Where to buy things? - Navigating Mouser?-pots/resistors/caps/switches/wire/etc!

[elenore19]

Hello, I need your help. (like always  )
So Mouser seems like the logical choice of where to get all my parts due to the ridiculous amount of inventory they seem to have. (correct me if I'm wrong of course...)
I would REALLY prefer to order everything from one spot. So I'm thinking Mouser is the best choice...that is if they have everything I need.

Basically I'm asking, what do you guys suggest for parts? Especially with the switches and pots. What's most commonly used?
These are going to be my first pedal builds from scratch. I've only made three GGG kits as of now.

It always seems like mouser has way more types of parts than I can navigate through.
So...

Potentiometers...Way too many for me to decide which is the one I need.
"Audio" vs "Linear"? Which should I use for what function? (Gain, Bass, Mid, Treb, Presence, Volume)
I guess that's the only question I have, once I figure that out I should be able to figure out the 5k,10k, etc...

SwitchesAs far as the 3PDT goes. Does mouser sell the true bypass ones? (The blue ones that seem to be used in every pedal with an LED)
Also, for just a DPDT, which ones would be good for pedals? They all look like plastic, and the ones that seem semi-sturdy don't look anything like the ones I've seen in pedals.

Resistors:
1/8W vs 1/4W?
Should look into the Carbon film, right?
Capacitors:
(non-polar) Go with Ceramic? then which of these?
 • Ceramic Disc Capacitors
 • Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCC) - Leaded
 • Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCC) - SMD/SMT

Wire
Is there wire that would work on Mouser? I don't know anything about what's the "best" or what should be used for these applications, some guidance would help.

I hope this isn't too long for people to go through.
Thanks so much in advance for the help!
-Elliot

[DaPhinoXX]

pedalpartsplus.com

[JKowalski]

Potentiometers...Way too many for me to decide which is the one I need.
"Audio" vs "Linear"? Which should I use for what function? (Gain, Bass, Mid, Treb, Presence, Volume)
I guess that's the only question I have, once I figure that out I should be able to figure out the 5k,10k, etc...

Audio is a logarithmic taper. This is used for things like volume, since we hear volume change logarithmically. You really just have to analyze the circuit you are building to see which one you want to use. They both will have the same results, it's just the control response that is different. A good example for linear pots would be a pan knob - you want it linear, otherwise the "middle" wouldn't be the middle. Ideally you'd want that to actually be logarthmic on both sides of the middle, and "S" curve (you cant get those but they are rare). For frequency controls, it depends on the filter circuit and how it responds to changes in the pot rotation.

SwitchesAs far as the 3PDT goes. Does mouser sell the true bypass ones? (The blue ones that seem to be used in every pedal with an LED)
Also, for just a DPDT, which ones would be good for pedals? They all look like plastic, and the ones that seem semi-sturdy don't look anything like the ones I've seen in pedals.

The only heavy duty stompbox-suitable switches on mouser are a couple different variants of an ALPHA brand footswitch. Browse through the catalog in the switch section until you find a couple listed under the brand and name Footswitches. They are DPDT only, mouser doesn't sell good 3PDT, that's something you'll have to go somewhere else for. However, you can add a millennium bypass circuit to the DPDT to make it perform the same as a 3PDT (with the LED)

EDIT: Bottom of this page. Note that they sell four types. Two are PCB mount, two are solder lug. One of each of the two groups are momentary, the other latching. You'd probably want latching solder lug, if you aren't planning on mounting it on a PCB directly, and this is for a bypass switch.

Resistors:
1/8W vs 1/4W?
Should look into the Carbon film, right?
Capacitors:
(non-polar) Go with Ceramic? then which of these?
 • Ceramic Disc Capacitors
 • Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCC) - Leaded
 • Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCC) - SMD/SMT

1/4 watt is what most people get, it is a good size. Not too big, not too small. 1/8 watt are quite tiny and frustrating sometimes, but it does save space. Plus with 1/4 you are sacrificing only a small area that IMO is overridden by the extra versatility of slightly higher power resistors. AND you can mount 1/4 upright in any situation you want that space. It's really your call though.

Carbon film, no matter what people tell you, is not an exemplary resistor. It's "mojo" is a non-scientific bias. Metal film resistors are a good choice, they have a 1% tolerance typical, are far more resistant to damage then carbon films, and have lower noise. You can get carbon films, and they will serve you perfectly, I am almost absolutely sure nobody could hear any difference, but metal films are better resistors for the same price so why not?

Capacitors are an annoying one. There are plenty of types. I have all kinds of caps in my bins... I bought a large bag of ceramic caps for super cheap when I started off, they do the job just fine for me. I do like the MMC caps, they can reach large sizes in a small package, I use them all the time for 0.1uF-4.7uF instead of electrolytics. Film capacitors are good too, it's hard to compare the caps because they are all suited for various purposes and when you are making a nonspecific order you can't really tell. ALot of people seem to get hung up on the sound differences between capacitor types and the mojo-ness of certain ones, but IMO it doesn't really matter. A lot of it is BS.

With low power audio frequency stuff like stompboxes, most caps will do the job fine.

Note that you need to WATCH OUT FOR SURFACE MOUNT. The SMD/SMT means they are surface mount components, they have no leads and are miniscule in size! Think "computer motherboard" for a picture of what SMT components look like. You want leaded resistors and capacitors. Axial resistors, and axial or radial capacitors. If you are buying IC's and transistors you need to make extra sure that they are not SMD either. Mouser sells more SMT stuff then through hole I believe, SMT components have many advantages in the electronics production field and that is what mouser.com caters to. IC's should be in DIP or SIP or PDIP formats. If you are not totally sure, the part number will have a few letters or numbers tacked onto the end of it that will be explained in the datasheet and denote properties like package type. Everyone who orders from mouser makes this mistake sometime, so just try as hard as you can to double check and triple check you know what you are getting!

Also for capacitors make sure you are not getting ones with an overkill voltage rating. You want a voltage rating around 1.5x-2x that of the voltage you expect to see across it. Capacitor size is porportional to both the voltage rating and the capacitance, so if you mes sup and order a 100uf 100V capacitor, you are definitely not gonna be able to put that in a stompbox! Also, check the radial vs axial for electrolytics. Axial is like a resistor, radial is a can with two leads on the bottom. Most of us use radial, they take up less space.

Wire
Is there wire that would work on Mouser? I don't know anything about what's the "best" or what should be used for these applications, some guidance would help.

I hope this isn't too long for people to go through.
Thanks so much in advance for the help!
-Elliot

Wire is wire. There isn't really any difference in wire. Stranded/non stranded, AWG, and insulation are really the only things to look at. Stranded is more flexible and more resistant to breaking then solid core. For breadboarding jumpers, you want solid core, because you need a solid chunk to stick in the holes. You don't need a very large diameter wire, stomp box stuff is very very low current.

I don't know my AWG for the wire I use, maybe someone else has a suggestion for the exact AWG's they like to use? I'm jsut going from memory here, which is fallible, but I think anything under ~22 AWG is too big, and over ~30 AWG is getting fairly small and weak for normal hookup wire?











Dont get discouraged by Mouser, though. It is very cheap in most catagories and has a much larger choice of parts then most pedal specific stores. Also dont hesistate to order from mutliple sites, while it may seem like painful in terms of shippign costs if you do it right you can get cheaper prices overall. For example, futurlec has 50 cent potentiometers and if you order alot of them, thats a hell of alot of savings from ~1.25 to 2.00 that some other places sell them for (like mouser)

Also if you want special parts like 3PDT footswtiches there are not many large scale distributors that stock them. I always order from three places personally: Futurlec, Effects Connection, and Mouser. Futurlec for their super cheap deals on certain parts, mouser for the wide selection of parts, and effects connection for cheap switches/pedal specific components.

[Tony Forestiere]

http://diystompboxes.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1&zenid=0744be1162ef6095c0e240027c94f6d1

Support the store. Reasonable shipping.

[elenore19]

........

Awesome! SO awesome. Thanks a bunch! Definitely great information. I really do appreciate it!

[aron]

The wiki link and the FAQ addresses these issues. As some people have said, there's a store link above which I guess no one sees as well.

Thanks,

Aron

[Pakaloabob]

I am also a n00b when it comes to DIY effects. I have only been building for about 6 months, but I have completed 10 pedals and about two dozen other circuits awaiting enclosure/jacks/switch, etc.
I bought all the supplies for my first few projects from Small Bear. They had everything I needed, and not many options to confuse me.
After those first few projects, I decided to buy some things in bulk from Mouser. I was overwhelmed with the choices for each item, so I decided to buy 1 of each of a few varieties and see if there was any differences - there were minor differences but all worked fine for my circuits. I eventually developed a preference for machine-pin IC sockets, vertical trimpots, and Neutrik Jacks (cheaper than Switchcraft and comparable in quailty IMHO) among other things. Meanwhile I had amassed quite a collection of components with which to experiment.
I agree that it is worth it to buy from multiple sources sometimes, even when shipping charges are factored.
It is not worth it to try to buy stompswitches from Mouser. Buy 3PDT switches from Aron's store. If you buy 4 or more, they are $5.50, shipping is reasonable and in my experience, very fast. I ordered on a friday and I received my items on monday - from Hawaii to New York state!
The price is also right for DC jacks, Switchcraft jacks, eight-pack of 1n34a diodes and five-pack of RC4558 opamps - you will need a few of those at some point. I would check out what is available in "The Store" and then buy the rest of the items that need.

[boogietube]

+1 on buying switches here....it's not just switches...he tests every one of them...that's a great deal if you buy the multipack deals..you may get them cheaper on e-bay (not much though) but none will be tested...and his shipping is great, fast and reasonable...

[space_ryerson]

+1 on the store here as well. I almost always order from mouser and Aron on the same day, and Aron is always as fast as, if not faster than mouser. I've never had a problem with any switch from Aron, and you can't beat the price.

[robmdall]

+1 On the Store here. Super fast shipping and a great selection.

(PS: Aron, the link needs to be made bigger in size  )

Rob

[elenore19]

Alright, I'll definitely look into the 3pdt switches here in the store, along with jacks. And maybe any other parts I need for my projects that he has.

Otherwise I guess I'll go to mouser for all my caps and resistors, and maybe one other place for anything else.
We'll see. This is a big project to order all these little tiny parts, to make sure you have all the right ones.

After making a list and trying out pedal parts plus, I finally finished not having about 1/3 of the things I needed and it took me 2 1/2 hours.

But yes.
I'll definitely look into the store.