Treble booster vs Boost with 3-knob EQ

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  • Yorkie said:
    Ok. Tested again with the commercial cables and there does seem to be a tad more signal. Brought the AC15 to the edge of breakup, then plugged the treble booster and played for half an hour until the battery died :lol: 

    What is a bit less clear to me is whether this sounds sufficiently different to the Top Boost channel on its own. Probably not :flushed: 
    Was the battery full before as it would sound very different with a low battery. 

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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    Yorkie said:
    Ok. Tested again with the commercial cables and there does seem to be a tad more signal. Brought the AC15 to the edge of breakup, then plugged the treble booster and played for half an hour until the battery died :lol: 

    What is a bit less clear to me is whether this sounds sufficiently different to the Top Boost channel on its own. Probably not :flushed: 
    Was the battery full before as it would sound very different with a low battery. 
    Nah, I have been testing circuits on that little brick for like a month. I don’t think the treble booster has ever seen a full battery :lol: 
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    Why are there so many more PNP germaniums than NPN? 

    Is there a good recipe to ‘reverse’ the circuit for PNP transistors?

     Cheers folks, 
    Jon
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
    My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie

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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    Ok, rookie mistake: I didn't know the left and right sections of the power rails were not interconnected. I've put a jumper lead between both and problem solved. This has also solved a nearly identical issue I had with the fuzz circuit I was working on. I've tested both and they sound glorious. The fuzz in particular is hilarious. I'll keep tweaking them until happy, but these are clearly going in a Hammond case.
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
    My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie

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  • Yorkie said:
    Ok, rookie mistake: I didn't know the left and right sections of the power rails were not interconnected. I've put a jumper lead between both and problem solved. This has also solved a nearly identical issue I had with the fuzz circuit I was working on. I've tested both and they sound glorious. The fuzz in particular is hilarious. I'll keep tweaking them until happy, but these are clearly going in a Hammond case.
    Yes that’s right you need to jumper power and ground

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  • CookiemonsterCookiemonster Frets: 894
    edited April 2023
    For PNP you swap the electrolytics that’s all. Just the opposite way round. 

    There is more PNP as they are mostly lower leakage and better (kind of) than the NPN equivalent 

    you want between 60 to a 100hfe I would say with low leakage but with a bit of bias on a trimmer you can tweak to taste

    but you can not Daisy chain so you could make a voltage changer on vero. I did this the other day

    or just run on battery

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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    but you can not Daisy chain so you could make a voltage changer on vero. I did this the other day
    I’m listening :grin: 
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    I’ve seen that many Ge transistors have a min hfe spec on their datasheet. Do the transistors need to be tested individually to make sure what the hfe is, or is the min hfe a ballpark figure? 

    I’ve found OC29, AC126, AC127, ACY20… have you guys used any of those models? 

    I’ve also found some with a hole in them, presumably for attaching a heatsink. Are those Ok for pedals? 

    Thanks, 
    Jon
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
    My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie

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  • CookiemonsterCookiemonster Frets: 894
    edited May 2023
    Yorkie said:
    I’ve seen that many Ge transistors have a min hfe spec on their datasheet. Do the transistors need to be tested individually to make sure what the hfe is, or is the min hfe a ballpark figure? 

    I’ve found OC29, AC126, AC127, ACY20… have you guys used any of those models? 

    I’ve also found some with a hole in them, presumably for attaching a heatsink. Are those Ok for pedals? 

    Thanks, 
    Jon
    You can get a cheap tester but yes the HFE will vary from one transistor to the next as does the leakage. The original had a oc44 so might be worth a look for one of those. 

    you need to bias these and your looking for around 7v I believe instead of the 4.5. But others may say different. 

    I found that anything from 60 to a 100 HFE sounded good. 

    I haven’t tried a OC29 but online you should be able to find out an idea of the hfe

    The AC126 would be good I think

    Gapco sell some germanium transistors I think 

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  • CookiemonsterCookiemonster Frets: 894
    For a cheap tester the tc1 is good and is on eBay and Amazon usually

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  • CookiemonsterCookiemonster Frets: 894
    I might be able to send a couple of germs if you struggle to find some. I tend to buy the ones from the Ukraine btw

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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    Cookiemonster said:

    You can get a cheap tester but yes the HFE will vary from one transistor to the next as does the leakage. The original had a oc44 so might be worth a look for one of those. 

    My multimeter has a 'hfe' mode, and sockets for PNP and NPN. I will have a go at testing the silicon ones I've got. Who knows, I may end up changing the transistor I've got on the breadboard :lol: 
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    edited May 2023
    I might be able to send a couple of germs if you struggle to find some. I tend to buy the ones from the Ukraine btw
    Thanks for your kind offer. I'm interested in the Ukrainian ones: how long did it take to receive them? Did you have to pay import taxes and all that? I saw the image on one of the listings, mentioning 40-day delivery times and got scared away...
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
    My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie

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  • CookiemonsterCookiemonster Frets: 894
    Yorkie said:
    I might be able to send a couple of germs if you struggle to find some. I tend to buy the ones from the Ukraine btw
    Thanks for your kind offer. I'm interested in the Ukrainian ones: how long did it take to receive them? Did you have to pay import taxes and all that? I saw the image on one of the listings, mentioning 40-day delivery times and got scared away...
    I don’t remember exactly how long, but it was relatively quick. Price was good. No extra charges at all. 

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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    Yorkie said:
    I might be able to send a couple of germs if you struggle to find some. I tend to buy the ones from the Ukraine btw
    Thanks for your kind offer. I'm interested in the Ukrainian ones: how long did it take to receive them? Did you have to pay import taxes and all that? I saw the image on one of the listings, mentioning 40-day delivery times and got scared away...
    I don’t remember exactly how long, but it was relatively quick. Price was good. No extra charges at all. 
    Sounds great. Which ones have you got? I can’t find anything with a min hfe > 50. 
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
    My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie

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  • CookiemonsterCookiemonster Frets: 894
    edited May 2023
    Yorkie said:
    Yorkie said:
    I might be able to send a couple of germs if you struggle to find some. I tend to buy the ones from the Ukraine btw
    Thanks for your kind offer. I'm interested in the Ukrainian ones: how long did it take to receive them? Did you have to pay import taxes and all that? I saw the image on one of the listings, mentioning 40-day delivery times and got scared away...
    I don’t remember exactly how long, but it was relatively quick. Price was good. No extra charges at all. 
    Sounds great. Which ones have you got? I can’t find anything with a min hfe > 50. 
    I think someone recommended the GT308v HFE and Leakage vary a bit. But they have been pretty good. Best advice I can give is to dig around on the pedal forums. Usually there will be some recommendations 


    • GT108V (ГТ108В) - hfe 60-130
      GT108G (ГТ108Г) - hfe 110-250
      GT109E (ГТ109Е) - hfe 50-100
      GT109G (ГТ109Г) - hfe 50-100
      GT109V (ГТ109В) - hfe 50-100
      GT115V (ГТ115В) - hfe 60-150
      GT115G (ГТ115Г) - hfe 60-150
      GT124B (ГТ124Б) - hfe 71-162
      GT124V (ГТ124В) - hfe 120-200
      GT308B (ГТ308Б) - hfe 50-120
      GT308V (ГТ308В) - hfe 80-150
      GT308G (ГТ308Г) - hfe 90-200
      GT309B (ГТ309Б) - hfe 60-180
      GT310G (ГТ310Г) - hfe 60-120
      GT310E (ГТ310E) - hfe 60-120
      GT311D (ГТ311Д) - hfe 60-180
      GT311i (ГТ311И) - hfe 100-300
      GT311k (ГТ311K) - hfe 60-180
      GT311L (ГТ311л) - hfe 150-300
      GT402B (ГТ402Б) - hfe 60-150
      GT402G (ГТ402Г) - hfe 60-150
      GT402E (ГТ402E) - hfe 60-150
      GT402i (ГТ402И) - hfe 60-150
      GT403B (ГТ402Б) - hfe 50-150
      GT403G (ГТ402Г) - hfe 50-150
      GT403D (ГТ402Д) - hfe 50-150
      GT404B (ГТ404Б) - hfe 60-150
      GT404G (ГТ404Г) - hfe 60-150
      GT404E (ГТ404Е) - hfe 60-150

    I think the Bonamassa is MP38V. 

    But you can find people speak about the equivalents to ac128 for example 

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  • robertyroberty Frets: 10932
    Yorkie said:
    Why are there so many more PNP germaniums than NPN? 

    Is there a good recipe to ‘reverse’ the circuit for PNP transistors?

     Cheers folks, 
    Jon
    You can use one of these to invert voltage and daisy chain PNP with NPN

    https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/product/pumpdb

    You have to be careful with the IC because cheap/fake ones will be noisy
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  • CookiemonsterCookiemonster Frets: 894
    roberty said:
    Yorkie said:
    Why are there so many more PNP germaniums than NPN? 

    Is there a good recipe to ‘reverse’ the circuit for PNP transistors?

     Cheers folks, 
    Jon
    You can use one of these to invert voltage and daisy chain PNP with NPN

    https://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/product/pumpdb

    You have to be careful with the IC because cheap/fake ones will be noisy
    That looks good I tend to make the really cheap vero one. It’s only a few parts 

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  • YorkieYorkie Frets: 1692
    edited May 2023
    Update:

    I have been tweaking the fuzz and treble booster circuits.

    Also, I have sold many of my commercial pedals to raise cash and space for what’s coming. 

    I have bought some more pots and pedal hardware, and so will be making some of those circuits permanent soon. Got a few ACY19 germs off eBay (haven’t received them yet) and I have invested a bit on op amps and the voltage converter IC that was on the vero layout @Cookiemonster had posted. 

    I have finally managed to read hfe off my multimeter (the socket does not hold the trannies very securely). So I don’t think I shall be buying another tester for now. 

    The one thing I’m still fearful of is the lack of space in 1590b cases for home made (eg on perfboard) circuits. Will need to get creative. 

    Jon
    Adopted northerner with Asperger syndrome. I sometimes struggle with empathy and sarcasm – please bear with me.   
    My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie

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