# Mail order electronic components...best supplier(s)?



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

For those of you buying small electronics components *by mail order* (i.e., not large tube amp related components such as tubes, sockets, transformers, etc.) which source(s) have you found to be the most economical, to have reliable/quick service and to have the best selection for most of the typical components? 

Thanks

Cheers

Dave


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

Hey Dave
The ones I use are digikey, Abra, newark and sometimes electro-sonic. It all depends on exactly what a person is looking for. These guys are all good to deal with, prices are good and shipping is very fast.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Thanks Ripper.

I was wondering if one supplier tended to "outshine" the others...but as you have said, it depends on what you are looking for. 

Cheers

Dave


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

the two I use the most are digikey and newark, they always seem to have pretty much what I want. they don't always have oddball stuff and for that sometimes you need to do a little hunting.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Oh that reminds me, I requested a Newark catalogue 2 months ago and it has not arrived Hmm....

I have also used Mouser and a couple of eBay sellers such as Bezdez, shopping around is important, some companies differ in where their lost leaders are.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I'll put in a word for the little guy. While there is no denying the superb service that places like Mouser and Digikey can provide, Steve Daniels at Small Bear Electronics in Brooklyn ( www.smallbearelec.com/ ) started out his "business" simply by lining up great deals on bulk purchases based on canvasing members of the DIY Stompbox forum about whether they would find purchase of XXX at @$Y.YY attractive enough that he should go ahead with it. Over a 10 year period, it has transformed into a thriving business that generated enough revenue that he was willing to give up his day job and the health plan that came with it. Steve is a terrific guy and focusses exclusively on the sorts of components that the music community wants and needs. This includes scouring the globe for NOS components (e.g., delay chips), and commissioning new ones (his custom pad-per-hole boards are without equal for price or quality). Some of what he is able to provide to the hobbyist is a result of the commercial clients he takes on. Perhaps equally important, Steve makes a point of responding to inquiries, and of finding the cheapest way to get orders to international customers. Not always the absolute cheapest prices on everything, and as a small business e-mails can sometimes go unanswered for a little bit while he's preoccupied with other aspects of the business, but pretty much everything you want can be found there and he is always going to make it right should something go wrong. Many commercial and hobby customers swear by him; very very few swear at him. Check him out.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

+1 for Small Bear, Steve is a really good guy to deal with. I use Small Bear when looking for more music specific items and sometimes the hard to find stuff.


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## exhausted (Feb 10, 2006)

+2 for small bear. great service even when they're piddly small orders like mine.


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## novim (Jul 3, 2009)

just noticed this helpful thread (with some Canadians on it) over at the BYOC forum...

http://www.buildyourownclone.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=11101


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Thanks Novim...very helpful post.

I have a friend that recommends Honson in Toronto...terrible website, unfortunately.

Cheers

Dave


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## kw_guitarguy (Apr 29, 2008)

You going into the amp repair biz Dave?

Do we not have anyone local that can get this stuff?

~Andrew


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## wayne (Apr 8, 2009)

I've had a couple of good experiences with Digikey. They're American (we won't hold that against them!), but if you order off the Canadian website, they handle all the customs crap for you & charge in CAD.

They even sent two e-mails and a phone call regarding a part that was out of stock on my last order. I thought that was above and beyond, considering the part was a garden variety 39 cent capacitor. Hell, I even got a cheque in the mail a couple of weeks later for the 39 cents!

W


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

kw_guitarguy said:


> You going into the amp repair biz Dave?
> 
> Do we not have anyone local that can get this stuff?
> 
> ~Andrew


We have a couple of local suppliers..but they don't always have specific components that are often used for pedals, etc.

No...I'm not going into repair biz !....guitar electronics and other very basic stuff is about the best that I can manage with confidence at the moment.

Cheers

Dave


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