What sort of components do you guys use?

[realizewhoitis]

Im trying to figure out the best places to order everything from my wire to my pots from and I was wondering what type you guys use and where you get it from?  Is there any certain shops or components you have had trouble with? Thanks

[jacobyjd]

Im trying to figure out the best places to order everything from my wire to my pots from and I was wondering what type you guys use and where you get it from?  Is there any certain shops or components you have had trouble with? Thanks

Here's a list of popular parts suppliers around here:

Mouser (everything you'd ever want, as long as your search-fu is strong)
DIYStompboxes Forum Store (see link above!)
Smallbear Electronics (forum member, nice guy, decent service)
Futurlec (slow, slow shipping, killer deals on pots, I use them for my bulk parts--not good for individual project purchases!)
Pedal Parts Plus (great for enclosures--custom painting, their custom drilling can be iffy, really fast order processing)
Tonepad.com and GeneralGuitarGadgets.com (get your PCBs here!)
Tayda (good deals--I haven't tried them, but you can search some decent reviews on them in this forum)
ebay (search the forum here for links to good sellers for things like bulk resistors, etc.--buyer beware, but good deals can be had!)

Hope that helps! Also, Colin @ ExperimentalistsAnonymous.com had a really detailed listing of suppliers in his forum over there--you may want to give a search for it--lots of good info!

[mth5044]

I always get KOA Spears resistors and Xicon caps (not electro's) from mouser. Why? because I know these work for me and honestly, there is so much more on mouser I'm scared to order something different because I will probably get the wrong thing  For transistors, diodes, IC's and whatnot, I'm not to brand specific, mostly whatever is cheapest with decent specs on mouser. I like Fairchild and Texas Instruments for some of them. I get switches other then stomp (toggle, etc) from mouser also.

For pots, jacks, stomps switches and wire, I order from PPP because I usually order when I am building a pedal, which means I will get a custom enclosure from them too (saves on some shipping I suppose).

I get the oddball parts from Small Bear. Not because I don't like there stuff, but Mouser is necessary for me to get a huge array of parts for cheap and PPP is necessary for my enclosure, so paying for shipping from Small Bear isn't worth it, unless they have something I need and the other two don't (more then likely).

I hope that helps in your parts quest!

[petemoore]

  Make sure none of it SMT, too dinky to work with [unless you're into that.
  It depends on the part.
  Often enough I shop at my local salvage board, I like to keep some in stock, so I shop for 'curb monitors', the old CRT boards have lots of capacitors in them, the environment and I both get a favor that way. The practice creates and maintains an ugly mess though.

[jacobyjd]

As far as the components I use go, I've found that I like certain parts over others, but it's really only personal preference. Let science and preference drive your purchases, not mojo!

- Pots - I use the splined Alpha pots from Futurlec for testing, experimenting, etc. Since they're board-mount and CHEAP(!), they're perfect for breadboarding.
If I know I'm making a serious project that will have a permanent place on my pedalboard for years (and will see heavy use), I'll go for the (seemingly) nicer, smooth-shaft pots from smallbear. 24mm if I can fit 'em, because they feel like LUXURY when you turn them

- capacitors - I've been using the monolithic ceramic caps from Futurlec, because they are tiny. I got really tired of using gigantic film caps, and I have yet to run into any audio issues through the use of them.

[ianmgull]

I've been using the monolithic ceramic caps from Futurlec, because they are tiny. I got really tired of using gigantic film caps, and I have yet to run into any audio issues through the use of them.

+1 here. I've used monolithic ceramics on a couple of my recent builds which involve stuffing way to much circuitry into way to small enclosures. They work great and tend to be extremely cheap (especially when bought in bulk from your surplus shop)

[Top Top]

whatever is cheapest when I search mouser or digikey 

and whatever I can salvage from junk

[realizewhoitis]

thanks for all the good info guys!

[darron]

ha! i'm glad someone asked! i wrote up a whole document on this question as it pops up all the time, but then nobody asked for a little while lol:

http://www.dazatronyx.com/support/quality/


doesn't include a list of suppliers however since i need to get all of my stuff from about 7 suppliers! i'm in australia too.

[petemoore]

  No parts Mfr. wants to be known for making 'bad parts. They all try to be good in one way or another. They feel even better when they're working.
 

[realizewhoitis]

ha! i'm glad someone asked! i wrote up a whole document on this question as it pops up all the time, but then nobody asked for a little while lol:

http://www.dazatronyx.com/support/quality/


doesn't include a list of suppliers however since i need to get all of my stuff from about 7 suppliers! i'm in australia too.

Man great article thanks a ton

[Ibanezfoo]

Salvage, Futurelec, Mouser, or eBay...  I usually figure out a few pedals I want to make and buy everything from Futurlec in one bulk shot... except for FETs and transistors... those I get from a guy I found on ebay who is local to me and has good stuff for cheap.

[Shepherd]

Often, capacitors and transistors on the roll of tape are cheaper than loose caps and trannies.

[MoltenVoltage]

[realizewhoitis]

yeah ive been thinking about running down there to look around.  I would like to find an old tube radio to convert to an amp

[JKowalski]

yeah ive been thinking about running down there to look around.  I would like to find an old tube radio to convert to an amp

More difficult then you think.

I've been to goodwill/savers about 200 times and the only tube things I've found were 2-3 old organs (they mark em like $50-$100 bucks now!) and one tube suitcase record player.

[petemoore]

  You can find tube-stuff.
  Try to find an apartment finding person, someone who cleans 'em out and fixes 'em up for the next tenant, I've seen some on craigslist....50 buxx or a long drive.
  Some units are made safe by as simple a process as replacing the 2 prong plug with a grounded chassis scheme.
  Of course you'll have or want to replace the elecrolytics, the sockets might be kinda loose, etc. pots may do well after being cleaned up.
  Then there are the not so simple tube units, there'll be some parts you can use but without a suitable power supply transformer or ground lug, making it safe & usable gets to be...where you start looking for something else that is closer to ready already.
  Sometimes a dig into the chassis is when the ground scheme becomes clear, you can't tell for sure by looking at the outside.

[realizewhoitis]

  You can find tube-stuff.
  Try to find an apartment finding person, someone who cleans 'em out and fixes 'em up for the next tenant, I've seen some on craigslist....50 buxx or a long drive.
  Some units are made safe by as simple a process as replacing the 2 prong plug with a grounded chassis scheme.
  Of course you'll have or want to replace the elecrolytics, the sockets might be kinda loose, etc. pots may do well after being cleaned up.
  Then there are the not so simple tube units, there'll be some parts you can use but without a suitable power supply transformer or ground lug, making it safe & usable gets to be...where you start looking for something else that is closer to ready already.
  Sometimes a dig into the chassis is when the ground scheme becomes clear, you can't tell for sure by looking at the outside.

I would have never thought about asking the people who empty those houses, thats a great idea