Hey newbie to stomp boxes wants to know what to do with RCA 2n404s (plural)

[BBQLS1]

Hey I'm new to building or even using stomp boxes, but I've built a couple of amps.  I have a bag of RCA 2n404 transistors.  They also have the markings "LE" and "9K"  I don't know much about this stuff, but are these useful?  What can I do with them?

[zyxwyvu]

Those sound like great transistors for a vintage fuzz face or rangemaster circuit. The 2N404 is a PNP Germanium transistor like the ones that were used in the original versions of those effects.

Here are some links to information on those pedals:
http://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/fuzzface.php
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/fuzzface/fffram.htm
http://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/rangemaster.php
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Rangemaster/atboost.pdf

[smallbearelec]

2N404 and 2N404A germanium devices are often excellent for Fuzz Faces and Tone Benders. But they must be screened for leakage and gain, then audited to make sure they aren't hissy. The first two tests can be done with a meter, a battery, a resistor and a few alligator leads. You can find an article describing the method at GEOFEX.com, or on my How-To page:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/HowTos.html

Then you would want to set up the Fuzz Face circuit on a breadboard with trimpots substituted for the fixed resistors and sockets for the devices. With this setup, you can create pairs that give smooth clipping with a minimum of noise.

How many devices do you have? If it's a commercially useful quantity, I might want to buy it. I would pay you with either cash or other parts. You can e-mail me at smallbearelec@ix.netcom.com.

Regards
Steve Daniels

[Meanderthal]

 I have about 180something of those pulled off ancient computer pcbs. They were all socketed, but they're a bit corroded and all(not pretty or long legged enough to sell I guess). I already built a good fuzz face(with smallbear trannys!), So I'm trying to find something else to build with em... Maybe a tonebender, possibly a rangemaster, but what bugs me is the pos. ground thing. Any reliable neg ground stuff that uses pnp Ge trannys?
That being said, I also have 10 oc140 that I'm trying to find a use for... I guess if it's Germanium I want it to count or something...

[smallbearelec]

They were all socketed, but they're a bit corroded and all (not pretty or long legged enough to sell I guess).

That's true...they have to have full leads to be saleable.

I'm trying to find something else to build with em... Maybe a tonebender, possibly a rangemaster

Absolutely! The TB Pro MKII is a favorite, and for good reason!

what bugs me is the pos. ground thing. I also have 10 oc140 that I'm trying to find a use for

The OC140 is NPN and will take care of your power supply issue. See if the gains are good for what you want to build. To make use of the PNP devices, learn to build a Small Wart!

SD