rocket warned me,but i couldn't resist.

[bogey]

I've just received my first "fix" of germanium from our Bulgarian connection.i got some MP38,IT308B,GC511 andGC521 transistors. And for free I got some GC121B,IT2306,7 and 8 transistors some PIO caps a big bag of electrolytics and some 1D507A diodes(I need more Ge diodes...no I mean it man, I REALLY NEED more Ge diodes).
So any suggestions what I should use them in. I've already got the board for the Conrad Buzztone built(like I said I need more diodes).
Any feedback greatly appreciated.
THANKS

[Beaker]

Gooba gabba gooba gabba, one of us, one of us!

I just got a huge box of parts from him yesterday too!

And yes, if the Ge bug has bitten you, you NEED more diodes.

I recommend D9 - any of them seem to be good, but the D9E is most favoured, mainly by Klon builders. The price reflects this though. D, K and V versions are really good.

D310 and D311 (the ones that look like nuclear submarines) are fantastic too.

He sent me a strip of twenty D18 diodes too, so I'm going to have to give those a try as well.

I used MP38 transistors, and D9K ,and D311 in the Germanium Giant, which is awesome.

I have also used MP38 for a Germanium Fuzzrite, which screams!

Good choice with the Conrad, If you like it, try the Univox SQ-150 Square wave fuzz with Ge diodes. It's a cracker!

[rocket88]

hahaha. no one listens to me, but i'm used to it, i do teach high school kids.

but, seriously the MP38's are fantastic NPN Ge's. a great build, while not a fuzz is the Germanium Giant a bunch of us, like beaker and myself, worked on. it's fucking fantastic, and one of my favorite builds. it's been on my pedalboard since it was built and will NOT come off. still working on doing a few other tweaks to try and add a tonestack with a gain recovery stage. it's amazing what 1 little transistor can do.

IT308B's would be nice in a PNP fuzzface, which call me biased, but like the BMP should be in every players arsenal. you could also to a nice tonebender, or fuzzrite. shit, the sky's the limit. just remember that with these they're PNP, so unless you build/add an inverter you can not daisy chain it to other pedals using the same power supply.

if you really get into Ge's you might want to checkout MP20A's, GT108V's and MP16B's. both great go to Ge transistors. the MP16B's are a little on the darker more aggressive side, while MP20A's are just good all rounders. GT108V's have a sorta Si Ge hybrid sound and feel, sound great in fuzzfaces.

beaker has great suggestions for Ge diodes. i will add that i have a wide range of D9's including D9B, D9D, D9E, D9K, D9L, D9k, D9J, D9V, D9I and i'm sure i'm missing some. but, what i was going to say they each have a slight different sound to them. the D9E's have a little more treble to them, and don't breakup as easily compared to the others. while i've found the D9B is the opposite, and have more bass, and have a bit or a richer growlier breakup and have taken over for 1N270 as one of my favorite Ge diodes. i also play bass, so they fit what i'm after nicely. most of the D9's can be had fairly cheap for batches of 10-50, so if you can grab some of each from one seller get them and test them out to find what you like. i think i have about 400 of each D9.

the D311 and D310 look like a fucking nuclear bomb, and add a ton of mojo to boot. they sound like they look, big and fat. totally worth having some. the only problem is that their lead is massively thick, so you can't test them in sockets, cause they won't fit. i think i've got a few hundred of them.

i got a bunch of the 1D507A from him too, and really fell in love with them too, so i order 500.

keep an eye out for SFD-106, SFD-110, SFD-111, and SFD-112 diodes. smooth, sweet, and transparent. again, i probably have a few hundred of each type.

check out 1n270's they can be found fairly reasonable, and are great sounding. not many fakes IME.

i could go on and on about this shit, but it just makes me want to go order some more. am i running low on anything???

[Chris60601]

... Admittedly, The Green Manalishi is starting to show over on this side with this hobby and now... I must start walking the path of the above lost souls

Who is this ebay person you speak of?!?!

[rocket88]

this is who you want to buy from, that we all do from bulgaria

http://stores.ebay.com/bg2014manue?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

[Silver Blues]

rocket88 wrote

just remember that with these they're PNP, so unless you build/add an inverter you can not daisy chain it to other pedals using the same power supply.

You could also do the whole transistor-flip thing and see if your circuit plays well with it (use a PNP transistor in an negative-ground circuit by swapping emitter and collector).

[Beaker]

Here is the link to his other store:

http://stores.ebay.com/ml-electronics

This store tends to list more diodes.


While you are browsing, if he has any Motorola 2N2222 metal can transistors listed, snag some of those too - they are great.

Edit: I ordered a load of this military grade silver wire from him. Really supple, but very strong, and solders like a dream!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100ft-approx-30m-high-purity-silver-plated-OCC-teflon-PTFE-wire-for-audio-SQ/181702999393?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D29907%26meid%3D998eca51d8204dcdbea6036761bf5423%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D171736712794&rt=nc

[Chris60601]

Phillips 2N2222 - for a lot of 10, 2.22 doable pricing

[dbat69]

I would agree with the above on the choices of components, and our friend in Bulgaria is a STAR.  He has lots of nice Ge things and once I got started on the Ge craze, I'm hooked.

I've just had a nice bag of stuff from him and lots of extra goodies - I feel like a kid at Christmas every time one of his packages arrives.
I also like getting the odd box of Ge transistors but I always feel bad opening it
He has lots of items in his 2 stores so it is always worth going through all the items - I just can't help myself

TO add to Rocket's list, the D223 is good and also looks like a bomb

[Beaker]

This is his third shop (I think!).

http://stores.ebay.com/kimelectronics

He is listing Motorola 2N2222 metal cans, and lots of the diodes listed above.

[dbat69]

Beaker
This one (Pulsar) is one of his stores, BUT it is run by someone else so he can't easily combine purchases from Pulsar with his main stores bg2014-manue and ml-electronics.

I tend to stick mainly with bg2014-manue and ml-electronics

although there is nothing wrong with pulsar either, and I occasionally purchase from that one too


Ahhhhh ... lovely Ge

[Beaker]

Thanks dbat, I thought it was something along those lines.

[Frank_NH]

I have so far resisted the siren's song of germanium trannies and all of the circuits based on them. Just  give me a good ol' silicon Op Amp any day!!  Heh!  

[rocket88]

oh frank. you will succumb one of these days. it's hard to resist, and then once you start its hard to stop...

[dbat69]

Frank ... you can not resist the dark side, the force is strong with Ge

Go on ... have a go

[Chris60601]

Step away from the Silly Cone and feel the warm glow of GE - after all, they bring good things to life

[Luke51411]

Frank, Would you say your resistance to GE makes you biased?

[Frank_NH]

Ha!  All your taunting won't make me crack!  No sir!  No way!  You can have your leaky germaniums...yeah...those misfit...odd...lovely...smooth sounding electronic jewels.  OOOOhhhh...WHERE CAN I GET SOME GERMANIUMS!!

...oops, ahem, sorry.  

[rocket88]

hahahaha. my gf asked why i was laughing so much, and i told her that it was from reading this and explained it to her. she game me the look, and we all know that look. the one where she's telling you that you're a fucking idiot, but saying ohh ok hunny, i get it.

we are definitely a unique collective.

[Frank_NH]

Zach, just tell your girlfriend that nothing says "I LOVE YOU" more than a genuine Germanium Transistor Ring!  Only $24.99 on the QVC channel!