# What would you use to sub a j201



## Locrian99 (Oct 15, 2022)

Hello,

So I plan on starting a plexi drive tonight should finish it unless I really screw something up.   Anyways j201’s even the smd version seem to me unobtainable from any of my usual sources right now.   I have some other Jfet options though and plan on just doing some auditioning tonight, I’ll have trimmers on the board for biasing.   But just curious which jfets other would use in place of.   Sounds like the 5457 is a good choice which I have some of.   On hand right now I have 5457, 5458, 5952, and j113.  Thanks


----------



## cdwillis (Oct 15, 2022)

I've heard of people using 2n5457 and 2n5458, but the bias has to be dialed in. MPF102 is another one I think, but it's also out of production. 

Somebody posted that a vendor had a bunch of them (under $1 even I think), but they sold out real fast. I think Mouser is supposed to have  mmbfj201s in next month.


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 15, 2022)

cdwillis said:


> I've heard of people using 2n5457 and 2n5458, but the bias has to be dialed in. MPF102 is another one I think, but it's also out of production.
> 
> Somebody posted that a vendor had a bunch of them (under $1 even I think), but they sold out real fast. I think Mouser is supposed to have  mmbfj201s in next month.


Yea I mouser was one I checked.   I think I might have some 102’s as I recall they were a bit all over the place though spec wise.   Patience isn’t one of my strengths lol.


----------



## aefpv (Oct 15, 2022)

If interested, I got some SMD J201 on an adapter board from Aionfx. PedalPCB was unfortunately out of them. With shipping, it ran about $1.50 per piece, which wasn’t too expensive.


----------



## xefned (Oct 15, 2022)

Locrian99 said:


> Hello,
> 
> …even the smd version seem to me unobtainable from any of my usual sources right now…


I'm assuming you already know that Robert sells 'em. Out of stock at the moment, but I'm ordering some with my next PPCB order.


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 15, 2022)

I’ll check that out.


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 15, 2022)

On the waiting list


----------



## flemming (Oct 15, 2022)

I've used 2SK30A-R in place of J201 in some pedals.  They can have similar Vp/Idss values.


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 15, 2022)

aefpv said:


> If interested, I got some SMD J201 on an adapter board from Aionfx. PedalPCB was unfortunately out of them. With shipping, it ran about $1.50 per piece, which wasn’t too expensive.


Thanks for that info placed my order through there.   Isn’t a place I’ve bought from.   None of their boards have caught my eye until I saw the redshift tonight….


----------



## lrgaraujo (Oct 15, 2022)

I've been using 2sk304-C in place of J201 with good results. Not all of them will work perfectly, but a lot will



flemming said:


> I've used 2SK30A-R in place of J201 in some pedals.  They can have similar Vp/Idss values.


For me, 2SK118-R are easier to find, and they are the same jfet in a different package

With through hole 2sk fets you just have to mind the pinout (typically dgs instead of  dsg)


----------



## mhshizz (Oct 16, 2022)

I've been using the 5457 and don't have any complaints. Stomp Box Parts has 'em.


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 21, 2022)

mhshizz said:


> I've been using the 5457 and don't have any complaints. Stomp Box Parts has 'em.


I’ll have to play around with biasing them with the trimmers some more.   Built a plexi drive on vero and it doesn’t really distort then at high gain it just gets gated.   I just did them all to 4.5, haven’t played around with the trimmers much yet though.


----------



## gheorge77 (Oct 21, 2022)

Locrian99 said:


> Hello,
> 
> So I plan on starting a plexi drive tonight should finish it unless I really screw something up.   Anyways j201’s even the smd version seem to me unobtainable from any of my usual sources right now.   I have some other Jfet options though and plan on just doing some auditioning tonight, I’ll have trimmers on the board for biasing.   But just curious which jfets other would use in place of.   Sounds like the 5457 is a good choice which I have some of.   On hand right now I have 5457, 5458, 5952, and j113.  Thanks











						*JFET J201 - Guaranteed Genuine - GuitarPCB
					

Genuine J201 JFET Transistor from my own personal collection. Hand Tested and all are in the proper range for guitar pedals.




					guitarpcb.com
				




This is where I have always gotten mine. Seems to almost always be in stock and definitely reliable.


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 21, 2022)

gheorge77 said:


> *JFET J201 - Guaranteed Genuine - GuitarPCB
> 
> 
> Genuine J201 JFET Transistor from my own personal collection. Hand Tested and all are in the proper range for guitar pedals.
> ...


Thank you another source I wasn’t aware of.   I just got 16 of the smd ones with the adapter board but I’d rather have the the thru hole, I’ll need to order up some of these.


----------



## szukalski (Oct 21, 2022)

Locrian99 said:


> Thanks for that info placed my order through there.   Isn’t a place I’ve bought from.   None of their boards have caught my eye until I saw the redshift tonight….


The Redshift is a nice phaser. It's a very different beast compared to the Phase II. The Phase II is thick and creamy, where the Redshift is a lot more subtle but more useful as a thickener where you don't want a big phase whoosh..



gheorge77 said:


> *JFET J201 - Guaranteed Genuine - GuitarPCB
> 
> 
> Genuine J201 JFET Transistor from my own personal collection. Hand Tested and all are in the proper range for guitar pedals.
> ...


My experience has been less stellar. I got some J201 from guitarpcb and from aliexpress (with a large price difference). Both were identical in markings and test results. They have not worked well in pedals where JFETs need to be biased and have been a constant source of disappointment.

Try and find MMBFJ201 where you can.


----------



## RetiredUnit1 (Oct 21, 2022)

*edited: THESE WERE FAKE!  GOT MY REFUND*

I just bought some of these, delivery takes a couple weeks tho....  He's got 99.5% positive feedback which is really hard to get on eBay.









						10PCS J201 JFET N-Channel Transistor 50mA 40V TO-92  | eBay
					

10PCS J201 50mA 40V TO-92 JFET N-Channel Transistor. 10   J201 50mA 40V TO-92 JFET N-Channel Transistor.



					www.ebay.com


----------



## gheorge77 (Oct 21, 2022)

szukalski said:


> The Redshift is a nice phaser. It's a very different beast compared to the Phase II. The Phase II is thick and creamy, where the Redshift is a lot more subtle but more useful as a thickener where you don't want a big phase whoosh..
> 
> 
> My experience has been less stellar. I got some J201 from guitarpcb and from aliexpress (with a large price difference). Both were identical in markings and test results. They have not worked well in pedals where JFETs need to be biased and have been a constant source of disappointment.
> ...


Interesting data point. I'm pretty sure I bought my bag of 10 or 20 a few years ago when there was just more stock available. They worked well in the Son of Ben. No issues biasing either. I think had used some other J201s I had bought elsewhere that didn't work properly and switched to my stock from guitarpcb with success. I've been trying to avoid building anything using J201s because of the availability issues. I also think I tend to prefer IC based distortions for some reason. I much prefer the Angry Andy and the Dark Esbat to the Son of Ben. That could also be a byproduct of what tone I'm after.

How would everyone describe the tonal differences between J201 and IC based distortions or overdrives? Very curious.


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 21, 2022)

gheorge77 said:


> How would everyone describe the tonal differences between J201 and IC based distortions or overdrives? Very curious.


Actually the reason I was needing the j201’s I have a Mxr gt-od, and a ja ray clone I built, just built a plumes have the Kliche mini board to build and picked up the blues driver clone board from mbp.   Trying to find the right overdrives.


----------



## iamjackslackof (Oct 23, 2022)

RetiredUnit1 said:


> I just bought some of these, delivery takes a couple weeks tho....  He's got 99.5% positive feedback which is really hard to get on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just grabbed some of these, thanks. Have you tested them against any "known good" ones? I have some SMD ones from Aion, as well as through-holes from various sources, and a DCA55, but idk if that's sufficient to accurately test JFETs.


----------



## BuddytheReow (Oct 23, 2022)

RetiredUnit1 said:


> I just bought some of these, delivery takes a couple weeks tho....  He's got 99.5% positive feedback which is really hard to get on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This price seems too good to be true. You can roll the dice, but don't get discouraged if they turn out to be bogus


----------



## RetiredUnit1 (Oct 23, 2022)

BuddytheReow said:


> This price seems too good to be true. You can roll the dice, but don't get discouraged if they turn out to be bogus


They test great!


----------



## Locrian99 (Oct 23, 2022)

i ended up getting 16 of the smd ones from aion fx.   Put them in my plexi drive clone biased they all to 5v and my little fender sounded like a wall of Marshall’s.


----------



## ntuncer (Nov 25, 2022)

Any idea when will they available here at pedalpcb.com?


----------



## RetiredUnit1 (Nov 25, 2022)

BuddytheReow said:


> This price seems too good to be true. You can roll the dice, but don't get discouraged if they turn out to be bogus


*THEY WERE FAKE.*  They weren't even JFETS.....  I reported them as counterfeit on eBay, even sent an email to the local detective's office.  Got my refund....

The 100 that I got from Newark are real, but they're smd, no adapter.  Bought 100 adapters from CE Dist and my hot air soldering gun will arrive Monday........


----------



## RetiredUnit1 (Nov 26, 2022)

I found an inventory history for the MMBFJ201 that is rather eye opening.... lol.  As in here today, gone today....


----------



## RetiredUnit1 (Nov 26, 2022)

oh WOW, hey, the manufacturer keeps an online reference of it's customers AND their current onhand quantity updated every few minutes.  Right now four of their distributors have these in stock! 

58k of them here  https://sg.element14.com/on-semicon...t-40v-0-001a-sot/dp/2295758?CMP=GRHB-OCTOPART


----------



## giovanni (Nov 26, 2022)

That’s good to know!


----------

