Noob question about Matching Trannies

[HailToTheBlues]

Hi,
I intend to build two fuzz boxes, the retrograde, and the mangler, and when i was searching for opinions and posts around the internet to help me choose a pair of trannies for the fuzz face, i read that they need to be matched. Do this projects need to have matched transistors, or is it just a matter of taste?
Also, which pair of transistors do you usually install? I was going to build the silicon fuzz face, but since the germanium version sounds more like what i'm looking for (which is that 70's Hendrix fuzz sound) i've changed my mind.

Kind Regards

[brucer]

I know matched, properly biased transistors are needed for the Mangler.

There's some interesting reading on matching, biasing and "best" picks here: https://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/FuzzFaceFAQ/FFFAQ.htm.

After wading through that and the linked R.G Keen website, I cut down the guess work, learning curve, expense and effort by using matched "All American" transistors from Small Bear (see http://www.smallbearelec.com/servlet/Categories?category=Germanium+Transistors).  They come with the resistors required for "proper" biasing.

I was very happy with the results ... after working through some newbie troubles (see http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=14478.msg134912#msg134912).  I ended up jumpering R3 on the Mangler and using a 20K external pot instead of the internal trimmer.

I don't think you need matched transistors for the Retrograde ...

[HailToTheBlues]

Thanks for the links and the info!

[HailToTheBlues]

So does anyone knows for sure if retrograde needs matched transistor?

[HailToTheBlues]

Brucer kinda answered my question, but as he isn't sure, i needed someone to answer me if the retrograde needs matched transistors like the fuzz face does?

[midwayfair]

Brucer kinda answered my question, but as he isn't sure, i needed someone to answer me if the retrograde needs matched transistors like the fuzz face does?

No, it doesn't.

In almost all cases, a build document will specify something like that -- all the Madbean docs certainly do.

[HailToTheBlues]

Well, has the mangler document didn't specify that, i had to ask about the retrograde too... thanks for answer