Anyone purchase BBD chips from Hongkongsuperseller lately?

Started by sfx, July 21, 2008, 11:18:14 AM

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sfx

I picked up some MN3007 chips from Hongkongsuperseller on ebay recently and haven't had the chance to try them out in a chorus build. (Waiting on some parts to come in).

I was just wondering if anyone else has purchased BBD chips recently from this seller? If so how are they?

I know he's sold fake/dead ones in the past and these particular ones were suspiciously cheap so I am skeptical. I also got a couple MN3008 and 3009's from other asian seller and they were fine, so that gives me some hope...

Mark Hammer

You know all those semi-regular complaints about slow service at Small Bear that crop up on the OT forum here?  I've mentioned about some of the obstacles to speedy service that Steve faces.  What I neglected to mention is that he tests each and every NOS BBD chip.  I'm not so sure that places like hongkongsuperseller stick their chips into a functioning pedal, and listen to make sure it works properly.  That doesn't mean they sell crap.  Rather, when you sell something that is static sensitive and you don't take steps to assure functionality, if you try to sell it at a low price, chances are pretty good it hasn't been tested and a bum one will show up now and then. 

I bought my last stash of MN3007s about a decade back from a place in Toronto that had them lying loose in a parts drawer without ANY static protection, or seemingly any knowledge that such protection was warranted (it didn't say CD40xx on the chip).  All of those chips worked out, so they are hardier than we sometimes think....but they aren't indestructible.

sfx

That could very well be the case, all the chips I've received from China/HK have arrived without being in a static sensitive bag. In one case I received some simply wrapped in saranwrap, heh.

Which place in TO are you speaking of Mark? Active Surplus downtown? (grew up in Toronto, currently in Markham)

CGDARK

Prepare yourself for the worst.  Sometime ago I ordered a few MN3007 and MN3101 for testing purposes of my prototypes. I ordered them from cissyopenastore (bigfishforever158, hongkongsuperseller, partspipe, etc. all are the same) and all the chips were dead. I email them and they sent me replacements and all of them were dead too. I ask them to not sell the chips anymore because all of the were dead. So be careful with BBD chips from china.

CG

Mark Hammer

Quote from: sfx on July 21, 2008, 11:40:58 AM
That could very well be the case, all the chips I've received from China/HK have arrived without being in a static sensitive bag. In one case I received some simply wrapped in saranwrap, heh.

Which place in TO are you speaking of Mark? Active Surplus downtown? (grew up in Toronto, currently in Markham)
Twas the "old" Active Surplus - the downstairs one (haven't been to the upstairs one yet)

The Tone God

I seem to remember Supermetronics used to have them also back in those days when it was a few place down from Active, and Steves, and Chicagos.

Andrew

kurtlives

Quote from: Mark Hammer on July 21, 2008, 12:33:22 PM
Quote from: sfx on July 21, 2008, 11:40:58 AM
That could very well be the case, all the chips I've received from China/HK have arrived without being in a static sensitive bag. In one case I received some simply wrapped in saranwrap, heh.

Which place in TO are you speaking of Mark? Active Surplus downtown? (grew up in Toronto, currently in Markham)
Twas the "old" Active Surplus - the downstairs one (haven't been to the upstairs one yet)
The new one isnt anything too special. They do sell DPDT stomp switches though. Lots of NOS stuff they sell for pennies though.

I always stop in at Active on my way to Steve's down the street.
My DIY site:
www.pdfelectronics.com

skiraly017

FWIW, I've bought a fair amount of BBD's from HKSS (but not in the last few months) and have never had an issue.
"Why do things that happen to stupid people keep happening to me?" - Homer Simpson

sfx

I'll give a report when I get the rest of the parts for my Small clone in and built. ;)

FWIW the MN300x's I got from "goodbuy711" and "chipforbrains" on the bay seem to work fine in my Poly chorus.

Mark Hammer

Like I say, it will be hit and miss from just about any of them unless the distributor makes a point of testing them ALL.

kurtlives:  I miss the "good old days" of Active Surplus in the late 70's when you'd hold up stuff and yell across the store "How much?!", to which the reply always seemed to be (insert lunch-chewing noises here) "A buck!".  And when you came up to the counter and dumped your breadpan of parts out, they'd look it over and mutter "Five bucks", still chomping on the same ever-present sandwich (did those guys ever stop eating lunch?).  That was before they were discovered and had to start putting prices on things.

kurtlives

Quote from: Mark Hammer on July 21, 2008, 04:03:41 PM
Like I say, it will be hit and miss from just about any of them unless the distributor makes a point of testing them ALL.

kurtlives:  I miss the "good old days" of Active Surplus in the late 70's when you'd hold up stuff and yell across the store "How much?!", to which the reply always seemed to be (insert lunch-chewing noises here) "A buck!".  And when you came up to the counter and dumped your breadpan of parts out, they'd look it over and mutter "Five bucks", still chomping on the same ever-present sandwich (did those guys ever stop eating lunch?).  That was before they were discovered and had to start putting prices on things.
Sounds way better back then... Did you live in Toronto.

The other day I was there and bought about 300 tropical fish caps. The guy at the cash counted out almost every single one. :(
My DIY site:
www.pdfelectronics.com