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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: skiraly017 on November 05, 2006, 07:43:25 PM

Title: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: skiraly017 on November 05, 2006, 07:43:25 PM
Currently using 2N5088's. I was wondering what you've used instead and what the results were? Thanks.
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: powerplayj on November 05, 2006, 08:19:17 PM
Just ordered 2n5089s and 2N5133's and currently have 2N5088.  I'll let you know the difference.
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: Khas Evets on November 05, 2006, 11:27:14 PM
I would be curious how lower gain transistors work in the BMP. I know this may sound like crazy talk, but I've always felt that the BMP gets a little mushy at high gain settings. Has anyone tried this?
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: petemoore on November 06, 2006, 01:40:59 AM
but I've always felt that the BMP gets a little mushy at high gain settings. Has anyone tried this?
  I was just cranking up the volume some on an OS Comp>BMP, mushing out real nice...lol.
  I tried using 2n3904's, was noisy and lower gain...
  BCxxx's [around 200-300 hfe]...pretty cool tone.
  Ge's, I don't think they were gainy enough, I still have on in there though as Q2.
  I ended up for the most part liking best with the HG/LN transistors, 2n5089, MPSA18, but couldn't tell much/any difference between the HG and the medium high gain 5088's...it ends up with 2x 2n5088, a 5089 and a Ge. still fairly noisy, but that mush is worth the stompoffs to eliminate the noise level with Comp>BMP set high gain.
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: Dragonfly on November 06, 2006, 02:55:26 AM
BC109's...   ;D
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: MartyMart on November 06, 2006, 03:26:06 AM
Fairchild 5089's for me :D
High gain & mush ..... that's the BM !!

MM.
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: Bernardduur on November 06, 2006, 03:41:51 AM
I tried several but the lower the Hfe became the more useless the sound was............ (to my ears)

5088 for me; I have same 89 laying around and will pop em in today to see if I like em
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: col on November 06, 2006, 03:48:07 AM
I have built several and had good results with BC184C and BC549C. The 2N5088s I tried gave a strange 'after' sound.

Col
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: powerplayj on November 10, 2006, 08:40:11 PM
............tried the 2N5089 and 2N5133 in lieu of the current 2N5088.  I pretty much want this thing with gain maxed for that saturated Pumpkins tone.  With this much gain, I didn't notice a big difference and since the 2N5133's were a bit less noisy, I went with those.  My next curiosity is what diode type?  I think I have Si in there now but don't have any Ge's to try.
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: Meanderthal on November 10, 2006, 08:48:31 PM
 Were your 2n5133s the button or the can type? I've never got my hands on the cans, but I really like the button 5133s I've gotten ahold of and used. They seem to have more grit and snarl than 5088...
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: powerplayj on November 10, 2006, 09:14:29 PM
The button ones (from SmallBear).  Yeah, it did seem like they were a little less refined with me as well.
Title: Re: Transistor choices for a Big Muff clone?
Post by: Meanderthal on November 10, 2006, 09:20:38 PM
 Oh, and you mentioned diodes. I've found that using one 1n4141 and one 1n34a in the first clipping stage and 2 4148 in the second make for a very rich and somewhat octavey flavor.