand of them, from the same seller in fact the last 1k I bought were in factory sealed bags, and I got a lot in the 400-500hfe range, while when a few of us in the USA bought a few hundred I think Travis got more in the 500hfe range while mine were in the 300hfe range.  It's really a crap shoot ya know? In any event the lower hfe ones sounds fantastic in one knob fuzzes, which are basically Si fuzzfaces with no fuzz knob, which really who doesn't just have it maxed all the time. I've also found them great to use in place of 2n2222a transistors.

[traktop]

Yeah 2n2222a/2n3904 analogy came to my mind.
Maybe I should have done a fair hfe request before ordering... (who knows...)

I´ll probably try the 400ish range on a big muff or something, but the lower ones seemed workable for a superfuzz I´m working on.
Cheers, Gilberto

[rocket88]

they don't sort as far as i know. they just measure out the amount you order and send them, just like any other time you order transistors really.

[Dex3887]

I just got my 100 from him and they are all over the place from 190-500. Most are in the 250 range which is what I wanted, i have plenty of high gain silicon but these are more relaxed, they sound absolutely magnificent in my Colorsound 18v overdriver clone. I kinda like that they are unmarked, really adds to the mojo.

[Tesla]

I just bought the last 500 off the German ebay and took another 500 in the past.   I’ll let you know about these next ones but the last we’re the same as yours, mix of everything and missing the normal lettering.  But try and find any transistor in that package for anywhere near a comparable amount lol. Plus this way you get a good mix for all your projects not just big muffs.  The low gain ones are great for fuzz faces and that EQD erupter and anything 350+ works awesome in vintage muff builds like the triangle and rams head

[blorvak]

Ha, I'm glad I got an order in before you!

Haven't measured all of them, but it looks like high 200, low 300 for the last batch I bought.

[traktop]

I used me4003s under 200 hfe on a superfuzz and it sounds awesome.
Tried them on a custom fuzz face as well, but it sounded too dark for any reason, (meathead was great though).
Love how those breath in comparison with similar gain transistors.
I went a little nervous and ordered another 300 from gOofie eBay seller😁