3-RCA 2N109's, low gain, low leakage. Usages?

[twabelljr]

I was given a box of old components a few years ago. In the box were 3 RCA 2N109 transistors, still in the package, but opened. I tested them and breadboarded a basic fuzz circuit and it sounded good, but I never went any further. Now I am back into the hobby after a long break. I was reorganizing my components and found them again. They look like the ones in the picture, silver top with a black bottom. The only markings on them are: RCA, 2N109, and 8k. I tested them for gain and leakage using RG's tester. My voltage supply was a bit over 9v @ 9.14v. Their gain and leakage measurements are as follows:
23 - 95uA
27 - 108uA
33 - 128uA
A search here only came up with 3 threads which did not get very deep. Does anybody have any experience with these transistors? I do plan to rebuild a circuit and use them to see how they sound again. These gain figures seem very low compared to what I found on some websites stating they should be between 65 and 110, but the leakage seems good and I did the tests a few times on each transistor. If somebody does have some experience with these I would be very grateful to hear any news, good or bad, or any circuit recommendations. If not, thank you for reading.
Tommy

[Scruffie]

Stick 'em in a Tone Bender MkII, it still sounds Great with a Trio of Low Gainers.

[petemoore]

23 - 95uA
27 - 108uA
33 - 128uA
 
  These are lower than Q1 FF and generally will be low boost level.
 Darlington multiplies gain and noise so say 95ua x 108ua in proportion to the boost attained = easy enough to build something with sockets than to describe a google possible circuits.
  It also reduces the # of parts required for high gain.
 Others hopefully will chime in...that said:
  I never tried bumping up the PS voltage on say stage 1 as a way to get increased output, whether it's beneficial to the noise/boost ratio or of that much benefit to achieving X gain is hence pondered...
 The sockets are good for this kind of thing, though bias resistors will need to be adjusted when a transistor swap= gain change occurs.
 The transistors matter for sure, and these are basically under the threshold of what is called for in typical distort-o-/boost circuits.
 So some working around with that will benefit from having say 60hfe and 120hfe Ge transistors available to work with just to know/see.
 Since they're free the breadboard can be made open for it.
 Consideration for these may not be bang for time friendly, mixing them somehow in with other components which do some of the 'grunt work' [getting the guitar signal boosted to a level that is 'workable', or boost after...or:
 The Ge's deemed unsuitable for boost stages in effects each have 1 B/E diode which can be measured for threshold / utilized.
 
 
 
 

[LucifersTrip]

23 - 95uA
27 - 108uA
33 - 128uA

These gain figures seem very low compared to what I found on some websites stating they should be between 65 and 110, but the leakage seems good and I did the tests a few times on each transistor. If somebody does have some experience with these I would be very grateful to hear any news, good or bad, or any circuit recommendations.

Those leakages are relatively low because the gains are relatively low.

I have had killer results with gains of 20-40 as Q2 in the Orpheum [I settled for ~ 35 in my last one], tho Q1 was a solid 100+

http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/orpheum.jpg

It's one of the nastier fuzzes and is easier to get a great sound than a Fuzz Face variant. If you go for it, sub a 50K pot for the 47K on Q2's collector.

[twabelljr]

Thanks for the replies! Time to clear off the breadboard and start putting a fresh bit of fun together. They are just to cool looking to not use.