What is your favourite gain ranges for a rangemaster?

[liddokun]

I tried doing a search, perhaps my search keywords were not that great because I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

What sort of transistor gain do y'all normally look for for use in a rangemaster type circuit?

I've got this circuit built and boxed point to point:
http://www.geofex.com/FX_images/BrianMayboost.jpg

And to my ears it doesn't sound as nice as a lot of treble booster demos I've found all over the net.

I've built the circuit as per schematic, cept I've got a 10k log pot right before the output, for level control, a 10k lin pot in place of the 6.8k-10k resistor, and an input cap switch (switch between 0.005 and 0.022).

What are your preferences for the transistor gain? Right now I'm using a 2n3904 with a measured 110hfe gain.

Not really looking for a "best", just what everyone seems to like in their circuits so I can try then all out. Germanium or Si, doesn't matter, just name your prefered tranny and gain.

And for the record, I'm running this pedal into a handwired Vox AC4 (original ef86) preamp, just a tone and volume knob, cranked.

[Joe Hart]

I would say something like 60, 70, and 120 or so (respectively)?  But, of course, it depends on the schematic and whatnot.  Schematics adapted for Si tend to favor higher gains.
-Joe Hart

[liddokun]

Well the schematic I posted above is of a Brian May spec'd rangemaster, which uses a Si transistor. I used a 2n5088 with a gain of around 250, but it was way too much.

[frank_p]

Hi Nam-An. I have one I made last year that is a double one: with the Ge 2SB60 one at 99 Hfe and the other, the Si (F867-32) at 71 Hfe (but biased at the same voltages).  At first I think I could barely notice a difference when I switched from one to the other transistors.  I founded it weird that the two sound so similar...  I just tried it again and I think  that the silicium one, even with it's lower gain sound more edgy and a tad more aggressive.  Even with a higher gain the Ge one is sounding to have a more rounded sound.  I liked to play the silicium one with the bridge pickup of the strat and with a pick.  It had a more "modern" feeling.  On the other hand, plucking the strings with the fingers on the neck position with the Germanium device gave a great mellow overdrive.  So I think that it maybe best to have a lower gain transistor if you use a silicium device.  With more gain it might sound a bit shrill.  But it really depend on the guitar and amp you use.  Today I used a bright strat and a glassy Princeton.  The last time I played it before, I had a P90 guitar in a mid sounding Traynor and I think I could not differentiate the sound between the two transistors.  Hope it helps.

[Electric Warrior]

OC44, hfe 200 

[JHS]

OC44 or CV7003 Ge-trannie with hfe 80-100 and a leakage of max. 25.
For other Ge-trannies w diff. hfe the circuit values must be adapted, but none of them will sound like a OC44 or CV7003.

JHS

[DougH]

The Brian May Boost is not a Rangemaster.

Just thought I'd throw that in...

[Jered]

Using the actual NPN Rangemaster build from GGG. I've used CV7112, 2N357, 2SD64, 2SD65, 2N388, 2N1605, 2N1302, 2N1306, 2N1308 all with great results. Gain around 100 sounds best to my ears.

[frank_p]

The Brian May Boost is not a Rangemaster.

Just thought I'd throw that in...

Woops... Sorry.

What sort of transistor gain do y'all normally look for for use in a rangemaster type circuit?

Making a parallel is perhaps a way to discuss about it...  I did not heard a lot of discussion over what were the Brian May Boost best Hfe ranges for the transistor used there.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=46077.0
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=4602.0
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=15864.0
...

Did a search and I understand that what were suggested were very broad.  Like 80 to 300 Hfe ?...  If this is the suggestion, I think you must test it on your own (perhaps) to give an opinion if no any other exprienced mebemr don't have more advices.

[Electric Warrior]

OC44 or CV7003 Ge-trannie with hfe 80-100 and a leakage of max. 25.
For other Ge-trannies w diff. hfe the circuit values must be adapted, but none of them will sound like a OC44 or CV7003.

JHS

Most OC types I tried in a Rangemaster sounded rather similar. Some were a bit fuller sounding, some a bit thinner, but all had a certain character that was lacking in other germaniums I tried.
The one OC that was extremely different was a driver (OC82DM; hfe about 150). It was very raspy in character. At first I thought the difference in sonic character was due to the high gain. Then I tried the OC44 (hfe 200). It has the typical OC-type thing going on, but is really rich sounding. Very similar tone to the lower gain OC44s I have, just richer and more exciting.

I don't really think the circuit needs to be adapted to different gains. The hfe 200 OC44 wasn't much different to a hfe 80 OC44 bias wise. Maybe it has to do with leakage.

[mac]

I tested many jap germs, I used a Matsushita 2sa102 (C) hfe=70. It is a very bright transistor, much more than other Matsushita I have like 2sb172-75-76, or Toshiba 2sa49-52-53, 2sb54-56.

mac

[Electric Warrior]

I tried some 2SB172s. Nice, well balanced sound, but they lack a certain tonal quality that is hard to describe.