Identifying MA856 diodes

Frequent question abouts LED and other types of diodes.
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alteredsounds
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Post by alteredsounds »

I cant track MA856 diodes anywhere in the uk or europe, i know mouser has them but with shipping they are really expensive to the uk, and those are the only things i need really.

If anyone can spare some, i will happily cover costs etc, i have bucketloads of other parts, Ge trannys, ic's, etc etc so maybe trade, whatever you'd like.

Cheers,
Nick,

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bacaruda
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Post by bacaruda »

I haven't seen them at mouser. Try digikey (ma2c856). bdent.com has quite a few hard-to-find semiconductors as well.

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alteredsounds
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Post by alteredsounds »

sorry i meant digikey, shipping to the uk is pretty expensive unfortunately. i'll check bdent.com out, thanks.

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alteredsounds
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Post by alteredsounds »

Unfortunately no luck tracking these down, I know there's a workaround for a similar sound but i'd really like to chuck some of these in my builds. Digikey to the uk is horrendous unless buying in-excess of £100 worth and then you run the risk of customs charges :(

I'll quite happily pay someone for some. Anyone?

Cheers,
Nick,

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The Rotagilla
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Post by The Rotagilla »

PM sent.

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Klinq58
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Post by Klinq58 »

I have asked this in the KOT thread, but I thought i would post here as well. I am looking for (12) of the MA856 (MA2C856) diodes made by Panasonic. These apparently are no longer made and are not easy to find. Any help would really be appreciated.

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gar13
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Post by gar13 »

Just noticed they have become available here:

http://www.effectsconnection.com/oscomm ... cts_id=451

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guiltyspark
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Post by guiltyspark »

Nice, think I paid about 50 cents each from Digikey.

Guiltyspark

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Mr_Zap
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Post by Mr_Zap »

Hello, I would like to find some ma856's as effects connection no longer carries them. I have searched ebay to no avail and I was wondering if there is any way to simulate them with different combinations of other diodes. I am building a KOT and I would like to get close-ish.
Thanks!

Zap

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Mr_Zap
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Post by Mr_Zap »

Anyone?

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PokeyPete
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Post by PokeyPete »

Just a couple I saw on a quick web search. They may have minimum order requirement, not sure.


http://www.encompassparts.com/products/?MSCMA856

http://alltronic.biz/index.php?main_pag ... cts_id=632
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slim_blues_boy
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Post by slim_blues_boy »

I need those MA856 too. anyone could help?

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Miracle Man
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Post by Miracle Man »

Hi!

I was hoping some of the more knowledgeable forum members could help me out. I've been thinking of building a KOT clone recently, and the MA856 diode is obviously very hard to get a hold of. However, I've found some similar looking diodes on an old telephone PCB. Is there any way of identifying these? I'm mostly into modding amps and don't have much experience with pedals :oops: They look like MA856 diodes I've seen in pictures, but I suppose there could be other similar looking diodes. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Image

Sorry for the quality of the photo, I used my cell phone to take it.

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PokeyPete
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Post by PokeyPete »

Of course I can't identify these as MA856. But looking at a few that I have through a loupe,
I can say that they look extremely similar. Damn, these things are tiny!
Mine have a small black band on the yellow stripe side wire lead, slightly outside the body
of the diode.
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PokeyPete
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Post by PokeyPete »

I dug up some data sheet info that will compare the size of an MA856 with a 1N914:

.......................1N914.........MA856

Body Length.....3.9mm.........2.2mm
Body width.......1.7mm.........1.6mm
lead thickness.. .55mm........ .40mm

As you can tell, the MA856 is almost half the size of a 1N914. And the leads are only
slightly thicker than a man's mustache hair. These things are very small. I can't tell
the actual size in your photos, but you can compare and make a judgement. I don't
know how many diodes were made in that size with yellow banding. With no markings
it may prove difficult to impossible to ID it with any certainty. It may come down to just
convincing yourself that it "probably" is one, and use it feeling content that you are using
legitimate parts. If you really need to have the correct part, they can be had from
dealers specializing in obsolete electronics, but they do value them highly, if you get
my drift. "Normal" channels of procurement seemed to have dried up, even ebay!
“No man is so foolish but he may sometimes give another
good counsel, and no man so wise that he may not easily err
if he takes no other counsel than his own. He that is taught
only by himself has a fool for a master.”
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bobele3
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Post by bobele3 »

Hi! I've brought some MA856 from Spanish supplier but one thing is make me suspicious.

On ebay I've found some diodes kits for KoT, most of them have 2 yellow stripes on MA856, mine only one.
Quick check on datasheet's and MA856 should have only one yellow mark, and MA858 two. That's confuse me actually as far as many ebay sellers selling "two stripes" diodes as MA856.

So which is which?
Can anyone help?

Merry Christmas! ;)
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kot1.png

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Dirk_Hendrik
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Post by Dirk_Hendrik »

The 2nd stripe is the mojo version of the MA856 diode. Especially for corksniffers. If I were Analogman I'd laugh my ass off seeing all cloners of his bluesbreaker clone go anal over a silicon signal diode. :blackeye
Sorry. Plain out of planes.

http://www.dirk-hendrik.com

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alexradium
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Post by alexradium »

unless you analyze them with a curve tracer,talking about colors,stripes,vendors,dimensions etc. is totally pointless.

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bobele3
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Post by bobele3 »

I'm still waitin' till my DCA75 arrive… Few more days/weeks and I'll post a curve.

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bobele3
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Post by bobele3 »

That's how it's look:
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