"MA" transistor markings for ANH Obi Wan Kenobi's Llightsaber

[thd9791]

Here - these are operational amplifiers installed on my saber. They are half the height of regular transistors - compare them to the chronicles pics. The components your are suggesting are not amplifiers.

 

[mugatu]

Tom, your saber looks awesome! Is that a professional photo in the middle?

 

[onderon]

Where are we about this topic? Any new infos?

 

[Romans Empire]

Where are we about this topic? Any new infos?

I replaced my Motorola transistors with the Solitrons a couple years ago. I'll post pics ASAP

 

[Dann]

Cue everyone rushing to eBay (myself included) searching for Solitron!

Hahaha!

I'm lucky I don't care too terribly much about these specific parts, since my Old Ben hilt is mostly replica parts!

Funnily enough, the only VINTAGE parts on it are the OpAmps!

 

[PrinceZip]

someone should just make stencils of the markings to put on vintage OpAmps.
That way, we get the ultimate accuracy and save ourselves time and money

 

[teecrooz]

So far the Solitrons I have are all too tall, just like the Motorola 205s.

 

[Romans Empire]

someone should just make stencils of the markings...

jd pilot made some many moons ago...

 

[corliss1]

I thought we'd pretty surely decided it was motorolas?

 

[thd9791]

We've never really found a match for the logo, and there are too many lines of code on the real prop compared to almost every component we've seen. Motorola's were a good guess, best in some eyes, and the rounded cans looked the part moreso than the sharp cornered ones.

 

[Dann]

Has nobody ever considered National Semiconductor?
I'm no expert, just curious...

 

[onderon]

Has nobody ever considered National Semiconductor?
I'm no expert, just curious...

Anything that could have been available at the end of the 70’s in the UK.

 

[onderon]

We can’t really opt out that the graflex clamp might been cut so these type of transistors could fit, can we?

That would explain why they are looking shorter than those that we try to fit.

Also we are not just looking for washers but washer spacers mostly, like these:

 

[Ridire Firean]

We can’t really opt out that the graflex clamp might be cut so these type of transistors could fit, can we?

Hey onderon ! I doubt they're the Russian ones. If I remember correctly, they're mostly printed on the sides. Not to mention the ring.

Hey teecrooz ! I still think it's possible that the Solitrons (credit TheRealMcFly ) are correct if the washer sits atop the transistor/op-amp (credit Serenity ).

 

[corliss1]

That's the other thing - how did the washer attach? They must have just glued it on or something since the transistor can't hold it in place by itself.

 

[Ridire Firean]

That's the other thing - how did the washer attach? They must have just glued it on or something since the transistor can't hold it in place by itself.

Hey corliss1 ! I'd guess "Press Fit". It would explain how one of them was lost. Though, it could be that they lost the entire TO/Washer assembly if the legs had broken/straightened out enough to fall out, and only had another TO to put back in place of the assembly that was lost.

 

[Bradberry00]

I can tell you first hand the Soviet transistors are not correct. I have thousands of them and use them in some of the guitar fuzz pedals I build. They would be too large to look correct. Also, I think that style was manufactured in the 1980s—90s anyway. When the circuit is tuned right though....they make for a really amazing and nasty sounding fuzz pedal!

Verrrrrry off-topic photo:

 

[Dann]

I can tell you first hand the Soviet transistors are not correct. I have thousands of them and use them in some of the guitar fuzz pedals I build. They would be too large to look correct. Also, I think that style was manufactured in the 1980s—90s anyway. When the circuit is tuned right though....they make for a really amazing and nasty sounding fuzz pedal!

You just made me want a fuzz pedal!

I haven't played my guitar in over a year, though...

 

[Bradberry00]

You just made me want a fuzz pedal!

I haven't played my guitar in over a year, though...

Let me know when you are ready

 

[mugatu]

I thought we'd pretty surely decided it was motorolas?

My money is 100% on these being NOT Motorola. If I had to guess from all the digging I have done, it is either Solitron, or National Semiconductor... and I am leaning toward National Semiconductor.

Has nobody ever considered National Semiconductor?
I'm no expert, just curious...

Yessir, I believe these will be the ones.

That's the other thing - how did the washer attach? They must have just glued it on or something since the transistor can't hold it in place by itself.

As mentioned previously by Ridire Firean, they appear to me to be press fit. The component cans appear slightly deformed as well (not including the stamping) as though they had to be squashed a little to get them through the washers (or as onderon mentioned, “washer spacers” - and also sometimes referred to as “decorative washers”), but that could also be from getting banged around too roughly as this saber and others clearly were.