Hi,
I have read much about counterfeit DIY pedal components. Saw some alarming price discrepancies in a search I did last night for diodes. Company A price for 1n34a's $0.81 per, (Tayda $0.24). Price for 1n60's $0.85 per, (Tayda $0.05!). Price for 1n270's $2.59!! Tayda $0.26. 1n5817's were going for $0.71, while Mouser had them for $0.43. Are higher priced components REALLY better, or is a 1n270 a 1n270 anywhere?
Thanks
I've never had problems with parts from Tayda. I'm certainly not the most experienced guy on here though. They certainly don't have everything though, and some things that can vary in quality quiet a bit, like a PT2399, I would pay a little more for.
Tayda's resistors have very thin leads on them, and certainly don't feel as nice as xicon resistors, but they get the job done.
Just remember, it's worth checking everything with your multimeter before you put it in a solder it.
As a general note, Tayda germ's are way off spec with Fv all over the place. Does it matter? In some cases, sure it will. If it's in a comp like a Bearhug you want good quality components. If it's in a wild fuzz that goes from insane to OMG please make it stop, not so much.
1N5817s in a polarity protection circuit - not so much as it is not in the audio circuit. And you should be able to find those for super cheap.
Long story short - the quality of component required is highly dependant on the function of that component. I've got expensive 1N34's and cheap 1N34's; the expensive ones I use when they are the sole function diode in the audio path of a circuit. The cheap ones I use if I'm building a circuit with a pile of clipping options.
The only problems with expensive germs is that they break as easily as cheap germs, so be careful. It's a lot more painful when you crack the glass on a $3 diode.
Thank you for the incite.
Like I told you on one of your other posts the only thing I've gotten bad from Tayda was some ICs and one cap. I think what the other guys have said is spot on.
From what I have read on 1n34a's is that the majority of them come from Asia. This guy sells them for .49 a piece and he says he's tests some of them to make sure they are for real. I haven't bought any but he's been around a long time.
https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com/product/1n34a/
Paul DIYGP (link above in header) sells a lot of items and always has good prices. The only downside is it can take awhile to get things from Aussie land. He's a really good guy and will go out of his way to help you out. I trust everything he sells.
The only other thing I can say is buy in bulk. Diodes 5817's, 914's, 4001s and others in the 4000 series are in almost any pedal you build. 100 5817s from Mouser brings them down to .12 a piece. I would also check Allied Electronics also. They sometimes have better prices. 100 5817s are .074 a piece. Just make sure you calculate postage when buying from multiple places. Buying the 5817s from Allied plus shipping (USPS cheapest) will almost be the same price as buying them from Mouser.
Went through a ten pack of Tayda 220n ceramic disc capacitors a couple of days ago, because i needed a 220n disc cap, two were in the high 200 teens, two were in the 150n's, there rest were in the 170n's, to me not acceptable, i really have no reason to use Tayda and haven't in a very long time.
dave
Quote from: davent on May 20, 2016, 12:46:45 AM
Went through a ten pack of Tayda 220n ceramic disc capacitors a couple of days ago, because i needed a 220n disc cap, two were in the high 200 teens, two were in the 150n's, there rest were in the 170n's, to me not acceptable, i really have no reason to use Tayda and haven't in a very long time.
dave
Wow, Sounds like if my dmm could test caps I'd have a lower opinion of Tayda.
These were ceramic disc caps, not film box?
Quote from: alanp on May 20, 2016, 01:00:40 AM
These were ceramic disc caps, not film box?
Yes Alan, just for a Lumen switch.
dave
1n60 is also the part no. for a silicon diose, a schottky I thinks.
The 1n60 diode from Tayda is not a germanium diode.
Quote from: davent on May 20, 2016, 12:46:45 AM
Went through a ten pack of Tayda 220n ceramic disc capacitors a couple of days ago, because i needed a 220n disc cap, two were in the high 200 teens, two were in the 150n's, there rest were in the 170n's, to me not acceptable, i really have no reason to use Tayda and haven't in a very long time.
dave
Were these +/- 20% (or worse) parts? 176n is "in spec" although it appears yours were hand picked to be on the crap end of the distribution.
Tayda generally gets sort of divided opinions. Some are OK with the quality of parts and some aren't. I generally fall on the side of not.
I've had more Ge diodes from them that were out of spec than in spec. And some of them were wildly out of spec. If you get them from there, they should be screened at the very least.
Pots & sockets is all I get from Tayda anymore. My build quality has improved greatly once I moved over to Mouser,MKLec, BLMS and Small bear only.
Cody
I've got 20+ Tayda links saved for transistors, ICs, and diodes. Included them in my list of supplier due to a post I read a few months ago about where to get components. Tayda was mentioned favorably for certain items. Never heard of MKLec, but found the site and looks promising! The thing I like about DIY Guitar Pedals (Paul) is that ALL Caps are in Nanofarads!! Can't tell you how frustrating it is as a "new builder" to have to convert to buy at Mouser or SB. Anyway, I guess I'll hunt for the Tayda parts elsewhere... Thank you.
Quote from: selfdestroyer on May 20, 2016, 04:22:20 PM
Pots & sockets is all I get from Tayda anymore. My build quality has improved greatly once I moved over to Mouser,MKLec, BLMS and Small bear only.
Cody
The funny thing is that passives really aren't all that much more expensive at Mouser, Digikey, Newark or Allied. There are certain things that Tayda is definitely much cheaper for, but often the savings is marginal, especially if you are willing to buy 50-100 of each part at a time. Not necessarily practical for somebody that wants to build one or two projects, but if you are in the hobby for the long haul, you can get much better quality parts.
The 1n60s from Tayda are not the germaium version. They're a silicon workalike, the 1N60P. They're actually one of the best things you can get for rectifier diodes -- they Fv is consistently very low and they're small. (For reference, they're in the Hartman compressor).
Tayda's 1n34As are terrible. They break very easily, they often exhibit runaway leakage with even finger heat (I literally threw away 20 of them the last time I bought any), and they have no consistency at all. Their 1N270s are the same diode with a different paint job.
The cost you're paying elsewhere is for getting a part that will function the first time, every time, right out of the bag, known to be made by the manufacturer printed on the case for certain. For the most part, if something's radically different from the price on Mouser for most passive and active components, you should probably be suspicious unless it's another similar large seller.
1n270s are $0.75 at Smallbear. $2+ for a diode is high unless it's something really rare.
I've gotten almost everything from Tayda, except for rare stuff that they don't carry. Most of my clipping diodes have come from eBay sellers in Russia or Germany. All have been legit. I do test all my resistors, diodes, and caps before I use them. Most have been fine. Now, that I'm getting much better and I'm completely addicted to this hobby, I will probably start buying more bulk from Mouser. I will say that I like the Alpha pot I get from Tayda better than the ones I've gotten from Smallbear.
Which brands of resistors and caps do you guys like? I've used Xicon resistors before and the are noticeable better quality than the ones from Tayda.