Subminimum emitter follower with no bias- why does this work?

[Meanderthal]

 I was monkeying around with an lpb circuit, and began removing (rather than adding them for once) parts. Turned out that it still works even without a bias resistor. With ANY npn transistor(that I tried, including germanium). I then remembered the Steby boost, which was the pnp equivalent, slightly different though because that was negative ground(pos ground would be the direct pnp equivalent to this) and was apparently biased by an input pot. Hmmm... so I began reading up on biasing trannys again, and found nothing to explain why this works! On paper as far as I know, this shouldn't work. But, it's a good sounding gain stage...  I'm a little confused by this...



Edit: Oh, btw, I guess I should mention that my version is using 10uf electrolytics with pos. terminal facing transistor... shouldn't make a difference, but it's what's on the breadboard...

[Meanderthal]

  

Only works as a boost into the mixer input, thru an amp it sounds like it's not even there, no boost. I think it's just a simple buffer, not an amp.  Embarassing, it doesn't get any more basic than this... and I still have no idea how plugging a bass directly into the thing gets it to bias. 

[jacobyjd]

I don't know what's embarrassing about asking a question, then answering it yourself before anyone else could get to it That's the essence of what we do here!

[Meanderthal]

 Embarassing because I should recognize a buffer when I see it... but as far as I can tell, it should at least be biased at the base by the signal source to work. Is it just  that a bass is capable of providing the necessary voltage all by itself? if so, anything but silence should work... no need to buffer silence...?

OK, 2 things I just learned-

1. Occam's razor is definitely the way to go when I'm stumped...

2. I need to use a buffer before that mixer if I want to keep using it for testing stuff.