is this a good kit for a beginner or are there better/cheaper options?

[simon1138]

hello,
i am looking for the best starter kit i can find. you people are the best resource for me and have seen a lot more of this than i have. is this a good kit for the money and parts?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electronic-Components-Transistor-Electrolytic-Capacitors/dp/B07R49CSCJ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Electronic+Component+Kit+%28Total+1390+PCS&qid=1588094800&sr=8-3

when i say parts, i mean are the transistors a good range, can they be used in place of others that are not quite the same?
thanks
simon
(not trying to advertise amazon or anything)

[idy]

The film caps stop at 100n. We use them in values up to 1uf (1000n.)

[iainpunk]

welcome to the forum

that's quite a nice starter kit, im going to check if i can find something similar on ebay (no amazon in my country).
i really firmly suggest that you also get a solderless Breadboard so you can experiment with values of components before you solder anything, since small component changes can make a pedal sound really different.

its not often that caps larger than 100nF are required to be non polarised, and i would normally dismiss the comment on that, but i am currently working a project with really big non-electrolytic capacitors so i stand corrected in advance...

those transistors are all usable, there are quite a bunch of general purpose transistors, and in pedal building, the transistor specs matter less and you can always try and compare when you have a breadboard, every type will sound different in any circuit that uses them as gain stages.

cheers,
Iain

[mcknib]

I'm assuming you're in the UK Simon seeing as it's an amazon uk link

My advice would be decide what you're going to build, look at the BOM (bill of materials) usually found in the build documents
Then buy the components listed and a few more to build up your stock

I'm not sure if you're a 100% beginner or not so apologies if you know this stuff

It's important that you get components suitable for PCB work 1/4 watt resistors, 16 to 63v electrolytics, 100v film capacitors, 16mm potentiometers etc it's sometimes difficult to navigate component websites and very easy and extremely annoying as a beginner to buy for example a 1 uF 600v capacitor that's massive with thick leads and a 10mm lead pitch that you aint gonna get in the solder pads like I did pic below, so things like that are important to get you off to a good start if you are indeed a beginner



I could waffle on forever but briefly in addidtion to the above, for film caps you want a 5mm lead pitch, electrolytics 11mm height max I'd say, some sites list dimensions like bitsbox

I'd maybe e-mail bitsbox.co.uk if you defo want a kit

Tell him that you want a kit of the typical most commonly used components for building pedals I'm sure he'll sort you out probably for less dough and his deliverys quick 1 or 2 days max

They've also got a 'pound shop' catagory where you'll get a 80 1N4148 diodes, 15 LED's, IC sockets etc for a pound

[FUZZZZzzzz]

My favorite 'local' online store sells value packs especially for guitar pedals. I checked whats actually inside them.

Elcos:

1 uF - 15 pcs
2,2 uF - 10 pcs
4,7 uF - 10 pcs
10 uF - 15 pcs
22 uF - 10 pcs
47 uF - 15 pcs
100 uF - 10 pcs

MKT:

1 nf - 10 pcs
2,2 nF - 5 pcs
10 nF - 10 pcs
22 nF - 5 pcs
47 nF - 10 pcs
0,1 uF - 20 pcs
0,22 uF - 5 pcs
0,47 uF - 5 pcs

They use to sell a pack of resistors as well, but I couldn't find it right now.

[Kevin Mitchell]

I agree that's a decent beginners kit! Wish I had that years ago instead of the live and learn tactic of finding parts 

Do yourself a favor and pick up a bunch of 2N5088 transistor (can never have too many basic NPNs), TL072 opamps and a couple of breadboards.

Oh! And don't forget 22-24 AWG wire.

-KM