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Secret to green ringer

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9/11/2000 6:53 PM

Secret to green ringer

I have finally got my green ringer to work, it sounds just like the original. First project is completed. Instead of using 2N5088 or2n5089 and also 2N4250 transistors(I have tried three different brands, what a pain, for each and my ringer sounded real weak, nothing like my original. What I used was BC548 for the NPNs and BC559 for the one PNP from the schematic at guitar effects projects page.
http://soundcorecords.com/guitareffectsprojects/

I think people who have built them in the past have not had them sound like the sound sample now mine does.

Good luck
Greg

9/11/2000 7:02 PM
aron	Thanks for sharing Greg! Could you measure the hFE on those transistors so others can try and match the characteristics of your transistors? DId you use sockets for them? Aron

9/11/2000 8:57 PM

Aron,

Sorry I don't have anything to measure the hfe on those transistors. I also did not use transistor sockets. Painstakingly I had to resolder a new one in the 3 different places on the board to test the sound quality every time. I did buy the transistors from mouser, about 9 each, First ones in were right on the money. I mean an exact sound quality to my 70's ringer. Mine has the 4 transistors in the original I used the diode in place project.

let me know if there is anything else I can help with

Greg

9/12/2000 9:33 AM
Hemmo P.	What diodes did you use? 1N4148´s? 1N34A´s? Transistor?! I should get a change to try mine against ´original´ (wish we´d had any around here) Good for you it sounds good! Hemmo P.

9/12/2000 9:58 AM

Greg,

Wow, that's great news. Anyone know if these transistors are readily availabe in the USA? I see mouser has a BC548A and a BC559B I guess those might work? Like Aron, I'm curious about what makes the difference and why this circuit may be breaking "Keen's Law" of transistor selection? I did socket my GR circuit. Maybe I'll play around with the transistors I have and see if I can get it to sound better with some others. Anyone ever tried 2N3904/2N3906 in this thing? I'll post results soon.

JD

9/12/2000 4:18 PM

quote:
"Anyone ever tried 2N3904/2N3906 in this thing?"

I took a look at the NTE subs for Greg's transistors, and they're close in HFE to 3904/06. Closer than the 5089/4250 I used. Give it a shot.

-Eric

9/12/2000 4:56 PM
Greg	I used cheap radio shack 1N4148 Diodes. JD posted "I see mouser has a BC548A and a BC559B I guess those might work?" Well these are the ones I used. First ones in of a package of 10(NPN and PNP's)(in order to experiment)worked. Although I need to put back in 56K resistors, instead of 66K as my original has? Wounder if it makes a difference.

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