2N5088 Substitute

[KerryF]

What are some good 2N5088 transistor substitutes.  Im building Torchy's Muff Fuzz and I only have 1 2N5088.  I have a bag of assorted transistors, but what are some good sustitutes for it.

I found this helpful site that tells some substitutable transistors (http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/tran.htm), but I need to know specifically for the 2N5088.

[pbrommer]

2n5089 - higher gain than a 2n5088. Work really nice.
2n3904 - about the same, if not less, gain than the 2n5088 (don't quote me)

Those two are probably the most common. I think you can also sub in 2n4401 without any problem.
Others: BC109, BC108, etc..... just search for NPN silicon transistors in the forum and you might find some answers.

Patrick

[markm]

2N5089 is a higher gain sub.
2N3094 is a lower gain sub.

[Somicide]

Theoreticly, any NPN should work in place of any other, barring any pinout differences.  Maybe not optimally, but they should work.

[zpyder]

yup... any NPN should be able to replace any other (make sure the pins go in the right place), and 2N5089 & 2N3904 are the most common...

I've got a bunch of NTE transistors lying around my place.  with weird numbers...
My suggestion would be to go to google, type in: 2N5088 datasheet
get the PDF (fairchild has good ones)
then do a google for: [That resistor you have lying around] datasheet
get that PDF

then check a few crucial numbers:      check hFE [or Bdc - same thing] this is current gain.  the higher the number the more your signal will be MULTIPLIED
     and shit, I don't know... make sure the rest of the number are too ridiculously far off from each other.

And hey, that's half the fun anyways!

zpyder

[KerryF]

thanks for the replies.

i have another big problem though.  everytime i put something on my breadboard, it hasnt worked.  i have done everything right on all of them, but they never work.  is it possible that the breadboard is busted somehow?  i have only done simple things and they never seem to work.

any help would be great.  i am getting extremely frusturated at it.

[Seljer]

I think the BC459/BC458/BC459 (with B or C on the end for more gain, the As have less gain) should work

[KerryF]

Thanks Seljer.  Did you get banned on UG?  Or is that a different Seljer.

[oldrocker]

I've swapped out these.
2N3904
2N4401
2N5210
MPSA18
2N2222

[GibsonGM]

Hi 800,

Try putting 2 wires in the same row on your breadboard, and test continuity.  Do it in many different places, this will tell you if it works or not.  Make sure you're using it the right way (left to right orientation, the slots are up & down), too (sorry if you know that).    Mine gets a little loose from pushing stuff into it, so I press all over the back of it thru the plastic to make sure the metal strips are locked up where they belong.  Sometimes it's still b*tchy, tho.    They get old.

[KerryF]

well i actually just got mine about 2 weeks ago and it has never really worked for me.  But I did an LED test to see if it worked and it did, so I dont know the problem...  If I skip using a pot in some layouts, should that make a big difference?

[zpyder]

call1800ksmyazz-

Leaving out a pot could potentially (oh my god it's a f*cking pun) open a circuit... I wish I could tell you more, but I would suggest if you think that is your problem or part of it, instead of just leaving out the pot, *emulate* it by replacing it with the appropriate (same value as pot) resistor plus lead.  Because a pot is really two connection- wiper to out 1 and wiper to out 2.  when wiper is all the way left, there is 0 resistance to out 1, but there is [whatever the value of the pot is] resistance to out 2.  turn it all the way the other way and then you'll have exact opposite - 0 resistance between wiper and out 2, and [whatever the value of the pot is] resistance between wiper and out 1

zpyder

[KerryF]

ok thanks zpyder!

[Branimir]

I built a big muff with BC549C's and it's very very loud I think higher hfe has to do with that, way louder than the reissue stock model...

Just keep in mind that BC549C's has different pinouts than 2N5088.

[KerryF]

ok i will try that BC549.  I am doing the Muff Fuzz not the Big Muff Pi though.