Would the real OA126 please stand up?

[Natman]

So I built me a Pepper Spray on a Haberdasher board a few years ago but only boxed it up today (the reason for that may have to do with a certain Silicon Percolator variant that didn't blow my skirt up). Now having heard good things about the OA126, I bought a pair for this build then grabbed a few more for later projects.

What got me curious is that the second batch don't look like the first pair (see photo). The first ones are slightly bigger, have thicker gold leads and a matte finish while the second set are glossy and writing is oriented different.

Naturally I had to test both just to be sure...

The original pair offered just a bit of breakup compared to no clipping diodes. It was definitely a good sound but not dramatically different from lifted diodes. The second (glossy) pair sound even better! Equally loud but more hair, thus a nicer middle ground between the stock geranium clipping and no diodes for a better distinction between the 3 toggle settings.

So what  do you think the situation is here? Did Telefunken switch appearance on these from time to time (like tube manufacturers) or did I get duped into buying some fakes?

Here are the requisite pics:

[alanp]

Google imagesearch shows both labels.

By now, my attitude to germanium diodes is c'est la vie. If they sound better than a different batch you have, great! Otherwise, it's not worth losing hair over.

What is the Fv on those?

[Natman]

0.63 on the big ones, 0.65 on the glossy ones! This is one excellent pedal. I really dig how it combines fuzz, overdrive and distortion tones.

[brianq41369]

Or you bought something spec'd closest to the oa126? manufacturers have been known to change stuff up all the sudden tho?


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