resistor kits

[pt1911]

Love the forum. I've been lurking for a while and have started my first project. I was wondering if anyone had experience with the resitor, capacitor, and diode kits on amazon. I would like to get a healthy supply but don't want to be stuck with values that I will never use. Thanks in advance for any help.

[AlabamaOutlaw]

Show me some links at what your looking at on amazon. Also in pedals you will mostly be using 1/4 watters. And a lot of micro electrolytics of very low voltages and various UF's.

I build more amps than pedals so I pick up a lot of resistor buddles from tubedepot.com

Show me what your looking at hoss

[pt1911]

Hope this works. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is...or++assortment

[Big John Studd]

I think you'll be better off ordering from Digi-key and getting the actual component values you need...and perhaps tacking on a smattering of other useful valued components to the order. I was not able to view the Amazon link, but I would doubt they could beat Digi-key for selection, price, shipping, etc.

[AlabamaOutlaw]

Originally Posted by Big John Studd

I think you'll be better off ordering from Digi-key and getting the actual component values you need...and perhaps tacking on a smattering of other useful valued components to the order. I was not able to view the Amazon link, but I would doubt they could beat Digi-key for selection, price, shipping, etc.

Wrong, If you want to throw away your money, then yes go to digi-key,mouser, or allied. But if you really want to build up you're parts bins with good quality parts that won't send you to the broke house..here is where you should go. Remember you can always take these resistors and caps that cost you pennies and put them together to make the ohms or uf's you need for a project if you run out, instead of spending another hunk of cash, shipping and time waiting on parts from one of the big 3 "wholesale" parts houses.


There are two places to buy your parts from off the top of my head.

First up is where you should get your resistor, electrolytic & mylar caps, small pots, diodes along with you're IC component in bulk.

http://www.futurlec.com/ValuePacks.shtml

Next up for you're wire (copper silver plated teflon) which is the best money can buy and CHEAP from this guy, switchcraft jacks, and full size high quality bourns pots and 3pdt switches for you're pedals and the like is

www.apexjr.com

You can buy you're LED's in bulk at both places. Take a look around for your other needs as well, a little money well spent if you're serious about this as a hobby or buisness.

[Big John Studd]

Originally Posted by AlabamaOutlaw

Wrong, If you want to throw away your money, then yes go to digi-key,mouser, or allied. But if you really want to build up you're parts bins with good quality parts that won't send you to the broke house..here is where you should go. Remember you can always take these resistors and caps that cost you pennies and put them together to make the ohms or uf's you need for a project if you run out, instead of spending another hunk of cash, shipping and time waiting on parts from one of the big 3 "wholesale" parts houses.

Wow. This is the exact opposite of my experience. I've been buying from Digi-Key for years. I guess it's been about six months since I last ordered, but at that time op amps were a dime, and resistors were literally pennies. The quality of components was just fine...Texas Instruments, National Semiconductor, etc. Shipping was a couple of bucks via USPS...I felt that was fair considering it costs half a buck now to just mail a letter. I have not ever tried Mouser or Allied, but I always assumed they were comparable...could be totally wrong.

[AlabamaOutlaw]

If your ordering just select products and want a certain series of a certain brand at a certain tolerence (Like when building tone stacks ex). Then you dang near have to order some stuff elsewhere. But the O.P. is getting into building pedals and needs to stock up on things because he is a new to it all. He was asking in the ways of kits and that's the best way I've stocked my drawers.

I build mostly amps and I use the two sources above, CE dist, weber and allparts when I just have to. But as far as buying value packs for pedals of dang near everything that will be the best way to go IMHO.

[pt1911]

Thanks for the help. Just ordered a bunch of stuff from futreloc and the total was only $32 with shipping. This should be a good start.

[Montana_Dawg]

Originally Posted by Big John Studd

Wow. This is the exact opposite of my experience. I've been buying from Digi-Key for years. I guess it's been about six months since I last ordered, but at that time op amps were a dime, and resistors were literally pennies. The quality of components was just fine...Texas Instruments, National Semiconductor, etc. Shipping was a couple of bucks via USPS...I felt that was fair considering it costs half a buck now to just mail a letter. I have not ever tried Mouser or Allied, but I always assumed they were comparable...could be totally wrong.

+1

I work in the industry, and I use Digikey, Newark, and Mouser all the time. Mostly Mouser and Newark when I need one-offs or small quantities.

I have never bought in to the "mojo" crap about using carbon comp 5% resistors or other such nonsense. I like to set my bias networks really tight with 1% metal film and tweak from there. I get better parts from Digikey and Newark than any where else.

[willc68]

If you plan on building pedals as a hobby a resistor kit is a good idea, for about 10 bucks you get 100 each of most common values.
For single values Tayda Electronics are great, resistors are a penny a pop and shipping is cheap and delivery quick.
They are based out of Thailand but the past year all my packages have come from MA.

[94bamf]

Originally Posted by AlabamaOutlaw

Wrong, If you want to throw away your money, then yes go to digi-key,mouser, or allied. But if you really want to build up you're parts bins with good quality parts that won't send you to the broke house..here is where you should go. Remember you can always take these resistors and caps that cost you pennies and put them together to make the ohms or uf's you need for a project if you run out, instead of spending another hunk of cash, shipping and time waiting on parts from one of the big 3 "wholesale" parts houses.


There are two places to buy your parts from off the top of my head.

First up is where you should get your resistor, electrolytic & mylar caps, small pots, diodes along with you're IC component in bulk.

http://www.futurlec.com/ValuePacks.shtml

Next up for you're wire (copper silver plated teflon) which is the best money can buy and CHEAP from this guy, switchcraft jacks, and full size high quality bourns pots and 3pdt switches for you're pedals and the like is

www.apexjr.com

You can buy you're LED's in bulk at both places. Take a look around for your other needs as well, a little money well spent if you're serious about this as a hobby or buisness.

Great links, thanks! Wish I had found these links a couple weeks ago..

FYI, I have ordered some of the stuff the OP linked to, and am very happy with their resistor and capacitor kits on amazon.com, although they are a bit pricer than the stuff at futurlec. Parts Express also has a decent selection, their resistors come in a 10 pack I believe..

[smoss469]

I ordered 4-5 packs of stuff from Futurlec. Should be a nice base to start with.

[Big John Studd]

Originally Posted by willc68

For single values Tayda Electronics are great, resistors are a penny a pop and shipping is cheap and delivery quick.
They are based out of Thailand but the past year all my packages have come from MA.

Never heard of them, just checked their site. Sure enough...garden variety transistors for LITERALLY a penny!! Presumably they could stick them in an envelope and ship cheaply?

[r.jones1116]

effectsconnectiononline, pedalpartsplus

[limbe]

I am with Montana here.Buying the E12 or E24 series of metal film resistors is one of the best thing you can do.Here is a link that explains what I am talkin about.
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~jcgl/Sc...r/e12/e12.html

I don´t know the situation in US,but here in Sweden I have seen "value packs" that were a big plastic bag with many parts (e.g. resistors) of the same value.A lot of 22 kohm resistors for example.I hope your value packs are of value to somebody starting out.
Cases that are the right size for a pedal is something I buy whenever I can pick up one cheap.Actually,the things that are not on the PCB are the parts that usually are the most expensive.Painted case,jacks,pots,knobs,,,,,,,.

[justin.ray]

Originally Posted by limbe

Actually,the things that are not on the PCB are the parts that usually are the most expensive.

+1

Resistors and capacitors are dirt cheap and most transistors and IC's are close behind. The switches, pots, jacks, and enclosures are where your biggest expense will be!

I bought a few kits from smallbearelec.com when I was getting started. Outside of the the off board components, I usually don't need anything that I don't have on hand (for gain-based effects, anyway).

Capacitors can be a bit more trail and error, I occasionally find that I'm missing a cap that I can't make a module (combination of capacitors in series or parallel) for.