I would say they are like tubes because the distortion is more interesting than the silicon alternatives. For non-distorted applications if you do overdrive a

I would say they are like tubes because the distortion is more interesting than the silicon alternatives. For non-distorted applications if you do overdrive a bit it can be a lot less harsh too. Also very difficult to make two the same, so specs were wide and top parts were hand selected from large batches of on-spec parts. One of my best sources of tasty germaniums was from boards about the same vintage as these IBMs. I think it's good to make musical or audio circuits from just about any tube or transistor whether it was originally intended for audio or not. A very simple 2-transistor PCB can have art where it can mirrored and used for NPN or PNP, with positive or negative ground to your battery clip. I like transistor sockets like there were on some of the early solid-state scientific instruments. Before they could be sure the transistors were more reliable than the sockets. Put on adjustable bias and find some superb high-performance small-signal BJT silicons for reference. Leave one in then audition the germaniums in the other socket, biasing each one accordingly. Without a guitar pedal enclosure you can just cut a long guitar cable in half and solder it to the PCB's input & output with the battery hanging off. If the situation arises the whole thing could then be heat-shrunk right there into the middle of the cable. Don't ask me how I know. The python that swallowed an alligator. Doesn't matter if it's positive or negative ground since it's floating. One megohm impedance for guitar input is good, and play it by ear for a wide choice of output impedance into the guitar amplifier. I guess I kind of like playing a fuzzy guitar as much as ZZTop :) Been known to make a pedal or two.