Clipping Diodes: A Primer and Selection Guide

Diodes can serve quite a few purposes in a guitar pedal circuit but in the vast majority of cases they’re used to create either hard
clipping or soft clipping in overdrives and distortions, so that’s what we’re going to take a look at.

Clipping is a type of waveform distortion that occurs when a signal is pushed into a circuit with more output voltage/current than
the circuit can handle. Probably the most recognisable example of this is when you turn up a tube amp to the point when it starts
to distort on its own. Obviously, that requires a lot of volume and not everyone is able to play at those levels, and that's where
pedals come in.

In many cases, overdrive and distortion pedals allow us to create distorted tones at any volume - without needing to crank the
amp. A common way of creating clipping with a guitar pedal is with diodes.

Forward voltage
One of the biggest factors affecting the performance of a clipping diode in a guitar pedal is it’s forward voltage (FV). All diodes
will have differing FV values, but generally they can be grouped by type: Germanium (~0.3), Silicon (~0.7), Red LED (~1.7-2.0).

The 3 listed above are the most commonly used diode types for this application, although you can use other components such as
transistors and MOSFETs as clipping diodes when configured correctly. So what does the forward voltage do? Well, in short it
sets the clipping threshold for your signal. A typical guitar signal can range from 1-4 volts depending on the type of pickup and
the rest of the circuit in any pedals you have on.

Hard Clipping vs Soft Clipping

Hard clipping refers to diode configurations that are tied to ground on one side. This creates a "hard" cut off point where your
signal (a nice smooth sine wave) is chopped off and given flat peaks (closer to a square wave). This creates a very aggressive and
‘obvious’ effect and is typically used in effects that are advertised as distortion pedals.

Famous hard-clipping diode pedals include: Boss DS-1, Proco RAT and the MXR Distortion+ / DOD 250.

Soft clipping refers to clipping diodes that are added inside a feedback path, typically in op-amp based circuits. Placing diodes
here softens the edges of the clipped signal and offers what people usually refer to as a smoother, tube-like tone. These pedals are
often marketed as overdrives, although the lines are a little blurry on that. Without doubt the most famous soft-clipping diode
pedal has to be the Ibanez Tubescreamerand its many clones/variants.

Symmetrical vs Asymmetrical Clipping

Diodes are polarised parts, meaning they have a positive and negative side, like a battery. They are often found placed in back to
back pairs in a circuit, facing opposite directions. This is known as symmetrical clipping, because you have the same number of
diodes on each side. This means that the signal is clipped evenly on both the positive and negative sides of its waveform.

Asymmetrical clipping is where you have more diodes (in series) on one side than the other, or if you are using more than one
diode type (i.e one germanium and one silicon), which throws the balance of the clipping off.
When using the same type of diode for both configurations, it is generally considered that asymmetrical clipping tends to sound
louder, clearer and crispier, whereas symmetrical clipping is quieter, smoother and more distorted. One of the reasons
asymmetrical clipping tends to sound louder and clearer is because placing diodes in series increases the effective forward
voltage (i.e if you have two 0.3FV germanium diodes in series, the total FV would be 0.6; three diodes would be 0.9FV and so
on…)

Some Guidelines for Choosing Clipping Diodes

Here are a few things to keep in mind, especially if you are choosing multiple clipping configurations for some switched clipping option in one of
our modules.

•The type (germanium, silicon, LED) and Vf have more impact than brand or model. Vintage-correct diodes may be available, but low-
cost substitutes may be indistinguishable from them. Conversely don't expect some magic tone difference due to use of vintage-correct diodes.

•If you want to select from a variety of clipping tones that have significant differences, then select diodes of different types and/or select diode
configurations with different Vfs.

•If you want to select from a variety of clipping tones that are all still similar, then use diodes of different types and the same Vf as the
original, or diodes of the same type with slightly different Vf values.

•Be aware that switching between different types of diodes and significantly different Vf configurations will often result in considerable
differences in volume.

•It is OK to use both hard and soft clipping at the same time in circuits that allow it. It might get muddy to distort a distorted signal. And you
might have a significant volume drop. Or it might not really work at all like you expect. Here's why. Suppose the soft clipping comes before
the hard clipping in the circuit. If you put a low Vf diode in the soft clipping section, then there may be no signal to clip when it gets to the
hard clipping diodes with the higher Vf. It will appear that your hard clipping isn't working.

•If the circuit is designed to normally use say, single silicon diodes for each side, clipping around 0.65V, and you switch in a pair of germanium
diodes clipping at half that, you can lose a lot of volume, gain a lot of distortion, and perhaps lower the signal enough that whatever comes after
the clipping in the circuit behaves in a different way. Good or bad - you decide. But you may instead want to consider doubling the
germanium diodes on each side. You'll still get the overall germanium tone coloring, but your Vf will be nearly the same as the normal
configuration, letting downstream parts of the circuit behave more like they normally would, while also keeping similar levels of distortion and
volume.

•Since the Vf of germanium diodes can vary considerably, you should specify a range of Vf for them in your diode configurations. We'll look
for ones in that range and let you know if we don't have them, discuss options, etc.

•We recommend that if you are going to have clipping configurations on a switch, make one of the configurations the original clipping
configuration for the circuit. Of course, if you are specifically customizing the module because you don't like the original circuit's sound, then
feel free to choose anything you like!

•The most common silicon clipping diodes are 1N914 and 1N4148. They sound nearly identical and are used in the majority of modern
production effects that use silicon diode clipping. These two can also be used in place of most uncommon vintage silicon clipping diodes with
little, if any, notable difference in most cases.

•The most common germanium clipping diodes used to be 1N34A, 1N60, and 1N270, back when germanium diodes were the norm. They
are still used in vintage circuits today. Many current reproductions of vintage circuits are now using other germanium diodes that are more
available (often from Russia), or the "orange fakes" with the same part numbers, described in Diodes.

•The most common LED clipping diodes are red, by far. They are a great choice for many overdrives.
Clipping Diode Configuration Possibilities
There isn't really a "top" and "bottom" in your signal. We just use those terms to refer to the two sides of the configuration and the two "sides" of
the signal above and below 0V.

In our notation below, "Si" refers to any silicon diode, "Ge" refers to any germanium diode. "LED" refers to any LED, but almost always a red one.
MOSFET refers to any MOSFET transistor, often 2N7000. "JFET" refers to any JFET transistor such as 2N5457.

1. Top: Si Bottom: Si

The most common clipping configuration. Often used with 1N914 or 1N4148 diodes.

2. Top: Si Si Bottom: Si

The most common asymmetric configuration. Often used with 1N914 or 1N4148. Sometimes the extra diode is a 1N400x (for example: 1N4001).

3. Top: Ge Bottom: Ge

Common in older circuits, usually with 1N34, 1N60, or 1N270 diodes. Because of variations in quality and manufacturing, the Vf values could be
similar or different over a significant range of values, yielding variation in sound from one pedal to the next.

4. Top: Ge Ge Bottom: Ge

Most of the effects old enough to be designed with Ge clipping diodes were available before asymmetric clipping became fashionable. This
configuration is more likely to be a boutique design nowadays, and isn't seen often.

5. Top: LED Bottom: LED

This is a very popular configuration that is often described as "crunchy", like a driven Marshall tube amp. Probably the most popular clipping
alternative in many effects that provide alternatives. Provides a good alternative that is easy to distinguish from silicon and germanium.

6. Top: LED LED Bottom: LED

Less commonly used, but still a good option.

7. Top: MOSFET Bottom: MOSFET

Perhaps not as different from silicon as LED, but provides some subtle "something something" that just may be the little difference you're looking
for.

8. Top: JFET Bottom: JFET

Similar to MOSFET configuration, above

9. Top: Si Si Bottom: Si Si

Keep the silicon sound, keep more volume, tame the distortion

10. Top: MOSFET Ge Bottom: MOSFET

Maybe a good choice for those seeking a smooth, tube-y tone

11. Top: MOSFET Ge Bottom: Ge MOSFET

Maybe a good choice for those seeking a smooth, tube-y tone

Schottky Silicon Diodes
Typical Forward Voltage - c0.25Vf

These specially engineered Silicon Diodes - named after German physicist Walter H. Schottky - were created to closely
match Germanium Diode tolerances - and in fact go further - as these have typically the lowest rated Vf values - or as
little as 0.15Vf in some instances. Note that these typically generate Very High Distortion with Maximum Compression -
meaning they are often deployed serially in pairs to 'soften' their attack.

• BAT41 (0.36Vf) - Grey Matter, Zendrive

• BAT46 (0.25Vf)
• BAT48 (0.30Vf)
• BAT54 (0.32Vf)
• 1N5817 (0.25Vf)
• 1N5819 (0.26Vf)

Germanium Diodes
Typical Forward Voltage - 0.35Vf

Actually the most famous of the 'Hard Clipper' Diodes as seen and for their use on Distortion+ and Rat pedals in
particular - but also the Klon Centaur. Germanium Clipping Diodes typically generate High Distortion with Significant
Compression.
• AA116 (0.32Vf)
• AA138 (0.32Vf)
• AA143 (0.33Vf)
• D9E (0.257Vf) - Klon
• 1N34A (0.21Vf) - Distortion+, Klon, Rat
• 1N60P (0.33Vf)
• 1N270 (0.268Vf) - Grey Matter
• 1N276 (0.35Vf)
• 1N277 (0.37Vf)

Silicon Diodes
Typical Forward Voltage - c0.70Vf

These are generally rather tiny devices although split into Small Signal Diodes, and slightly bigger Power Diodes. You
can see by how close the copper-wound Anodes and Cathodes are to the glass shell exteriors compared to the Germanium
Diode equivalents which are many times the size of these tiny Silicon Diodes - I have pictured them at the same size for
purely visual comparative purposes for their internal component parts. These obviously form the mainstay of Clipping
Diodes as we know them and are core to many of our favourite Soft Clipping Overdrives. Silicon generally provides
moderate degrees of Clipping Distortion with fairly Minimal Compression.
 •1N414 (0.62Vf) – DS-1
•1N4001 (0.45Vf)
•1N4148 (0.68Vf) - Blues Breaker, DS-1, Timmy, TS808
•1N4448 (0.62Vf) - Rat
•1N4733A (0.78Vf)
•1N914 (0.68Vf) - Blues Driver, Rat, TS808
•1N916 (0.63Vf) - Rat
•1S1588 (0.571Vf)- KOT, OD-1, TS808
•1S2473 (0.67Vf)- OD-1, SD01
•1SS133 (0.65Vf) - Blues Driver
•MA150 (0.70Vf) - TS808
•MA856 (0.685Vf) - KOT

LED Diodes
Typical Forward Voltage - 1.2 > 4.0Vf

Obviously the ubiquitous 2 Red LEDs is well known here - being around 1.7Vf - but LEDs can range to at least twice that
across the spectrum. Not all bulbs have tonally unique Vf signatures - and there are many variations within Hue and type
which yield significant difference. I'm very familiar with this courtesy of a number of my Rat Pedals, but a also Redbeard
Effects' Red Mist MKIV Distortion and Kuro Custom Audio's P.h.A. Overdrive most recently. The higher Vf range of
LEDs produces Very Open and Dynamic Saturation accompanied by the Least amount of Compression and Distortion
overall of any of these Clipping Diode Types. The way how LED clipping onset happens rather late in the gain cycle and
ever so smoothly is very well used in all these pedals. This is a great organic and subtle way to apply additional saturation
to most circuits.

•Infra Red (1.2Vf)

•Red (1.7Vf) - P.h.A., Red Mist, Rat
•Orange (2.0Vf)
•Yellow (2.1Vf)
•Green (2.2Vf)
•Blue (3.2Vf)
•White (3.3Vf)
•Pink (3.3Vf)
•Purple (3.3Vf)
•Aqua (3.4Vf)
•Ultra Violet (3.8Vf)

FET / JFET / MOSFET Transistors as Clipping Diodes

Typical Forward Voltage c0.70Vf
FETs of various types can be used as Clipping Diodes too to a degree - like in the Hermida Zendrive. Their Vf range is
pretty similar to core Silicon, while the texture of distortion is somewhat softer in many ways. By and large the use of
these can be seen as relatively similar in impact to Silicon variants.
BS170 (0.581Vf)
2N5457 (0.696Vf)
2N7000 (0.600Vf) Fulltone OCD, Hermida Zendrive

Germanium Transistors as Clipping Diodes

Typical Forward Voltage c0.19Vf

Transistors can similarly be deployed as Clipping Diodes in certain circumstances - and these generally give you an
unprecedented degree of harmonic texture - Distortion and Compression wise - these are very close to the Schottky
varieties - with slightly different character though.

AC128 (0.19Vf)
OC44 (0.16Vf)
2N527 (0.19Vf)