Sunface:NTK 275 or Standard germanium?

NTK High Gain. This is my favorite pedal on my boards and I have a timmy, a zen and a bunch of other fancy analogman and and such pedals but If I could only have one pedal this would be it.

 

Aren't they both NKT 275, but just one is standard and the other is hi-gain? I love my standard NKT275 sunface.

 

Go for the NKT 275 high gain version, it's simply the best fuzz box I've ever hear. It makes every other fuzz pedal look like a joke.

 

According to Mike's page, the first is the standard GE transistors and the second is the NKT-275's; however I disagree that the first sounds better. To me it sounds thin and buzzy whereas the NKT is smooth and warm. It's all a matter of opinion.

I have a standard-gain NKT-275 and won't leave home without it!

 

This clip is not the NKT vs High Gain NKT...it's the "standard" Ge Sunface (which last I heard Mike was using some NOS Japanese 2SB transistors) vs the NKT-275 Trannys.

This is a completely different issue from the NKT vs High Gain NKT. I have 2 AM Modded Fuzz Face pedals, one has the regular NKT-275's and one is high gain NKT-275's and in truth they are pretty different pedals! I really love both pedals but they are pretty different...if you really spend some time you can almost get the HG NKT to sound like the regular NKT but it's still brighter, nastier and lacks the smooth warmth of the regular NKT.

Now, back to the Standard (non NKT) vs NKT...the standard is a cool sound but thinner, brighter and a little more fizzy than the NKT which is thicker, smoother and much fuller sounding to my ears. All that said, the NON NKT AnalogMan Sunface is still better sounding that most other Fuzz Face clones out there!

 

The high gain NKTs are the same parts as the standard NKTs, they just tested out with much higher gain than we normally use in the sunface. The higher gain of course gives them more fuzz but also makes them brighter and not able to clean up 100% sparkly clean like the normal NKTs.

Some people like our standard germaniums better, we have some old 2SB Japanese and some old USA 2N (fat metal cans)types, these are closer to the fulltone (often used nice old 2SB) or MJM germanium fuzzes. See the PEDAL GUTS thread and you can see what some of the other guys have used in their fuzzes over the years.

I am liking the TI/UK military germaniums that we got last year, sort of like the high gain NKTs... so many choices, but I hope it's good to HAVE the choices

Have fun!

 

I prefer the NKT sound, and I ordered it. It should be here tomorrow!

 

I don't own a standard Sunface (I've just tried a few)...both of mine are NKT versions but one of them is 'high gain ' and the other is not

 

Had both the NKT275 Sunface and one of the Arbiter RIs with the regular Ge transistors. I liked the extra fuzz and thinner tone of the Arbiter with humbuckers. Still have it...I should open it up to see what's in there.

 

+1. The NTK High Gain is versatile as you can roll-down the gain and it warms up and cleans up as well. It's a pedal that seems to move from a bouncy, clean, sparkly amp, to an OD, to a full on fuzz.

Simply awesome.

 

I love your low gain version that you built me last year with the red dot ones.

PSA: Read Mike's whole story on fuzz and you'll realize that there's yet another option to go more smoky bluesy with it.

 

While we're at it...anybody know the deal with the NKT-275's with the red dot???

 

I forgot about the old red dot NKTs!

Those are older and sound older too

Lower gain, but a VERY cool tone, hard to describe, but there's something extra in there in fatness or smokiness. Gearmanndude emailed me and wants some pedals to make demos, I forgot to recommend the red dot NKTs, I will tell him he should try that one too. And the NKT274 is cool too... like a high gain NKT, so many options!

 

I'm on an extended road trip from Spokane, WA to So Cal. Email me if I'm on the way and I'll drop in and let you try the Red Dot version. I've got my other pedals with me too. I'm currently in Reno and heading west then down the coast of California.

 

Thanks Mike, sounds cool...makes me want to hunt down a red dot version! Cool deal about the 274's too...I see those from time to time was curious.

Im also really curious about the UK/TI tranny's you've got right now...

 

Love my Sunface and wondered about the high gain difference. I don't need anything more. Perfect as is for my set up.

 

The NKT is a beautiful pedal, the High Gain is nice but very different...I did a little review of both a few weeks ago...

 

Anyone know what kind of transistors the Prescription Electronics Experience uses?