Need to buy potentiometers - most commonly used values?

[YurkshireLad]

I think I need to buy some potentiometers as I only have a single 10k pot. However, they're quite expensive here in Canada so I will only buy a handful. Should I get a wide selection of values, e.g. 1K 10K 20K 50K 100K 500K? Or should I get duplicates of a few values, like 10k 100k? Which are the most commonly used? I'm a beginner and this is nothing more than a hobby so I don't to get too many if I won't need them.

Thanks

[antonis]

10k & 100k Linear should be fine as a starting point..

[Rob Strand]

It's never easy answering these types of questions.   The best advice is start off with small quantities and only buy what you need.   If you end-up getting into pedals more and later you find you need different part values buy them then!

If you are building finished pedals then you have to buy the parts.  If you just want some parts to experiment with that's different.

If you want to try out other people's circuits or use circuits from the then a *small* selection of 10K 20K 50K 100K 500K is good to have around.   You have the taper to think about as well.   So you can still end up with a lot of parts.

If you know how to redesign circuits to change the pot values it can save keeping a lot of parts.   I think 10k and 100k are good values but you will find 50k and 500k are handy from time to time.

[Mark Hammer]

I think I need to buy some potentiometers as I only have a single 10k pot. However, they're quite expensive here in Canada so I will only buy a handful. Should I get a wide selection of values, e.g. 1K 10K 20K 50K 100K 500K? Or should I get duplicates of a few values, like 10k 100k? Which are the most commonly used? I'm a beginner and this is nothing more than a hobby so I don't to get too many if I won't need them.

Thanks

There are less and more expensive places to buy them from "here in Canada".  Where were you going to order from, and what quality and type were you looking for?

[YurkshireLad]

I usually look at BC Robotics, Universal Solder, Canada Robotix and I recently discovered Next Gen Guitars. I checked Amazon for potentiometer kits.

I'm breadboarding at the moment, though I would love to eventually create a pcb of a simple pedal. So quality doesn't have to be great. There's no guarantee this hobby is a long term thing so I'm loathed to spend too much, just in case.

Next Gen Guitars has some but the cheapest ones aren't available in 10k or 100k, I seem to recall.

[Mark Hammer]

I've happily ordered from dipmicro in Niagara Falls (although not recently).  Good speedy service, with no duty or international shipping issues.  They don't have the greatest choice, but they have terrific prices on what they do carry.  Here's their potentiometer menu:  http://dipmicro.com/store/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=703

[YurkshireLad]

Oh cool, thanks. I've not heard of them before.

[Keeb]

I'm breadboarding at the moment

You could get an assortment of trimpots (about C$ 0.10 a piece from dipmicro.com though you can find large assortments on ebay) and then buy the pot when you want to commit. It's perhaps not ideal but it will do in a pinch. Just make sure you don't get the multi-turn/precision variety.

[YurkshireLad]

I'm breadboarding at the moment

You could get an assortment of trimpots (about C$ 0.10 a piece from dipmicro.com though you can find large assortments on ebay) and then buy the pot when you want to commit. It's perhaps not ideal but it will do in a pinch. Just make sure you don't get the multi-turn/precision variety.

That's definitely an option - thanks!

[YurkshireLad]

This kit of single turn trim pots would work - https://www.ebay.ca/itm/203613501304