Brian May treble booster

[Chris S]

Has any built the Brian May treble booster on R.G's site? and what transistor did you use?

Mine seems to be cutting more treble than boosting at the moement?

Chris

[bettycat]

BC182L
Try to find NOS ones with the metal can head, they sound very different from the Fairchild remake (plastic head), available from Mouser

[Chris S]

Any ideas where I could get one?

[Chris S]

did a net search to no avail...

[gtrmac]

Small Bear has selected Germaniums that work very well. I've built two so far and they sound great.

[bettycat]

Small Bear has selected Germaniums that work very well. I've built two so far and they sound great.

BC182L´s are silicium transistors, not germaniums.

[Chris S]

Hi Gtrmac,

I assume you built two Brian May boosters, which of small bear's germanium transitors did you use?

Chris

[gtrmac]

I'm sorry, I built two Rangemaster clones. These use germaniums. I got two unmarked transistors from Small Bear and I also have three Hitachi's that I haven't tried yet.

[smallbearelec]

For the germanium boosts like the RM, I can still provide generic NOS U.S.-made unbranded stock with gains from 60 to 100 or so--depends on how "hot" a pedal you want. $3.75 for gains under 80, $4.50 for 80 and over.

The Brian May boost is biased differently from the RM. According to the NTE cross-ref, the BC182L is NPN silicon with an Hfe in the range of 80-300. I guess there's a certain combination of gain and internal capacitance that makes the device sing, and the modern re-makes don't have it.

I am sending to Bettycat (today) some older plastic-case BC182L that are National Semi from before the Fairchild takeover. I can get more of them if they turn out to have the mojo. I will fish for "real" metal-can BC182L for next year's stock list.

Based on gain spec, maybe a 2N2222A or one of my NOS Fairchild 2N3565 would work. Also, if someone has a sample of the metal-can BC182L, I could ask for a quote on getting a "work-alike" done.

Regards
SD

[Chris S]

Thanks SD!

[Chris S]

Gulp... time to eat humble pie  :oops: - sometimes I hate being a begginer.

I had the transisitor in backwards... now pedal sounds much better, will add a volume control at the end of the cuircit. I'm still kenn to find out what the pedal will sound like with a better transistor though.

(If any one else builds one please let me know if the origonl hand drawn schematic is wrong about th wiring of the transistor)

Many thanks!

Chris

[Ge_Whiz]

I had the transisitor in backwards...

Hah! Been there, done that. About three weeks ago, following 35 year's experience.  :lol: