Hello Sailor Compass Rangemaster Hand Wired Silicon & 1965 General Electric Germanium Treble Booster

Description

Description of Product

This build came directly from a question that has followed me around for years.

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

On paper they often look remarkably similar.

In practice they can feel completely different underneath your fingers.

This particular Rangemaster was built around exploring that behaviour.

Finished in fluorescent pink and electric blue nitrocellulose lacquer with Hello Sailor Compass artwork, it combines carefully selected vintage components with multiple switching options that alter the way the amplifier reacts rather than simply changing the EQ.

Inside you’ll find a genuine 1965 General Electric germanium transistor reclaimed from an old organ alongside a modern silicon transistor, allowing you to move between two distinctly different responses at the flick of a switch.

The germanium side offers a softer, more elastic feel with the touch sensitivity that made early treble boosters famous.

The silicon side delivers greater attack, punch, and immediacy.

A second switch allows you to move between a traditional Rangemaster voice and a fatter EQ setting, while separate gain and boost controls provide far more flexibility than the original circuit ever offered.

The component selection follows the same philosophy.

Alongside the vintage transistor sits a premium German-made F&T electrolytic capacitor, a component trusted by restorers of classic amplifiers and vintage audio equipment for decades.

The result is not a museum-correct recreation.

It is a hot-rodded Rangemaster built around years of experimentation, combining vintage character with the modifications I have found genuinely useful after building and testing countless examples.

Description of Sound

In its traditional setting this delivers everything people love about a good Rangemaster.

The bottom end tightens up, the upper mids become more vocal, and an amplifier starts to feel more responsive underneath your fingers.

Single notes seem to step forward in the mix whilst still retaining clarity and dynamics.

Engaging the fat setting changes the personality considerably.

Instead of focusing primarily on upper mids, the circuit begins pushing more low mids and body into the front of the amplifier, creating a thicker, broader sound without losing the immediacy that makes treble boosters special.

The silicon mode feels firmer and more aggressive.

The germanium mode feels softer, smoother, and slightly more forgiving.

Combined with the gain and boost controls, this allows the pedal to move from classic British treble booster territory through to a much bigger vintage amp-pushing sound.

Real World Testimonials

“Absolutely nails those classic British rock tones. It feels like the amp has suddenly woken up.”

Reverb Feedback

“One of those pedals that never leaves the board once you’ve tried it.”

Reverb Feedback

“The amount of range available is incredible. It can be subtle, or it can completely transform the front end of an amp.”

Reverb Feedback

Features

• Hand wired tagboard construction

• Gain control

• Boost control

• Traditional Rangemaster EQ mode

• Fat EQ mode

• Silicon / germanium transistor switching

• Genuine 1965 General Electric germanium transistor reclaimed from an old organ

• Modern silicon transistor

• Premium German-made F&T electrolytic capacitor

• True bypass switching

• Standard centre negative 9V operation

• Fluorescent pink finish

• Electric blue nitrocellulose lacquer top coat

• Hello Sailor Compass artwork

• Handmade by Hello Sailor Effects

This is a one-off build.

The exact combination of finish, artwork, transistor selection, and switching options 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.