# Kliche Ge Diodes which ones do you go with?



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

So I just bought a kliche pcb this will be first Klon build and I got a bunch of different ge diodes I have 1n34A, 1n270,1n60, d9d,d18,and D9E. Was just wondering who’s put in different ge and which ones sound the best to you guys. Would like to hear anyones opinion.


----------



## Coda (Aug 9, 2022)

I would start by sorting through and finding diodes that have a forward voltage of 0.35v, and then just audition to find the best ones…


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

Ok so I want a forward voltage of .35 what if their lower?


----------



## carlinb17 (Aug 9, 2022)

Socket and you tell us!


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

I was reading that the D9D can range from .27 to .33 would this be acceptable?


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

carlinb17 said:


> Socket and you tell us!


I’m making sure of this! I’m still a noob and don’t want to fry my diodes anyways! 🤣


----------



## carlinb17 (Aug 9, 2022)

You won’t fry them!


----------



## BuddytheReow (Aug 9, 2022)

steviejr92 said:


> I’m making sure of this! I’m still a noob and don’t want to fry my diodes anyways! 🤣


In a pcb you won’t fry them. Install sockets and see what you like


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

That’s what I’m going to do!


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

So I think there’s a misunderstanding here I meant frying the diodes by soldering them in 🤣


----------



## MichaelW (Aug 9, 2022)

Mind that your "D" series Ge Diodes may be reverse orientation from your others. In other words, the banding may be on the anode side and not the cathode side. I found out the hard way 

Orientation of the diodes won't make any difference in the Kliche but it's worth knowing for any other builds you may use them in. Quick check with a multimeter will confirm.


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> Mind that your "D" series Ge Diodes may be reverse orientation from your others. In other words, the banding may be on the anode side and not the cathode side. I found out the hard way
> 
> Orientation of the diodes won't make any difference in the Kliche but it's worth knowing for any other builds you may use them in. Quick check with a multimeter will confirm.


Thanks for the tip will keep in mind when it comes time to build!


----------



## jeffwhitfield (Aug 9, 2022)

I went with some D9E's. They result in a tad softer clipping which, to me, sounds a bit better. Along with that, I use a 6n8 instead of a 3n9 for C15. The combination of these two little mods results in a slightly softer, less treble-y tone. Not quite as bright as a stock Klon basically. I personally like it. It's a relatively subtle change though.


----------



## DAJE (Aug 9, 2022)

I used D9Es and have no complaints.


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 9, 2022)

jeffwhitfield said:


> I went with some D9E's. They result in a tad softer clipping which, to me, sounds a bit better. Along with that, I use a 6n8 instead of a 3n9 for C15. The combination of these two little mods results in a slightly softer, less treble-y tone. Not quite as bright as a stock Klon basically. I personally like it. It's a relatively subtle change though.


I might look at this I want to build something a little different than a normal Klon I’m def going to give the D9E’s a try!


----------



## MichaelW (Aug 10, 2022)

jeffwhitfield said:


> I went with some D9E's. They result in a tad softer clipping which, to me, sounds a bit better. Along with that, I use a 6n8 instead of a 3n9 for C15. The combination of these two little mods results in a slightly softer, less treble-y tone. Not quite as bright as a stock Klon basically. I personally like it. It's a relatively subtle change though.


The C15 mod is a common mod. I did that with all my Klon builds as well. You can go up to 8N2 for a pronounced effect, but like @jeffwhitfield I've used 6N8 for all the Klon's I've built. It makes the treble much more useful. Otherwise, it kinda goes from "bright" to "brighter


----------



## giovanni (Aug 10, 2022)

Lower forward voltage will cause the clipping to happen sooner, that is you may notice more compression and distortion kicking in at lower gain.


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 10, 2022)

giovanni said:


> Lower forward voltage will cause the clipping to happen sooner, that is you may notice more compression and distortion kicking in at lower gain.


Ok good to know this was helpful in knowing about what lower forward voltages will do.


----------



## steviejr92 (Aug 10, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> The C15 mod is a common mod. I did that with all my Klon builds as well. You can go up to 8N2 for a pronounced effect, but like @jeffwhitfield I've used 6N8 for all the Klon's I've built. It makes the treble much more useful. Otherwise, it kinda goes from "bright" to "brighter


I’m going to give this a try!


----------



## MichaelW (Aug 10, 2022)

giovanni said:


> Lower forward voltage will cause the clipping to happen sooner, that is you may notice more compression and distortion kicking in at lower gain.


Actually, from my EXTENSIVE SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS......  ........I've noticed in my last Klon build that the Ge Diodes don't have as much affect as all the hubbub around them would indicate. I was building a Klon for my brother and I had the bright idea of putting some different diodes options on a toggle switch for him. I tried a bunch of different silicon and Ge diodes and differences were so negligible that it was hardly worth doing. I think the whole magic Ge diodes things in Klon's are just more of the Centaur mythology BS. I actually have Bat 41's in my own Klon.


----------



## Bricksnbeatles (Aug 10, 2022)

MichaelW said:


> Actually, from my EXTENSIVE SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS......  ........I've noticed in my last Klon build that the Ge Diodes don't have as much affect as all the hubbub around them would indicate. I was building a Klon for my brother and I had the bright idea of putting some different diodes options on a toggle switch for him. I tried a bunch of different silicon and Ge diodes and differences were so negligible that it was hardly worth doing. I think the whole magic Ge diodes things in Klon's are just more of the Centaur mythology BS. I actually have Bat 41's in my own Klon.


Time for a clon with really asymmetrical schottky clipping 😂


----------



## giovanni (Aug 10, 2022)

The diodes mostly affect the sound at the highest gain setting. I’m not surprised you don’t hear much of a difference anyways, but try cranking up the gain!


----------



## MichaelW (Aug 10, 2022)

giovanni said:


> The diodes mostly affect the sound at the highest gain setting. I’m not surprised you don’t hear much of a difference anyways, but try cranking up the gain!


Oh I can hear it, it's just that I don't find the diodes to have the biggest impact of the "Klon Experience" hahah. My Klon is probably not very "Klon-like" in that its more compressed, clippy, sounding. I had this idea of building a full size Kliche with one of those rotary clipping selector boards from GuitarPCB with different clipping options. But after my experimentation with the toggle board with just a couple of different diodes, it kind of got relegated to the "meh" idea bin. Other more interesting things to build. I just got the Aphrodite board, which is supposed to be a "better" Klon? Be interesting to see how that one turns out.


----------



## giovanni (Aug 10, 2022)

I wonder what the keeley oxblood does for the clipping switch? It sounds pretty great.


----------

