Anyone know where to get a 2N388A NPN?

[moody07747]

I need a few, (5) 2N388A NPN Germanium Transistors with a HFE of about 80

I'm building an audio circuit and i have only found one supply but its pricey.

I really only need one but i have seen a few projects that use it transistor and would like to stock up on a few if they are this hard to find.

**broken link removed**

(building the bottom circuit.)

if anyone knows where i can get this transistor or even something to use in its place let me know, thanks.

 

[Dr.EM]

Unfortunately, germanium transistors are rare and as such expensive. They are not often needed; with guitar effects being the only application I know of (possibly some radio circuits?). So, you may have to buy from the expensive place you have seen them, but 5 should be plenty. I expect you have checked ebay, though I doubt there are any there.

 

[HiTech]

https://www.kelvin.com/ carries that transistor

cost: $4.95
part number: 630115

**broken link removed**

 

[zevon8]

One other way to get some is to buy garage sale radios, especially portables from the way-back machine. Many of them will have several germaniums in them, often matched pairs in fact.

NTE101 is supposedly a cross for this also. You can likely get a NTE part in lots of places. Ugly prices though, still in the 5 buck range.

Do a search of the stomp-box pages and you will see many substitutes for the germaniums.

 

[moody07747]

ok i found that any NPN Germanium Transistor with a gain of about 80 will work on the circuit.

so now how do i look up transistors by their HFE value?

 

[audioguru]

The HFE of transistors is a range like from 40 to 160. Some transistors have a letter suffix that indicates a tighter range.
Here is a list of European germanium transistors. Note that N polarity is NPN and P is PNP.