Analog Man Sun Bender Issue - Temperature!

[2+2=5]

Gentlemen!

How do you deal with the temperature? (when using vintage germanium fuzz)

Summer time, sunshine, HOT HOT HOT, outdoor live show, THIS BABY became very HOT and it didn't work normally, I can only get a CRAPPY broken sound from it, CAN NOT USE IT ON STAGE AT ALL!

This happens a lot!
Even just a little hot, the sound wasn't right (even if I turn the BIAS knob to leftmost)

The regular tone of Sun Bender was very good, but I can barely use it under the heat.
What should I do?

Snip20160829_60.png (412 KiB) Viewed 724 times

[rustywire]

Try a silicon version of the same or similar circuit
Good to have one on hand. I, too prefer germanium but as you know it aint always practical.
Save them for studio & indoor, or milder & covered outdoor use.
It's generally a bad idea to use audio gear in direct sunlight. Get a beach umbrella or other shading device.
Especially for anything with batteries. And tubes. Fans for tube amps should be mandatory in those kind of conditions.
Makes a big difference. Sorry repair guys

[2+2=5]

Sorry repair guys

...

[UglyCasanova]

Put some ice on it

[Adamadamadam]

I'm certainly not expert, but if you want to use the GE I think your only option is to find a way to keep the pedal shaded/cool. If you really like the way it sounds indoors I'd recommend leaving it alone and finding an SI or SI/GE pedal that gets you close and that you can use outdoors. Or just flip it if you aren't married to the tone. You're certainly in the right place for alternatives.

If you really like the GE sound there are a few circuits out there that supposedly compensate for the temperature sensitivity (rock face fuzz comes to mind), but I haven't tried any so take that for what it's worth. There are plenty of super-talented builders in the shark tank who could probably hook you up if you find something that moves you.

Edit: "Circuits" as in workarounds, not full schematics.

[goroth]

I'm fairly certain Dino (dig2it, or whatever his username is) has done some work woth converting a Ge circuit to Si and trying to get the same feel.

The problem is that Ge has such a narrow operating range of temperature. That's why they were quickly replaced with silicon, among other reasons. The only solution I can think of, apart from those mentioned above (which will only work if the ambient temperature is in the acceptable operating range) is looking at some computer cooling to sit the pedal on. Fans won't work, you will have to draw heat away from the inside of the pedal. Aluminium is a good thermal conductor so ...

[fcknoise]

Move to Sweden

[Hyphen Nation]

There's a lot of talented folks who would build you a pretty amazing silicon version of these circuits. Ian at Ghost/Black Country is probably the first person I'd reach out to.
Also mkI's are related to the Pep-box, and there's silicon Pep boxes out there. Also might give you a chance to look at other Si circuits like Meathead/Meathead deluxe, fuzz factory, or some of the stuff that Basic Audio makes?