where to buy components in the UK

[andybrnsly]

Hi all, im new to building pedals, ive done a couple of more basic kits. i was wondering about the best places to get good components in the UK. i was looking at building a tone bender type pedal but couldnt find the caps required online.

Thanks, Andy.

the components and layout for the tone bender are here:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=71945.0

[deadastronaut]

http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/


rapid

farnell

ebay

[andybrnsly]

cool thanks!

[andybrnsly]

also was wondering, whats the difference between the types of capacitors, electrolytic, polester, ceramic, etc?

[deadastronaut]

electrolytics are normally polarized...   +  -

the others arent...doesn't matter which way they go ...

[andybrnsly]

ok thanks. in terms of tone could there be a big difference?

also, if the input is say 9V, a 25V cap would be fine? but would say a 40V cap have any real effect?

[deadastronaut]

tonal difference with caps is very very debatable......i use any caps that i have...ive tried mylar/ceramic/poly on breadboard swapping them over...with no notable difference..
i'm sure someone who has ultra sensitive ears will have a different opinion though...

as long as they are over the voltage your using you'll be ok...16v/25v etc...... ....

[andybrnsly]

ah right i see lol.

ok then, thanks a lot for your help!

andy

[JustinFun]

Doctor Tweek is good for specifically pedal-based stuff you can't find eslewhere - also good personal customer service if you have any questions.

http://www.doctortweek.co.uk/

Lots of European sites are worth ordering from - they often have stock you can't find in the UK and postage charge / delivery times are not too bad.

Musikding  (www.musikding.de) is the one I use the most. They also sell PCBs for the tonebender for about 4 euros, or the 3 knob for 4.5 euros. I've built a couple of 3 knob tonebenders from these pcbs and both were great.

[NazzTazz]

Hi all, im new to building pedals, ive done a couple of more basic kits. i was wondering about the best places to get good components in the UK.

Farnell can't be a bad choice, but you have to double-check your order before submitting: their products list is huge, and its easy to make mistakes. You wouldn't enjoy getting SMDs instead of DIPs.

AFAIK Banzai-Effects and Musikding will both ship to UK. Banzai sells black powdercoated 1590BBs @ 7.50€ ea.

also was wondering, whats the difference between the types of capacitors, electrolytic, polester, ceramic, etc?

This subject has been debated a thousand times.

Check those links:

http://www.muzique.com/cap_faq.htm
http://www.muzique.com/news/ceramic-capacitors-for-guitar-pedals/
http://sound.westhost.com/articles/capacitors.htm (more technical, worth reading tho)

[bluebunny]

RSH electronics is another useful one; some of the "bargain packs" are good value and a good way to get started.  +1 too for Dr Tweek and Bitsbox.  Recommend you get a starter pack each of metal film resistors, electrolytic caps and poly box caps from wherever.  Other than semis and hardware (and the occasional esoterica), you'll be sorted for a good while.

Rapid are OK for some stuff (but spend £35 to get free postage).  Farnell is surprisingly good for some stuff too (e.g. 1590A-a-likes for £2.82); minimum spend is £20, but free postage.  I've also had some cheap enclosures from GapCo if you buy four (they currently have a 15% deal for enclosure orders by phone), but not for much else.

Buy NOTHING from Maplin.  £406 for a diode isn't funny.  But just marginally funnier than the actual price they do charge!  (Actually, I'm being harsh.  They can be useful for some things, just not electronic components.)

Not affiliated with any of these vendors; just a satisfied customer.  And Steve at Dr Tweek is indeed incredibly helpful (make that a +5) - he's even sourced and added to his stock a cap I was after a while back...

[markeebee]

My 2/6:

Bitsbox if you want to buy it easy
Farnell if you want to buy it cheap
Banzai if you want something more unusually stompbox-centric
eBay if you want something really bonkers
Maplin if you want to start a fight

I've never tried Dr Tweek, but I feel that I should.

[deadastronaut]

Maplin if you want to start a fight

yeah spot on..

[artifus]

+1 to bitsbox and the good doctor. as for maplin, well sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do but it will often leave him feeling dirty. i read somewhere recently that they've started an online 90 minute home delivery service but god knows how much you'd have to spend to qualify and one doubts that they'd send a courier round with a couple of resistors.

not tried these guys out yet but prices and p&p don't look too bad. http://spiratronics.com/

[bluebunny]

Maplin if you want to start a fight

yeah spot on..

Can we hire a minibus and do a circuit of the southeast starting *lots* of fights at *lots* of Maplins?   

[bluebunny]

I've never tried Dr Tweek, but I feel that I should.

Tell Steve, "Marc B sent me". 

He's a top bloke and deserving of your pennies.  BTW, a while back he was all out of planet-hating plastic component bags, so he was sending out caps, etc. in tiny little paper dinner-money envelopes!  Cute *and* environmentally sensitive!

[andybrnsly]

thats great thanks for your advice and input guys!

[Perrow]

My 2/6:

Bitsbox if you want to buy it easy
Farnell if you want to buy it cheap
Banzai if you want something more unusually stompbox-centric
eBay if you want something really bonkers
Maplin if you want to start a fight

I've never tried Dr Tweek, but I feel that I should.

Tayda or Futurlec if you can wait.

+1 for musikding being nice, low prices for being inside eu and nice assortment of pedal friendly stuff.

[scuzzphut]

I agree with  :

Doctor Tweek for pedal-centric stuff.    http://doctortweek.co.uk/
Bitsbox for general electronics              http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/


Tayda is super cheap if you can wait. I tend to stock up on res/caps/pots etc from here. They charge $10 for shipping to UK , but the savings more than make up for it.
http://www.taydaelectronics.com/

[elshiftos]

Fairly quick and reliable service, and they had stock of all the silicon I needed to repair a comprehensively blown BGW power amplifier, so a +1 from me to them!

cricklewoodelectronics dot com