Blues Saraceno - Germanium Boy

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Gila_Crisis
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Post by Gila_Crisis »

hi, do anyone had a look at this pedal or have a schematic?

this weekend i was to a concert and the guitarist used one of those, simply wonderfull!

i saw there are gut here https://img100.imageshack.us/img100/991 ... boyib9.png

but do anyone ever reverse ing. this ?
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MoreCowbell
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Post by MoreCowbell »

Just a guess...


Rangemaster with variable input cap...
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Post by analogguru »

Rangemaster with variable input cap...
NPN-Ge-Rangemaster with variable input cap...

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Post by MoreCowbell »

analogguru wrote:
Rangemaster with variable input cap...
NPN-Ge-Rangemaster with variable input cap...

analogguru
Certainly worth the $375 asking price... :roll:

http://www.stevesmusiccenter.com/DirtyBoyGermanium.html

http://www.bassexchange.com/catalog/ind ... ath=31_301

http://www.pedalgeek.com/cgi-bin/new_sh ... d=link--db
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Post by analogguru »

I have some AC 127 in stock.
Time for the "Happy Saratoga" "Geranium Girl"... for only $ 200,--.

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Post by DougH »

And obviously the 'original' would sound $175 better than yours... :lol:
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Post by analogguru »

DougH wrote:And obviously the 'original' would sound $175 better than yours... :lol:
Yes but mine will be happy, the "original" will be blues :lol:

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Post by Gila_Crisis »

SO it's simply that, a NPN-Ge-Rangemaster with variable input cap?

if so what range of input cap do you adivice to use?
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Post by DougH »

I don't know how you tell what it is from the photo. He does have the prerequisite "toneful eyelets" though. :D
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Post by MoreCowbell »

DougH wrote:I don't know how you tell what it is from the photo. He does have the prerequisite "toneful eyelets" though. :D
websites description, company history, and parts count
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Post by analogguru »

DougH wrote:I don't know how you tell what it is from the photo.
It´s very easy:
Have a look at the electrolytics and you will see that minus is connected to common, especially the bypass cap at the emitter - so it must be NPN. Then we have a TO-1 case, typical for Ge-transistors. The most common NPN-Germanium was the AC 127. Then we have only one transistor, a base voltage divider, the only poti between the collector and plus, and a rotary switch with a lot of capacitors which is connected on one side to the stompbox switch and on the other side to the base of the transistor. What can this be ?

Maybe this improved version of the photo can help you:
Blues Saraceno Germanium Boy (inside)
He does have the prerequisite "toneful eyelets" though. :D
Yes, that´s correct.... but he chose the wrong name: "Blues Saraceno". I chose "Happy Saratoga" so I have the better Karma (happy vs. blues) from the name... :lol:

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Post by Gila_Crisis »

mh really nice this pic analogguru,

the circuit look really like this one dougH posted in the other section:
http://www.phpbbserver.com/freestompbox ... stompboxes

!!!
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Post by madbean »

Seeing $350 being charged for something like that makes me want to kick a puppy. :evil:
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Post by analogguru »

the circuit look really like this one dougH posted in the other section:
yes.... because DougH cloned the "Blues"-unit to save and make some money :lol: He stole the IP :!: :lol:
But keep it secret and don´t tell it to anybody - it´s a demonstration of "Back to the Future" :lol:

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Post by Gila_Crisis »

cool, btw still the question for the input cap what value range do you suggest?
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Post by Torchy »

Get hold of a SD TweakFuzz schem and use their values.
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Post by DougH »

analogguru wrote: yes.... because DougH cloned the "Blues"-unit to save and make some money :lol: He stole the IP :!: :lol:
But keep it secret and don´t tell it to anybody - it´s a demonstration of "Back to the Future" :lol:

analogguru
Hey, I've never even heard of a "Germanium Boy" until this thread! :mrgreen:

Every other day- seems like something new crawling out of the booteek woodwork... :lol:
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Post by The Rotagilla »

DougH wrote:Hey, I've never even heard of a "Germanium Boy" until this thread! :mrgreen:

Every other day- seems like something new crawling out of the booteek woodwork... :lol:
These have actually been around for awhile, at least in the Los Angeles area. I think I first saw them back in 2003 or 2004.
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Post by DougH »

Oh yeah, that "blues" dude has been doing his thing for a couple years anyway.
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Post by Bernardduur »

Gila_Crisis wrote:cool, btw still the question for the input cap what value range do you suggest?
I build that DougH pedal and it is simply awesome! Everything I need! Boosts my Dumble quite nice without getting too gritty (almost clean boost).

I used some germanium NPN OC140's for the trannie and used the next values for the input cap:

0.005
0.0068
0.0082
0.01
0.015
0.022
0.033
0.047
0.068
0.082
0.100
0.220

Every cap has its own voice and feeling; quite nice. Over 220 nF my tele's bridge pickup get's too muddy; at 220 nF it sounds like my les pauls neck humbucker :) Under 5 nF I also dislike the sound
'No more....... loud music.......'
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