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Germanium warmth?

J

JazzyJacuzzi

Inactive
Sep 17, 2021
400
610
#1
I’ve had a taste of the magical germanium warmth with the new Benson Germanium Boost. Unfortunately, the unit I purchased had a faulty foot switch and I returned it. I was wondering what else is out there before I consider getting another one.

How do you guys get germanium in your rig?
 
#3
For me it is my AusTone FuzzNutz TexTone pedal or my vintage Fuzz Face.
IMG_20210902_104344180_HDR.jpg
 
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#6
JazzyJacuzzi said:
How do you guys get germanium in your rig?
Click to expand...

PXL_20210731_012334560.jpg

This is how I do it. :D

I'm just being a bit of a show-off because it's a highly impractical solution: first because it's been out of production for years, next because it's the most expensive pedal I've ever purchased, and also because it's a compressor and not an overdrive per se: the germanium warmth is really sweet, but remains subtle unless cranked well beyond unity gain (which I never do).

I don't think I own any dedicated germanium overdrives, but you can definitely find good ones that are more available and way less huge and way less expensive!
 
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#7
Germanium based units also comes with the lovely mystery surprise tone feature, the germanium components being temperature sensitive, ensuring that you will never know exactly what kind of tone you are going to get whenever you switch your germanium based pedal on next time, kind of like box of chocolates... or life.

Keeping things unpredictably exiting and fresh.

Adjust your tone at room temperature at home, and get something entirely different from what you dialed in depending on weather you are doing an outside gig late in the autumn or high summer, or how much the stage light at a given venue is going to heat up your pedal board, ever changing as it adjusts to the different environment, making germanium based pedals tonal chameleons in the most true sense of the word.
 
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#8
Fuzzbass said:
View attachment 4443493
This is how I do it. :D

I'm just being a bit of a show-off because it's a highly impractical solution: first because it's been out of production for years, next because it's the most expensive pedal I've ever purchased, and also because it's a compressor and not an overdrive per se: the germanium warmth is really sweet, but remains subtle unless cranked well beyond unity gain (which I never do).

I don't think I own any dedicated germanium overdrives, but you can definitely find good ones that are more available and way less huge and way less expensive!
Click to expand...

I had the reissue for like a week. Loved it, but couldn't justify keeping it, so I returned it. Never knew they made a version with a germanium boost... and a dry level?! How is this not in production anymore?!
 
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#10
NoiseNinja said:
Germanium based units also comes with the lovely mystery surprise tone feature, the germanium components being temperature sensitive, ensuring that you will never know exactly what kind of tone you are going to get whenever you switch your germanium based pedal on next time, kind of like box of chocolates... or life.

Keeping things exiting and unpredictable.

Adjust your tone at room temperature at home, and get something entirely different from what you dialed in depending on weather you are doing an outside gig late in the autumn or high summer, or how much the stage light at a given venue is going to heat up your pedal board, ever changing as it adjusts to the different environment, making germanium based pedals tonal chameleons in the most true sense of the word.
Click to expand...

Benson says they managed to fix germanium's unpredictability with the Benson Boost (and Fuzz): https://www.bensonamps.com/guitarpedals/germaniumboost
 
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#11
JazzyJacuzzi said:
I had the reissue for like a week. Loved it, but couldn't justify keeping it, so I returned it. Never knew they made a version with a germanium boost... and a dry level?! How is this not in production anymore?!
Click to expand...

Completely understand! It's an amazing compressor, but because it's so huge and essentially irreplaceable, I rarely gig it.

I'm sure you know that the "big box" Cali (maybe more than one version?) was in production for years. Along the way, there were also a few limited edition big box runs. I think the ones with Lundahl transformer (coded "TX" and "TX-P", P for Parallel/dry) were limited. Mine is the "G-P" version, and I think there was also a "G" version (no dry blend). You can still occasionally find 'em for sale pre-owned... at the prices you'd expect. :greedy:



Side note: I didn't learn about the Cali76 G-P until just after it had gone out of production (limited to 100, I think?) This was around the time that Origin was introducing the smaller box Calis. I pinged Origin to see whether they might still have a Cali G-P sitting around. Simon Keats himself replied, saying that they had a pre-production model that he guaranteed would work as well as the production units... the only difference was no internal jumpers for HPF. I told him the lack of HPF was not a deal-breaker for me so I'd be happy to take it. I was very lucky!
 
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#16
I forget what all I have.. but a cheap germanium fuzz will give you a taste.. germaniums are fragile.. and sag after a while.. maybe a diy pedal you can replace the chip in.. is a cool idea.. I remember.. the phuk phuk is part germanium.. boost.. Lounsberry Pedals has some nice.. pedals.. I think I used the the Frantone Lo-Tone with the volume back or tone back to get a sweet sound..

lots of good ideas here.. good luck
 
#18
JazzyJacuzzi said:
Can't tell if this thing is huge or the knobs are small? Out of stock on the Night Owl website, though.
Click to expand...

I'm using one. I like it for no to low gain on bass. The clarity is great but, if you're looking for warmth, it tends to be more metallic on top. However, there are only 24 of these particular units. They're hard to find, if at all, and future runs will be a revised version... The Electrofoods Germ Warfare is also worth a look
 
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#20
JazzyJacuzzi said:
No external bias control?
Click to expand...
Ok if you speak $10 more from them you can get that.

It’s killer...When I got my second one of these petals for my second Board that’s exactly what I got.
 

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