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Vintage threads from the first ten years

Germanium transistors

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4/25/2000 2:48 PM
Nathan	Germanium transistors Where can I buy Germanium transistors or substitutes? Thanks Nathan

4/25/2000 5:01 PM

If you don't have any equipment to check for leaky germaniums and you simply want to buy good ones, your best bet is to get pre-screened ones from RG Keen at GEO or at Small Bear Electronics (look at the Fuzz Face posts below). If you are going to get unscreened ones from MCM or NTE or whatever, you need to get more than you need as some probably won't work right. I have had many new ones from both MCM and NTE that were leaky and unusable.

I have had good luck traipsing to the hamfest with an old RS sub guide and buying buckets of old germanium transistors. Testing with a DVM for hfe, I've seen around a 50% yield in NPN germaniums. Maybe some of the other guys here can give their experience on yields?

4/25/2000 5:57 PM
Steve Daniels (Small Bear Electronics)	$6.00 a pair + $2.00 per order shipping in the U.S . Please do visit my Web site; you'll find a good design for a "Super FF" clone, the "Bear Face", ordering information, other useful products and free downloads. home.netcom.com/~smallbearelec Regards

4/26/2000 11:30 PM

Recommend Steve Daniels

Hi,
Just wanted to vouch for Steve Daniels and his transistors. I bought two pairs of germaniums from him last week for my first do it yourself projects. They arrived within a few days, and worked great. The best part of the deal was that when the inevitable questions/problems came up with my project (I'm a beginner at this) he was very responsive. I recieved several detailed answers from him, both to my personal email and in response to questions I posted on internet forums. I should also point out that although I was using Steve's transistors, I was not building one of his projects. He still helped me out just as if I was building one of his designs. I've bought components from boutique effects companies in the past for doing mods, and trust me most companies don't have the time or inclination to cater to do it yourselfers. Steve goes out of his way to be helpful. Just my $.02.

4/27/2000 12:12 AM
R.G.	Re: Germanium transistors If you're interested in NPN germaniums, check GEO.

4/30/2000 2:20 PM
Tom	MCM is now carrying the AC-128.

5/1/2000 1:43 PM
R.G.	Go for it. My experience with AC128's was so bad that I won't go back. Buy three times what you actually need.

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