Big Muff with Germanium Transistors - hFE and bias voltage

[antonis]

i found noticeable differences all the way down to about 22r, in the sound and response.

Quite foreseeable, Jim.. 

Those low Emitter values actually set input impedance [h_FE X (R_E + r_e)] in parallel with whatever bias equivalent resistance is..

Altering their values alter HPF cut-off frequency created by Input cap and Base equivalent resistance..

[thermionix]

there ya go. thats the  REAL, TRUE classic big muff sound. dead battery. seriously. turn your guitar almost off, and you'll find some really crystaline compressed clean you'd NEVER expect from a bmp. violin like endless sustain. for real. mmmmm mmmm good

congratulations,

you have found the secret message

Thanks for inspiring me to experiment Jimi.  I've never been much of a BMP enthusiast, very limited experience with them.  So when I built my first version, it "sounded like a Big Muff" and had some cool tones, incredible sustain, but a lot of mud.  Took a back seat to the Ge Fuzz Face, and was mostly collecting dust.  Now this lower gain version is much more usable.  Today I put my Octavia in front of it, and didn't put the guitar down for two hours.  Good combo!