Found a nice, cheaper substitute for Alpha 9mm pots

[Taylor]

I ran across these Alps pots on Mouser:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ALPS/RK097111080J/?qs=fQ8kcZGzY5X4fBS08AapUQ%3d%3d

They are identical to the Alpha 9mm pots as far as I can tell, but much cheaper than Mouser's price for the Alphas, and a little bit cheaper than SB's price.

Just thought I'd point this out for anybody else who likes to get as much as possible from one supplier.

[tiges_ tendres]

I ran across these Alps pots on Mouser:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ALPS/RK097111080J/?qs=fQ8kcZGzY5X4fBS08AapUQ%3d%3d

They are identical to the Alpha 9mm pots as far as I can tell, but much cheaper than Mouser's price for the Alphas, and a little bit cheaper than SB's price.

Just thought I'd point this out for anybody else who likes to get as much as possible from one supplier.

Fancy!  I like the ones with the push to lock feature.  I dont think it would work for stomp box purposes because the knobs would stick out too far from the box surface, but they would work well in some rack gear where you could set the pots into the enclosure a little further.

Nice find.

[Taylor]

I like the ones with the push to lock feature.  I dont think it would work for stomp box purposes because the knobs would stick out too far from the box surface, but they would work well in some rack gear where you could set the pots into the enclosure a little further.

Yeah, I didn't see those before, but that is cool. And they are fairly affordable ($2.50) and Mouser actually has some in stock. Would like to see a build with those.

The same line includes a pot with a push-on, push-off DPST switch in it, so you could make some kind of stomp switch/control knob combo (if you step gingerly). They also have one with a built-in rotary (guessing SPST) switch, multi-gang pots, and multi-gang plus push switches, etc. Really cool line, tiny, and pretty affordable compared to similar stuff from other companies.

The one I linked to says "multi-ganged", but it's just a regular single unit - I have one in my hand and it's an exact swap for the Zvex-type pots.

[tiges_ tendres]

Is the whole housing metal too?  It always bugged me that those other tiny pot bodies were plastic.  I often forget I have the soldering iron in the box, next thing you know you're smelling plastic.  Oops

[Taylor]

Nope, these are plastic on the back. They're pretty much identical to these:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=693

Same color even. I see what you're saying about the iron, but in some cases having the pot body be non-conductive can be nice - in cramped spots you can have things touching without worry about shorting the circuit.

[Taylor]

Check these out, though:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ALPS/RK09L1120A2S/?qs=Xb8IjHhkxj7%252bpcPrGoShig%3d%3d

They are the same, but with a metal frame around them for snapping into the pcb. I got one of these as well, and if you snap the pcb mount off, it's like having a metal version of these tiny pots. And these are even cheaper!

For some reason the threaded part of the shaft is thicker than either the regular tiny ones, or common 16mm Alphas.

[zombiwoof]

Check these out, though:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ALPS/RK09L1120A2S/?qs=Xb8IjHhkxj7%252bpcPrGoShig%3d%3d

They are the same, but with a metal frame around them for snapping into the pcb. I got one of these as well, and if you snap the pcb mount off, it's like having a metal version of these tiny pots. And these are even cheaper!

For some reason the threaded part of the shaft is thicker than either the regular tiny ones, or common 16mm Alphas.

Those are called "snap-in" pots.  I've had some pedals with that type in them (like the Arion pedals, on those they actually use the mounting pins as a continuation of the ground circuit in the pedal).  On other pedals, the pins are soldered to the board for a more secure mounting, but are not part of any circuit.

Al

Al