Sourcing components - tips, tricks and bargains?

[Geiri]

Tayda always put a low value on the package so don't worry. I've ordered for hundreds of dollars from them and they always cleared customs right away.

Honestly, buying bulk from these chinese guys on eBay is the cheapest you can get with components. Much cheaper than Tayda in some cases. Yeah you have to wait, but you can buy more so you don't need to order as often.

[Madferret]

Yeah, what Geiri said, couldn't have put it better :D  Also check out Ali Express for some great bulk deals, Miro pointed me in their direction for some cheapo pots which worked out at about $0.20 each!

[ichilton]

Thanks - so do those prices I gave above for the switches/boxes look about as cheap as they'll come?

Have you had better deals? paid about the same? more?

Thanks,

Ian

[ichilton]

Are the jack plugs normally unswitched?

Bitsbox do both switched and unswitched, but none of the ebay ones seem to mention it so I assume they are unswitched?

Ian

[Geiri]

I think it all depends on what "type of buyer" you are.

I'm buying a lot now. I just bought 100 3PDTs from Bicheslovemyswitches and that was the best price I've seen. I also recently ordered 50 1590B boxes from him as well and that was a pretty good price since I ordered a bunch of knobs with it.

I'm buying ICs, Resistors, Caps and Transistors in 100+ pcs each every time.

[ichilton]

Depends on the pricing really - i'm just a hobbyist, but am wanting to build a number of pedals and i'm a "like to have plenty in stock" kind of guy, so i'll buy resistors, capacitors etc in 100's, I picked up 100x op-amps from the link above, but the stuff like boxes and switches which are coming out quite expensive, i'll only buy a few of.

Ian

[ichilton]

Found 100x jack sockets for just over £16:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121056548680

They are unswitched though - can't find any decent pricing on switched ones.

Do the above look ok for these purposes?

Thanks,

Ian

[ichilton]

Doh - same guy does "switch" ones at the same price:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121056548656

Is there any disadvantage to getting switched ones? - do I need some of both, or is it always ok to use switched?

Thanks,

Ian

[IvIark]

You only need the stereo sockets for the input, and only if you want to include a battery snap because the switch is used to disconnect the battery when the lead is removed.  I never include batteries in my own builds and so I keep mainly mono sockets with just a few stereo in case I build for someone else.

[ichilton]

Cool - that's what I thought was the case.

These seem to say mono (and look like mono as I can't see anything to make contact with the ring), but say switched:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121056548656

Will those do the switching ok?

Is there any disadvantage to using them all round as they are the same price? - or do I really need to buy some switched for the inputs and unswitched for the outputs (and loop switcher)?

Thanks,

Ian

[IvIark]

Yes if you look there's a switch strip in parallel with the tip contact, so that switch will disconnect when you put the lead in.  You can just ignore it.

[dodido]

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[ichilton]

IvIark - thanks for that - I ordered 100pcs of the switched :)

dodido - i'm kind of doing both - i'll buy the resistors/capacitors in quantities as they are useful to have (and I already have a box full) - and if I do run short, you can get them for pence and quickly at Bitsbox so it's not really a problem.

The things like jack sockets, switches etc are more expensive at the likes of Bitsbox so that's why i'm ordering them in bulk from ebay.

So when you did it a month ago, did you get any good deals?

Do you have a list of what you ordered from where?

Has anyone found and good deals on 50 or 100 in jack plugs (both straight and angled)? - cheapest I can find at the moment is Tayda...

Thanks,

Ian

[IvIark]

Yes I too hated the idea of having a partial build to finish and finding out I was missing a resistor or cap, to the point where I made sure I had every value available.  You would laugh if I told you how many resistors I have now, so I may have taken it a bit too far but I've hoarded 217 unique metal film resistor values and 103 unique cap values, so at least I don't have to worry about not having something and I'll probably only ever need to re-stock up on the most common values like 1K, 10K, 100K, the rest will last me until I'm too old to solder

Stomp switches I order in 10s from eBay but usually have 20 to hand at any given time, same for 1590B's.  I also have around 10 x 125Bs and 10 x 1590BBs for the builds that need them.  For sockets I did a group buy with Aaron from Arc Effects a couple of years ago and got some really high quality open Neutrik sockets for a great price.  I also bought 50 enclosed Neutrik sockets from Rapid Electronics so I had that type available if a build required it to save space.

I always order transistors in 100s if they are readily available in quantity.  ICs in 50s or 100s from Tayda or GC Supermarket on eBay.

Because of all the stuff I've hoarded over the past few years it means that I don't really have to go on a big monthly electronics shopping spree any more, so it means I can just buy 10 more stomps, or 20 toggle switches, or extra boxes instead to get the stock of more expensive items built up too.

[ichilton]

Interesting! - thanks !:)

Do you pay about £4.60/ea for the boxes and £12.39 for 10 3PDT's then?

[IvIark]

Yes about that for 3PDTs, but I use the Eddystone version of the 1590B from Rapid here:

http://www.rapidonline.com/Mechanical-Fastenings-Fixings/Hammond-Diecast-Aluminium-Enclosure-Eddystone-Case-111-x-60-x-31mm-30-1532

£3.49 each when you order 20 and free carriage.

[ichilton]

Cool - thanks.

I probably won't get 20, but that's good to know!

Ian

[IvIark]

You will eventually

But if you know anyone else who wants some, particularly if they're local, then it is a good group buy

[Stinger25]

Mark,
Can you tell me what the price you've got on Neutrik sockets?

[Dave]

I'm not sure if they're neutrik branded, but these are on par quality wise, they're what i use.
http://shop.pedalparts.co.uk/14__Mono_Jack_Socket_-_High_Quality_635mm/p847124_6518417.aspx
Thanks
Dave