Flintstones Pin Up Rangemaster Hand Wired Vintage NKT677 Germanium & Texas Instruments BC213C Silicon Treble Booster

Description

Description of Product

This is a one off Hello Sailor Rangemaster built around the question that keeps coming up with treble boosters.

Why do some treble boosters make an amplifier feel alive, while others simply make it brighter?

This build takes the Rangemaster idea and gives it almost every useful option I offer in one pedal.

There is a boost control, a gain control, a switch for the standard treble boost voice or a fatter EQ setting, and a second switch to move between silicon and germanium.

The silicon side uses a carefully selected Texas Instruments BC213C silicon transistor for a more immediate, firm and stable response.

The germanium side uses a vintage NKT677 germanium transistor. These sought after vintage devices deliver the smooth compression, touch sensitivity and musical response that made the earliest treble boosters legendary amongst guitarists.

It is hand wired on tagboard using carefully selected components throughout, including a premium German made F&T electrolytic capacitor, chosen for the quality and reliability that has made F&T a favourite amongst restorers of vintage valve amplifiers.

Built as a one off piece, it is finished in a striking Fire Burst nitrocellulose finish, with deep translucent red beneath a black burst that perfectly complements the vintage circuit inside.

The artwork features a Flintstones inspired pin up, blending classic tattoo art with Hello Sailor’s playful style to create a finish that’s every bit as memorable as the sounds inside.

This is not a museum piece.

It is a Rangemaster pushed as far as I know how to push one.

Vintage and modern.

Germanium and silicon.

Focused and full range.

Traditional construction combined with every practical modification I have found genuinely useful after years of building, testing and listening.

Description of Sound

In the standard treble boost setting, this has the classic Rangemaster push.

It tightens the bottom end, brings the upper mids forward and gives the amplifier that cutting, vocal quality that works so well for old blues rock, British rock and pushed valve amplifiers.

Flip the fat switch and everything changes.

The pedal develops noticeably more body and low mid content, turning the circuit from a traditional treble booster into something capable of driving an amplifier with a much broader, thicker voice.

The Texas Instruments BC213C silicon transistor feels immediate, punchy and articulate, with excellent note separation and plenty of attack.

Switch across to the vintage NKT677 germanium transistor and the feel becomes softer, richer and more elastic, with effortless clean up and the warm harmonic bloom that has made vintage NKT devices so highly regarded.

Between the two transistor choices, the two EQ settings and the independent gain and boost controls, this single pedal covers an enormous amount of tonal ground whilst retaining the dynamic response that made the original Rangemaster one of the most influential boost circuits ever designed.

Real World Testimonials

“My rig now has 2 epochs: before HSE Rangemaster, and after HSE Rangemaster.”

Reverb Feedback

“The desert island, single pedal for rock’n’roll.”

Reverb Feedback

“This one is switchable between Si/Ge with a 3 way EQ toggle which gives a great range of tonal options.”

Reverb Feedback

Features

• Hand wired tagboard construction

• Gain control

• Boost control

• Standard Rangemaster EQ mode

• Fat EQ mode

• Silicon / germanium transistor switching

• Genuine vintage NKT677 germanium transistor

• Texas Instruments BC213C silicon transistor

• True bypass switching

• Standard centre negative 9V operation

• Fire Burst nitrocellulose finish

• Flintstones pin up artwork

• Handmade by Hello Sailor Effects

This is a one off build.

The exact combination of the vintage NKT677 germanium transistor, Texas Instruments BC213C silicon transistor, Fire Burst nitrocellulose finish and Flintstones pin up artwork will not be repeated in this form.

If you’ve ever wondered why some treble boosters seem to bring an amplifier to life whilst others merely make it brighter, this pedal was built to explore exactly that question.