# Bootleg Diodes



## chongmagic (Jan 28, 2020)

Where is the best place to find BA482 diodes?


----------



## K Pedals (Jan 28, 2020)

chongmagic said:


> Where is the best place to find BA482 diodes?


Yeah I was wondering the same thing


----------



## music6000 (Jan 28, 2020)

BA482 Band-Switching Diode - QRPparts
					

BA482 Band-Switching Diode. Vr = 35V / If = 100mA / Vf = 1.2V / Cd = (f=1-100MHz@Vt=3V) 0.8-1.2pF / Rd = (f=200MHz@If=3mA) 0.6-0.7 Ohm. DO-34.




					qrpparts.com


----------



## EMSEO (Feb 14, 2020)

Did anyone actually ever purchase the BA482 diodes from qrpparts.com and verify they are a safe legitimate site...???? Anyone ???


----------



## chongmagic (Feb 14, 2020)

EMSEO said:


> Did anyone actually ever purchase the BA482 diodes from qrpparts.com and verify they are a safe legitimate site...???? Anyone ???



I did and used them in my build. They seemed legit, they do create a much softer clipping. I recommend putting in an on-off-on switch on this build as I like the sound better with just the opamp.


----------



## EMSEO (Feb 14, 2020)

I'm building the moonshine v2 from pedalpcb... Bootleg its called... and its designed for a switch on/on to switch between low gain and high gain... so these switching diodes BA482 are for soft clipping part of the circuit... I wonder if another diode could be used in its place... I know there's 2 different BA482 DIODES the ones you have are New Jersey Semi and the other one is made by Phillips... Do you happen to know what diode jhs is using now. Because the pedals still in production... The NE5532A Op Amp I had to get surface mount to get that exact op amp.. and coversion pcb... Do you know a source to get the NE5532A op amp through-hole..... ☺?


----------



## chongmagic (Feb 14, 2020)

EMSEO said:


> I'm building the moonshine v2 from pedalpcb... Bootleg its called... and its designed for a switch on/on to switch between low gain and high gain... so these switching diodes BA482 are for soft clipping part of the circuit... I wonder if another diode could be used in its place... I know there's 2 different BA482 DIODES the ones you have are New Jersey Semi and the other one is made by Phillips... Do you happen to know what diode jhs is using now. Because the pedals still in production... The NE5532A Op Amp I had to get surface mount to get that exact op amp.. and coversion pcb... Do you know a source to get the NE5532A op amp through-hole..... ☺?



I built this one, and have found that if I place the rocker of the on-on switch in between the top and bottom positions I like the sound the best, that is why I recommended trying the on-off-on switch.

I got the IC from Tayda I believe.


----------



## EMSEO (Feb 14, 2020)

Tayda does not carry [it any longer. The NE5532A op amp doesn't even show up in there search I had to get the surface mount version and a pcb adapter from Cimarron Technology. The Moonshine v2 / Bootleg is modified Tube Screamer.. It's best used going into another pedal or dirty amp that why jhs put it his double pedals. In the Sweet Tea it's paired with the Angry Charlie and in the Double Barrel he has it paired with the Morning Glory..... I'm actually building a Sweet Tea v3 (Putting the Moonshine v2 and Angry Charlie v3 in a double pedal enclosure...  Do you know if qrpparts.com is in the usa... The other company the has the Phillips BA482 is in France... Thanks..☺☺???


----------



## Robert (Feb 14, 2020)

EMSEO said:


> Tayda does not carry [it any longer. The NE5532A op amp doesn't even show up in there search I had to get the surface mount version and a pcb adapter from Cimarron Technology.



I think you'd be just as well off with the NE5532P: https://www.taydaelectronics.com/ne5532-5532-ic-dual-low-noise-op-amp.html

I suspect the A suffix indicated SOP footprint, which is why you could only find it in SMD...     I need to confirm this, and if so I'll remove the suffix from the build docs.


----------



## EMSEO (Feb 14, 2020)

The build doc. Said NE5532A and I remembered getting the BC184 transistor from Tayda with a different letter after it BC184C and the whole pin out was wrong.. not reversed wrong.. one of the end pins was a center.. And I had to rebuy them from Small Bear and the pinout was right... So I found the NE5532A and it was a smd and they offered the adapter board with it... So I figure that had to be it and ordered it... I typed it in tbe search box on Tayda and nothing came up at all... but a different letter can mean somethings different....as with the BC184... How do you know the difference... Thanks..


----------



## EMSEO (Feb 14, 2020)

I just went on Tayda if you put the A in nothing comes up... if I don't put the letter they have NE5532N & NE5532P. which would be the correct one..


----------



## Chuck D. Bones (Feb 17, 2020)

DigiKey has beau coup NE5532AP in stock.

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/texas-instruments/NE5532AP/296-7040-5-ND/378263


----------



## jeffwhitfield (Aug 19, 2021)

Hey folks, just a heads up for anyone looking to build this one. I just ordered all the parts for it, most of them from Tayda along with a few odd resistor and capacitor values from Mouser.

All three of the op-amps can be found on the Tayda site:









						LM833N LM833 Dual Low Noise Audio Op-Amp IC
					

National - Get It Fast - Same Day Shipping




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				











						NE5532 5532 IC Dual Low Noise Op-Amp
					

VARIOUS - Get It Fast - Same Day Shipping




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				











						TC1044SCPA TC1044 Voltage Regulator IC
					

MICROCHIP - Get It Fast - Same Day Shipping




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				




The main one that is the booger is the BA482 diode. You can get them from QRPparts:






						BA482 Band-Switching Diode - QRPparts
					

BA482 Band-Switching Diode. Vr = 35V / If = 100mA / Vf = 1.2V / Cd = (f=1-100MHz@Vt=3V) 0.8-1.2pF / Rd = (f=200MHz@If=3mA) 0.6-0.7 Ohm. DO-34.




					qrpparts.com
				




However, they are overseas and it might take a while to arrive. There are a couple of alternatives that you can try though.

The NTE555A is said to be a direct replacement for the BA482:









						NTE 555A Rectifier Diode Equivalent | NTE Electronics Parts
					

Buy the NTE 555A at www.Arcade-Electronics.com. We are a NTE Electronics Distributor with a large inventory of NTE Parts in stock ready to ship. Shop our secure online store for more NTE Electronics Components.



					www.arcade-electronics.com
				




I've also read that a 1N4148 diode sounds very, very similar to the BA482:









						1N4148  Switching Signal Diode
					

PHILIPS/NXP/ON SEMICONDUCTOR/TAK CHEONG - Get It Fast - Same Day Shipping




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				




The BA482 is used for soft clipping so, technically, you can use just about any similar diode to achieve that. Best advice would be to socket the diodes so you can try out different combinations.


----------

