NPN vs PNP Germanium Transistors for a Fuzz Face

[nation]

Hope this too basic a question but let's say we have two Ge transistors measuring the same leakage and hFE, ignoring things like daisy chaining or positive to negative ground wiring, is there a preference for a PNP Ge over an NPN Ge or they as good as each other?

[mac]

AC188 and AC187 are similar
2SA49 and 2SD352 are not
2SA49 and 2N1114 mmh... well, quite similar

2SD352 NPN Matsushita is a power transistor with a low frequency transistion, it drops a lot of highs.
2SA49 PNP Toshiba is for driver stages and it passes more highs, much like 2N1114 NPN Texas.

If your question is if there is some mojo in PNP FF -> no IMHO.

mac

[iainpunk]

The reason PNP ge tranys are used in fuzzes is because they are/were cheaper to manufacture and to come by. There is not so much of a preference if you have both, its all up to your ears.

The only reason i can think of to use NPN over PNP is that you can use standard daisychain to power the pedal.

I personally build my fuzz face's with a Si power tranny for Q1 and a Darlington pair Ge for Q2, this really raspy combo is good for Doom metal, due to the high gains.

[duck_arse]

Hope this too basic a question but let's say we have two Ge transistors measuring the same leakage and hFE, ignoring things like daisy chaining or positive to negative ground wiring, is there a preference for a PNP Ge over an NPN Ge or they as good as each other?

IIRR, I have read somewhere on this very site that the [early?] processes that produced the PNP germanium transistors produced a lower noise part than the processes involved in the NPN production. so they made more PNP's.

[nation]

Thanks All

The possibility of extra noise for NPNs I also read from researching.

There were also some comments in relation to leakage - mainly in reference to MKI TBs or FZ-1 - something to the effect that NPN's (or maybe it was particular transistors) were too good. I assume this is in relation to the leakage values!?

Also, what about reliability of NPN vs PNP Ge? I have an NPN CV7112, where the leakage has drifted to being too leaky. The transistor is socketed in a fuzz face I built a few years back that has been sitting in a drawer unused for the since I built it a few years back. When originally installed I assume it would have been in the right leakage range (i didn't personally test it but the reputable seller would have) but testing it now and the leakage is too high.