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It’s a can of worms, I know. Putting finishing touches on a Kicker, and I socketed the spots that just call for germanium. For fitting, I put in a couple Russian D9Ks that were already snipped to size. But for once I have actual choices!
I’ve also got D9B, a scant handful of 1n34A, 1n60P in two styles, plenty of 1n914s and BATs of various flavors, as well as enough less likely ones that I have a spreadsheet for inventory.
I generally don’t subscribe to the ‘magic diode’ school, but if there’s one that someone’s found to have a little nicer mojo than the rest, I’m happy to give them a try before I get it closed up.
Mount them on a DPDT for quick A/B, or better socket the DPDT board to make a drop-in flip-test module you can reuse in any build.
If you are trying to go for the “OG” sound of that circuit, 1n34a (if they are in fact legit), NOS 1n60p, and those USSR D series are all real good choices. I have found that in a K style circuit, taking the time to measure the fV on each diode, then trying to match two together that are extremely close in value will get you closer to the classic sound of this pedal than trying to go for a specific part.
I normally use the Soviet D9E in there, but only because they are inexpensive, plentiful, usually pretty close to the stock pedals fV, and normally have a tight tolerance spread making finding two matches ez.
Barry’s suggestion on using DPDT mod board is for sure the easiest way to A/B your selections. You could even have your preferred GE diodes on the board for position “A” and call is “stock”, then have some other interesting and unconventional diode option (asymmetrical Ge, Si diodes, LED, or some combination of those) on the other side “B” and call it “mod”
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