Old transistors in NEW production (including Germanium types)

[J M Fahey]

Browsing for datasheets I found this almost unknown amazing Semiconductor Company: Comset.
They seem to have bought some European (Belgium based) Philips plant and keep producing all those mostly obsolete or unavailable transistors.

NEW production, obviously with the same dies and masks , but updated where it counts, I found incredible to find, say, long gone BD130 ... ROHS compliant !!!!!!

They also have Germanium transistors, including small signal PNP and NPN ones, AD162 , AD149, ASZ15, etc.
Unbelievable.

This is not unreliable/suspect EBay or rusty NOS but the real thing, freshly made by an European Company.

Just check:
Comset Semiconductors Home page

List of products, with datasheets:
Comset Semiconductors Products Page
Liste des Produits Comset Semiconductors

Proof they are a factory and not old stock resellers is that most types can be ordered in commercial quantities, for OEM users; while for mere mortals, meaning service Techs, Hobbyists, etc. , they have a Belgian based online distributor which accepts Paypal:
Electols, The best source for electronics components

with very reasonable prices , such as:
* BD130 ... 2€
* 2N3442 ... 1.75€
* 2N3773 ... 1.75€ now you can repair those old Sunn/Ampeg/Acoustic amplifiers
* AD149 ... 3€
* AD162 ... 1.25€
* 40411 ... 4€
* 2N3054 ... TO66 metallic case ... 1.10€ ideal for old VOX amps

a real Time Machine.

They know no new designs will be made using these, they state they cater for the service/replacement market , mainly Industrial machinery (train/Medical/manufacturing controllers/communications/telephony) which must be kept working, not replaced or "improved" so they need the exact same original part.

In any case , a bonus to DIYers who often delve in old/classic equipment

Now "unobtanium" takes a step back

[Mick Bailey]

They have 100TH tubes - 166 in stock. Nice for a Hi-Fi Build. See the glow in this clip. Who's worried about red plating?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaaMeLCLUis

[loudthud]

Wow, 40411. That takes me back.

[Steve A.]

I haven't examined the quantity pricing but MEF'ers might want to form impromptu buyer groups for certain items. This had been tried in the past, often with disastrous results, but with PayPal and Click'n'Print postage apps it might work better today. In particular I was thinking of T018 transistors for stomp boxes which could be shipped in a regular envelope marked "hand cancel only." If 8.33 members ordered a dozen transistors we could get the 100-lot price...

Any volunteers? I'm thinking of something along the lines of Groupon. In the sales area here post the device number, the qty you want and the total qty desired for an order. If other people jumped in you could decide who would place the order (I'd suggest someone with a scale to accurately determine postage- even those cheap brass-colored ones with an alligator click would work for regular envelopes.)

Steve Ahola