Transistor Types- bc108b vs bc108c etc etc

[claytushaywood]

I've been noticing some differences in my transistors as I build more and more silicon fuzz pedals and whatnot.  What's the difference between the bc549b and bc549c?  hfe?  manufacturer?

The 2n5306's I've ordered from mammoth do not look or sound  nearly the same as the ones I've ordered from small bear... it seems their gain ranges are very different too.  Though I've only auditioned them, havent measured them.

I've noticed a difference, fairchild seems to be my favorite so far.  What do you guys think?

[claytushaywood]

okay, i'm an idiot- i just found out there IS quite a difference between gains of some of the bc109b's and bc109c's I've bought. 

But what should be used on for example... the sprout pedal?  it calls for just a bc109... and actually small bear sells a "bc109" without any suffix.  the gain is 800hfe versus 550 for the bc109c and 250 for the bc109b!!! 

crazy!  It seems there isnt a end all be all transistor store... does anyone have any recommendations... I have not enjoyed my tayda ones very much.  I'm wondering if the jfet pedals I've built with tayda's stuff could be improved too?

Also, the reason this concerns me- is that I'm not a fan of the socket and try em out.  I've found the in line sockets I've used will wear out very easily.  They get so loose, the transistors will just fall out of my meathead clone if held upside down.  lame! 

I also lose track of how it sounds with this MANY combinations... ya know. 

I guess it's more of a personal quandry- but I'd like to hear how you guys go about auditioning transistors for silicon fuzzes and maybe even jfet pedals (if thats even nescessary), and where you get em.
Thanks!

[jkokura]

With a small circuit like a sprout, you can easily breadboard the circuit before building it and installing the transistor permanently. That way you don't need to worry about a socket.

A second suggestion is to use sockets, but when you've found the transistor you want to use, you can solder just one leg into one of the sockets. That way, if you ever need to pull it it's fairly easy to 'break' that solder connection, or even to heat up that leg, pull out the transistor, then use a pump or some braid to clean up that socket.

Jacob

[calciferspit]

A second suggestion is to use sockets, but when you've found the transistor you want to use, you can solder just one leg into one of the sockets. That way, if you ever need to pull it it's fairly easy to 'break' that solder connection, or even to heat up that leg, pull out the transistor, then use a pump or some braid to clean up that socket.

Jacob

+1 advice. I "rent-to-own" by socketing delicate and variable components and then commit (or semi commit) with solder once I'm happy with everything in the circuit.

[claytushaywood]

Cool idea!  much appreciated!

[pryde]

I socket pretty much all transistors and swap until I find what I like. I smash the ends of the leads flat with some pliers before installing and they never come out without a good amount of tugging.

[mgwhit]

I added some BC108s and BC109s to my last Mammoth order, and then noticed that all of the silicon fuzz circuits I wanted to try them with called for Cs.  I tested the gains on mine and they're very low: BC108 = 90-135, BC109 ~= 200.  Obviously not Cs.

The BC108s have perfect gains for a Germanium Fuzz face.  I know Silicon Fuzz Faces typically use higher gain transistors, but then again most people think they sound like ass.  I'll breadboard that one up this weekend and see how it goes.

I tried subbing the BC109s for the (~200hfe) 2n4401s I used for Q1 and Q2 in a Silicon Tone Bender Mk II that breadboarded a couple weeks back.  They weren't particularly inspiring, and may have been noisier.

[mgwhit]

Just to follow up, I did breadboard a Fuzz Face with the generic, low-gain Mammoth BC108s last night, and I thought they were perfectly acceptable, if nothing to get terribly excited about.  At some point this week I'll swap a generic, low-gain Mammoth BC109 into Q2 and see if I like that any better.