madbeanpedals::forum

Projects => General Questions => Requests => Topic started by: midwayfair on March 15, 2012, 03:14:35 PM

Title: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: midwayfair on March 15, 2012, 03:14:35 PM
and you DON'T want to use them in a drive/distortion pedal.

What's a ("good" or "bad") use for 'em? Any experience using them as substitutes in circuits where they don't necessarily belong?

(These are the generic Ge diodes from Small Bear.)
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: add4 on March 15, 2012, 03:29:11 PM
build a dozen of pigrtonics philosopher's tone germanium edition about 7 ge diodes in one of them if i remember correctly.
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: jkokura on March 15, 2012, 05:22:46 PM
Those diodes are used for the dirt section... so that won't help.

Unfortunately, about the only major use of Ge Diodes in guitar pedals is in clipping from what I've seen. That's not to say they can't be used elsewhere, just that its about the only use I've seen.

Jacob
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: nzCdog on March 15, 2012, 07:45:54 PM
make a vintage tube radio?
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: slimtriggers on March 18, 2012, 03:59:05 AM
Good use: You could give them away to guys who do want to build dirt pedals.

Bad use: You could make jewelry out of them.

(http://s15.postimage.org/o5o4yazuj/resist.jpg)
(http://s18.postimage.org/oujydyhi1/caps.jpg)


*or you could build a Green Ringer ;)
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: pietro_moog on March 18, 2012, 05:55:00 PM
awesome, i gotta have the capacitor collier for my girlfriend  !!!!










(that's a joke)
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: midwayfair on March 18, 2012, 07:06:59 PM
Actually, my wife suggested making jewelry with the extra capacitors I got (I ordered a couple bags of 200 instead of individuals ... oops).

The Green Ringer is a pretty reasonable usage. I might try that.
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: gtr2 on March 18, 2012, 07:51:13 PM
a buffer, I think there is a schematic on amz effects
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: Scruffie on March 18, 2012, 08:07:48 PM
Several Compressors... The Hollis Flatline, Orange Squeezer.

Charge pumps, they have a low fV so you'll loose less voltage.

Several Octave Effects use them... Zvex Octane (can't remember what this one's based on) The Lowrider Pearl OC-7.

Anywhere you need a low voltage drop... any clipping stage you want to have sharp cut off voltage with soft/assymetrical clipping.

Dunno if you classify the Z.Vex Machine as a standard dirt pedal seeing as it creates crossover distortion? That uses some.
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: culturejam on March 18, 2012, 10:55:00 PM
Quote from: Scruffie on March 18, 2012, 08:07:48 PM
Charge pumps, they have a low fV so you'll loose less voltage.

Good idea. I was going to suggest power supply protection for the same reason.
Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: djaaz on March 18, 2012, 11:11:46 PM
Trade them for something else?

Title: Re: Let's say you've got a pile of Ge diodes ...
Post by: midwayfair on March 21, 2012, 03:15:51 PM
Well, here's a good use: Build some of these!

http://www.madbeanpedals.com/projects/Afterlife/Afterlife.pdf

I was planning on building one or two of them to begin with. This is great. :D