# Techs & Builders - Where You Getting Your Parts?



## keto (May 23, 2006)

I'm not looking for any trade secrets, just good solid preferably Canadian suppliers. Caps would be #1 on the wantlist, but hardware like switches, fuseholders, pilot lights and etc. too.

What about Hammond transformers, anyone carry them stock or am I going to be special ordering through my local shop?

I got fooled last night, made a big order from digikey.ca only to find out they ship from Minnesota.

Also made an order on ebay, but again won't know about the value end of the equation until after it gets assessed at the border.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

Don't know about your ebay order, but digikey will only cost you the $8.00 shipping your already paid. Same goes for Mouser Electronics and Newark in One.
Canadian suppliers I use include Electrosonic (good for Hammond), solen, global electronics and local to me Nutech Electronics.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

I've been burned at the border with Mouser but I agree with Digikey. I pay $8 shipping and its at my house the next day. Can't beat that though the selection of parts is not as large as Mouser or others. I have been getting power supply caps from Parts Connexion. I've been hit at the border so much that I won't bring stuff across the line unless its under $20.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I get a lot of stuff at Newark http://canada.newark.com/ They sell everything in the way of caps & resistors and the full hammond line too. Prices are good, shipping is fast and usually free.

Also, give C4 Sound a call, Chuck stocks everything and is more than willing to sell to builders and tinkerers.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

I buy zero in Canada as 90% comes from south of the border. Just as easy to add a few items rather than pay another shipping charge.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

> I have been getting power supply caps from Parts Connexion


You're probably paying way too much then.

How do you get burned with Mouser. Cheap shipping is Canada Post - comes right to my door. The $20.00 FedEx has all charges included, although the cost is ridiculous. Never had a problem

Oh ya I also forgot to mention the Tubestore. They have a pretty good selection of can sized caps as well as tubes.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

dtsaudio said:


> You're probably paying way too much then.
> 
> How do you get burned with Mouser. Cheap shipping is Canada Post - comes right to my door. The $20.00 FedEx has all charges included, although the cost is ridiculous. Never had a problem
> 
> Oh ya I also forgot to mention the Tubestore. They have a pretty good selection of can sized caps as well as tubes.


Yeah, tubestore.ca is my exclusive supplier on tubes, they're great.

I thought Mouser was USA?

parts connexion did look expensive.

Another tech question, what do you guys use for hookup wire? I forget what was in my TriWatt kit, solid core for sure but was it 18ga? 20ga?


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

Kent, have you tried Electronic Connections here in Edmonton? They have a horrible website but have a lot of stuff in stock in terms of caps, switches etc. I also know that they are a Hammond dealer, so I'm sure they can order anything in for you.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Yessir, in my pedal building days they were my main local supplier. I'll be talking to them today to ask about a couple of things including Hammond.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Holy heck, dcole, yer right about digikey. $8, placed order at Tues about midnight, on my desk here 9:30 this morning. $8 for a sizable box, but I note that they are shipping out of Mississauga not Minnesota. Cool!


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

Next question...what are you building in the ol' lab there Kent?


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

A single ended (one power tube) with 2 gains AND a master (mwahahaha) and a full 3 band EQ, that takes octals all the way up to a KT88 (like, 45ish watts from 1 tube, less as you go down the heirarchy of 6550, 6L6, EL34, 6V6 and so forth). It's an evolution of a classic online project known as AX84, in this case it's the AX84 SEL. The page is here including some sound samples http://ax84.com/sel.html It's actually an inexpensive build, I figure to have maybe $350 into it without tubes or headbox.

I got in my digikey package a chassis, most of the resistors, misc parts like pilot light, power cable socket and whatnot. Going to source transformers and a couple of other misc small parts today, caps are on the way from a different place. Ideally I'd have it done by the time the BA Tourbox hits here, but that's not highly likely. I'll take pics as I go along, and start a thread for it.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

keto said:


> I'll take pics as I go along, and start a thread for it.


:sFun_cheerleader2:.....COOL !

Cheers

Dave


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

dtsaudio said:


> You're probably paying way too much then.
> 
> How do you get burned with Mouser. Cheap shipping is Canada Post - comes right to my door. The $20.00 FedEx has all charges included, although the cost is ridiculous. Never had a problem
> 
> Oh ya I also forgot to mention the Tubestore. They have a pretty good selection of can sized caps as well as tubes.


If just doing a cap job they are cheaper that Tube Store:

Sprague Atom 16uF 475VDC Cap:

@ Parts Connexion - $10.50
@ Tube Store - $12.95
@ Mouser - $13.18


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

Sounds like a fun build Kent! I can't wait to hear it and look forward to the BA Tourbox.


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

dcole said:


> If just doing a cap job they are cheaper that Tube Store:
> 
> Sprague Atom 16uF 475VDC Cap:
> 
> ...


Unless you are extremely anal about using a replica antique part and don't know or care about actual specs and quality, don't buy those expensive Sprague Atoms!

Those caps are from the 1950's and they make Sprague a lot of money from guys who have been sold on mojo instead of actual electronic knowledge.

Believe it or not, modern caps are made BETTER than those of over 50 years ago! They are smaller which makes them easier to fit and they last longer. Does anyone really think that nobody learned how to improve electrolytic caps over all these years? Why is it that we don't see Sprague Atoms in the power supply of your flat screen TV?

A much better choice would be an Illinois 22 mfd @500 volt cap, which will set you back well under $5 Cdn. The slightly larger value is not important in a filter cap. In the golden years the tolerance of power supply filter caps was typically -20%/+80%, which means that an original Atom likely had an actual value of greater than 22mfd anyway!

With filter caps, the wide tolerance is because in the 1950's that was state of the art. As I said, folks have learned a few things over the years.

From the perspective of the circuit, it's irrelevant! Filters are there to smooth out the rectified DC pulses into clean DC voltage to run the tubes. The caps have to be large enough to store enough energy during the pulses to cover what is drained out between the pulses, particularly at high volume levels. So you always design for them to be larger than the math calls for, to play it safe. The value is not that critical but if you make them TOO large you will tighten up the tone, so when replacing old caps you don't want to use a new cap that is a LOT greater in value! Besides, the larger the cap the more it costs.

My career was mostly in the electronics parts industry. Parts for tube amps is such a low volume niche market that it is very hard for a Canadian operation to thrive. Thetubestore does so well because probably 90% or more of their customers are OUTSIDE of Canada! If they had to depend on only Canadian sales they would be bankrupt tomorrow. There is just not enough business in Canada.

My mainstay is thetubestore for tubes and caps but for pots, Fender style pilot lights, resistors and tons of other stuff I use www.tubesandmore.com in Phoenix, Arizona. They have a great online shopping cart catalogue and ordering system. They understand how to ship to Canada - I always tell them to use mail. It's the cheapest way. Do NOT use UPS unless you want to pay $50 in charges for a $25 order!

They also have a good selection of Hammond and a few other brand trannies. Trannies are heavy and cost more to ship so I usually find the local store that caters to tv repairmen and factory maintenance guys with electronic parts. They usually have the Hammond line and can order it in for you. NOBODY stocks Hammond guitar amp trannies in Canada! Again, not enough demand to make good business sense. Still, a store that's on the ball should be able to get you that Fender replacement Hammond within a few days.

Wild Bill


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

What's that little star washer/lockwasher thing, with a tab on it you can solder to, that you bolt down to the chassis to use as a chassis ground, called? I can't find it anywhere.

**EDIT** guess I wasn't looking hard enough. http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/S-H112


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

keto said:


> What's that little star washer/lockwasher thing, with a tab on it you can solder to, that you bolt down to the chassis to use as a chassis ground, called? I can't find it anywhere.













Ground lug solder terminal?

Cheers

Dave


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

> I thought Mouser was USA?


 Your right, shipping by USPS not Canada Post (brain cramp)



> Unless you are extremely anal about using a replica antique part and don't know or care about actual specs and quality, don't buy those expensive Sprague Atoms!


Couldn't agree more. They are pretty lousy spec wise. If you must use axial caps, go for F&T or BC (formely Philips)



> I use www.tubesandmore.com in Phoenix, Arizona.


Bill, if you have a tax number you can open an account with CE Distributing (www.cedist.com), they are Antique Electronic Supply wholesale division (same address). Prices are quite a bit cheaper.


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## J-75 (Jul 29, 2010)

Any opinions on replacement of can-type filter caps?
My experience is that old Mallory's seem to last forever, although I have been replacing them for the sake of a preventative maintenance anyway.
If I measure ripple, it sometimes favours replacement, although not always.
So, replacing them gives one a choice of Chinese for about $8 ea., or Euro at $15, or USA (CE,C-D) at $30 - $45.
There are those horror stories of cans coming from China that are filled with a cluster of a few (used?) axial tubulars in parallel - seen that?
OTOH, replacing a couple of filter caps to the tune of a hundred bucks, plus tube replacements, makes me wonder about how much I like this amp.
If a cheaper cap can't handle its rated voltage, it'll let you know *real soon*, don't you think?
So, what are your thoughts on choosing and replacing filter cans?


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

I used to replace them all as a matter of course but if I don't see any bulging or leakage and the amp doesn't hum, in they stay. USA please.


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

I usually just make a circuit board and use axials or radials. Usually fits nicely in the chassis. Cans are too expensive.


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