# How Are You Sourcing Your Semiconductors?



## Bravin Neff (Sep 11, 2019)

I searched and searched, but I came up short, so apologies if this is covered elsewhere. I'm trying to make life easier in sourcing the resistors, caps, pots, etc, in a simple and straightforward manner. I am fortunate to have access to a fairly well stocked electronics lab, but they don't have everything, and I still find myself going to mouser, digikey and even ebay for more obscure parts (e.g., 2SC732 Toshiba transistor for the Uberdrive).

What are you folks doing?


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## Nostradoomus (Sep 11, 2019)

Finding substitutions!


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## Bravin Neff (Sep 11, 2019)

Do you ever go to (for example) Mouser, and line-item every single resistor/diode/cap for the entire project?


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## Nostradoomus (Sep 11, 2019)

I generally use DigiKey and I’m not sure what it means to line item parts. I have a fairly large stash of components by now so I just bulk buy (50+) the things I know I’m going to use and if an upcoming project has a few oddballs I’ll order those too.


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## Bravin Neff (Sep 11, 2019)

By line item I simply mean to select every component manually, the assumption being you are in possession of nothing in the beginning.


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## Nostradoomus (Sep 11, 2019)

Oh yeah, I don’t think there’s an easier way haha


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## Barry (Sep 11, 2019)

Some of the Pedal specific sites like Mammoth, Pedal Parts Plus and Small Bear will usually have some of the more obscure parts


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## Bravin Neff (Sep 11, 2019)

I notice that I can basically create a BOM with (for example) Mouser. After which the BOM can be shared with anyone, and make their life easier when they go to make that particular PCB as its essentially a 1-click purchase. 

Which leads me to wonder if others have already done the same with other PCB's? If no one has done this before, I would be willing to create the first BOM, which can subsequently be shared and purchased by anyone else. If others followed suit, it's not hard to see it potentially getting really easy to source the resistors/diodes/caps, etc.


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## Barry (Sep 11, 2019)

Bravin Neff said:


> I notice that I can basically create a BOM with (for example) Mouser. After which the BOM can be shared with anyone, and make their life easier when they go to make that particular PCB as its essentially a 1-click purchase.
> 
> Which leads me to wonder if others have already done the same with other PCB's? If no one has done this before, I would be willing to create the first BOM, which can subsequently be shared and purchased by anyone else. If others followed suit, it's not hard to see it potentially getting really easy to source the resistors/diodes/caps, etc.


I think it's a good idea, but like Nostradoomus I buy everything in bulk, I can see it benefit someone who only does the occasional pedal, I'm constantly building, repairing and modifying pedals so I stock up


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 11, 2019)

Yup.  Gotta have spares!  Especially when you find a good source of hard-to-get parts.  You're really rollin' the dice if you're buying semiconductors on eBay.


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