Alembic Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: cozmik_cowboy on April 17, 2026, 09:41:52 PM

Title: Electronics source?
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on April 17, 2026, 09:41:52 PM
I stumbled across a YT vid on building a simple 1/4w amp with no controls for what the guy said was about $5 in parts; thought it looked like a fun way to spend an afternoon or 3, and it actually sounded pretty good when he played through it.

Turns that (Radio Shack no longer living up to its name) it is pretty much impossible to find a supplier for non-guitar-specific-value caps & resistors - not to mention the IC & its socket - in quantities of one each.

I really don't want to build 5 of them - let alone 1000; that is lot size range I've hit up against.

Anyone able to point me somewhere?

Peter
Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: mavnet on April 18, 2026, 07:14:50 AM
Give this a try: https://www.digikey.com/
Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on April 18, 2026, 08:15:08 AM
Yeah, they & Mouser are part of why I asked the question; both seem to lean heavily to mass-production-size orders, and every item has about 5M drop-down menus designed for someone who knows what they're doing - which excludes me by a large margin.
Understand that, yes, I have fixed more broken cords than I could count, I have put new harnesses in 2 of my guitars, I have soldered a dead Big Muff during a guitar solo - but you should most definitely not take that to mean that I have any idea what I'm doing.  
At least not enough to navigate that wealth of choices that mean nothing to me.........

Peter
Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: mica on April 18, 2026, 09:58:56 AM
I can attest to Digikey and Mouser websites being unruly. Even when you know exactly what you're looking for those dropdowns are notoriously picky. Many terms overlap depending on how the part was entered originally, so you really never get a great search result. It's a good thing I have 3 engineers handy to help me navigate. Also, both of those websites have recently undergone an AI injection, and they are worse than before IMO.

Peter, you might have luck with a more MI focused business like Amplified Parts (https://www.amplifiedparts.com/)
Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: lbpesq on April 18, 2026, 10:56:03 AM
AI = artificial intelligence

MI = ?  Mica intelligence?  Mothership intelligence?  Mess-O-transistors intelligence?

Bill, tgo

Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on April 18, 2026, 11:12:56 AM
Thanks, Mica; I thought I'd checked them, but I guess not.  They have everything except a chip socket for the LM386, and a 10Ω ≥1w resistor.

Peter
Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: xlrogue6 on April 18, 2026, 03:02:12 PM
Hi Peter
AP has 10 ohm 1 watters in carbon film and metal oxide. also the 8 pin DIP socket for the 3886. "Browse By Product Type" is your friend.
Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on April 18, 2026, 03:53:09 PM
Thanks, XL; I'll go look again.  I was entering the value into "Search".

Peter
Title: Re: Electronics source?
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on April 18, 2026, 04:06:12 PM
Found & ordered!  Thanks, folks.

Peter