Godbout 1977 Compressor Pedal DIY Germanium Transistors 18V

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This rustic pedal is built around a Godbout Compressor board - a boutique DIY build centered around germanium transistors running at 18 volts. Germanium-based compressors are known for a softer, more musical response than their silicon counterparts — lower headroom, gentler knee, and a warmth in the sustain tail that tends to sit well with single-coil pickups and clean tones. The 18V operating voltage gives the circuit more headroom than a standard 9V build, which helps the germanium transistors breathe without collapsing into noise.  The pedal is a home-brew unit, but it works well.  I'm betting a pedal enthusiast will re-house the circuit in a different box, but it works just fine as-is.  

The Godbout Electronics name comes from the California DIY and electronics community. Godbout kits and designs were associated with meticulous engineering and high-quality components, and a completed Godbout compressor is a relatively uncommon find on the used market. Germanium transistors have not been manufactured at scale for decades, and working, well-matched sets are increasingly scarce. A germanium compressor built to this standard occupies a niche between vintage-style optical or FET compression and the more idiosyncratic character of fully vintage germanium fuzz or boost circuits — usable and musical, not just a collector curiosity.

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