Top 5 transistors ?

[HOTTUBES]

I see several great projects i would like to tackle , and i also see they all take a few different Transistors etc etc !!
What would be in your opinion the top 5 transistor Number's to carry on hand , i'm going place an order soon , and i just
wanted the forums opinions as to what on's to get ....

My interests are in the Overdrive & Distortion dept. , if that helps .......


NPN
PNP
JFET
MOSFET
SCR

[Earthscum]

I find that 2n5088 (5089), MPSA13, and BC109's have their place when looking at transistors for sound. I'll probably get some agreements on these 3.

5088's are a go-to transistor (5089 is a quieter version). 5087 for PNP.

The MPSA13 is a Darlington NPN that has some super clarity to it, excellent for buffers and making a ton of gain in a single stage.

BC109's have a special sound to them... almost a tinny metallic sound. I love using BC109's at the output stage. For some reason, they just color a distortion in a neat way. Plus, the metal cans look pretty awesome. 

Also, I have found a preference for 2SC series transistors, particularly the 2SC1815 and the 2SA1015 (PNP counterpart). It's hard to hear the difference between a 2n3904 and a 2sc1815, but to me the 2SC sounds just the slightest bit "softer".

[phector2004]

MPF102 (JFET)
J201 (JFET)
BS170 (MOSFET)

These are the "standard" fets you'll see in most amp-in-a-box distortions or other common builds.
It's nice to have alternatives though, as with JFETs, you can socket, plug, bias, and play.

2N5088, 2N5089 are almost a requirement! You'll find them everywhere from BMP to buffers in phasers etc.
2N2222 (metal can) are fun to have around.

As for PNP, I mostly use NPNs so those are mostly germanium.
I think I have 2N5087s, the PNP counterpart to the 2N5088, as well as some 2N2907s (metal can)

2N3904 and 2N3906 are also very common ones. But I'm so cool I use 2N2222's in their place...

Note that a lot of these are sold at the forum store at a pretty low price... I only found out after  

[buildafriend]

MPF102 (JFET)
J201 (JFET)
BS170 (MOSFET)

These are the "standard" fets you'll see in most amp-in-a-box distortions or other common builds.
It's nice to have alternatives though, as with JFETs, you can socket, plug, bias, and play.

2N5088, 2N5089 are almost a requirement! You'll find them everywhere from BMP to buffers in phasers etc.
2N2222 (metal can) are fun to have around.

As for PNP, I mostly use NPNs so those are mostly germanium.
I think I have 2N5087s, the PNP counterpart to the 2N5088, as well as some 2N2907s (metal can)

2N3904 and 2N3906 are also very common ones. But I'm so cool I use 2N2222's in their place...

Note that a lot of these are sold at the forum store at a pretty low price... I only found out after  

Whoah Whoah Whoah, give me an example schematic of "JFET plug and play."

[phector2004]

plug, bias, and play.

Any jfet circuit with a trimpot works...

[glops]

For BJT's

I would say getting a variety of transistors is a good way to go.  Some circuits aren't picky while others are.  Personally, I like to take out transistors from old
electronics or find stuff at electronic surplus houses.  While there are plenty of choices that are being produced today, I like to try out the older stuff. 

[CynicalMan]

I would say 2N5088, 2N5087, 2N7000, MPF102, and J201.

[vendettav]

my two cents are:
2n5088 and 2n3904 for npn
2n3906 for pnp (all the fuzz/octave and all that stuff goes with these thingies)

for jfet 2n5457 does a great job for me

there

[R.G.]

Remember Keen's Second Law: When in doubt, whip in a 2N5088.

[buildafriend]

plug, bias, and play.

Any jfet circuit with a trimpot works...

Do you know any schematics that I can look over that demonstrate that? It sounds like really useful information.

[phector2004]

Haven't built one yet, but I think the Dr. Boogie is one of them. A lot of the runoffgroove tube-to-jfet pedals (Eighteen, Thor, Umble, Supreaux Deux, etc) also have bias trimpots.
I've had 100% success doing this with the fetzer valve, the circuits on deadastronaut's distortion thread, and Aron's shaka circuits. I also sometimes place components on the breadboard and tweak till it works... you can't just plug a different transistor in for a J201 and expect it to work, the bias is wayyy off for something like the 2SK117s I've stockpiled

Here's a link explaining the fetzer valve (with JFET calculator!): http://www.runoffgroove.com/fetzervalve.html

[petemoore]

NPN 2n5088 like Mathews and everybody uses, can't beat 'em, less'n you need more gain in 1 stage, darlington or a couple 5088's'll do that.
 Then there's the FF or low gain transistors, 4401, 2n2222, others are probably better at rememberin' the numbers.
PNP
 Your salvaged Ge transistors, or those that have been tested/documented, of the right low leakage and gain. Otherwise ask why not NPN or use 2n2907 or 2n5087...see no need and therefore Ge's or whatever.
JFET   It behouves the Jfet biaser to get good and familiar with Jfet bias or read more at ROG/Geo. J201 is high gain as I like, 2n5457's are nice, MPF102's if you have only so many of 'em and wanna get a bias up @9v supply and aren't worried about gain. Otherwise they are nice for buffer too [see AMZ].
MOSFET  I suppose, I would put power chip as triode buffer replacement, then use the tube stage for something else, not too hard to bias once GEO article started making sense.
SCR  Not sure what this one is.
  NPN's, Opamps, Standard Opamps [TL082, LM741], Jfet, CA3080's [small stone] I would put CMOS in here if I built another distorter from one and it kept working.
  that's about it for #1 pedalboard at this time...oh there are some BBD chips in the chorus/delay, don't wanna forget about those BBD's.
  Boost, distort, fuzz, octave, phase, compress...don't have need too much for some many more of the unusual' three pronged chips I have around here these days, I like the ones that I have working and use of them is usual.

[WGTP]

BS170 N-Channel Mosfet   BS250 P-Channel Mosfet   2N7000 N-Channel Mosfet (similar to BS170 but reversed pins)
J201 typical Jfet used around here   J202 higher gain version

Check here for some of the best distortions you will find using most of the above.    http://www.diystompboxes.com/analogalchemy/

[brett]

MJE3055 or BD139 NPN BJT
J201 JFET
MTP3055 N channel MOSFET
MPSA13 Darlington BiBJT
Any SCR
4N25 optocoupler
12AX7 dual triode
EL84 pentode

[HOTTUBES]

can you give me an example of where an SCR is used in an OD or Distortion ( I know .....i'm a noob !! )

[jkokura]

5088 and or 5089
3904
5457
J201
2N7000 and or BS170

Thos seem to be very common in all the projects I build.

Jacob

[Earthscum]

can you give me an example of where an SCR is used in an OD or Distortion ( I know .....i'm a noob !! )

SCR's aren't really used in distortions, BUT...

Daniel Lamb had success with using them in a Tube Screamer setup. I use them all the time, myself, but as far as I know, I'm really the only one who uses SCR's for audio around here. Like in my SCRYNTH.

[Ben N]

Remember Keen's Second Law: When in doubt, whip in a 2N5088.

I thought that was Davisson's First Law?
or were those 2N5089s?

[HOTTUBES]

Thanks for all of the input !!