Guitar Pedal part sources for building

[x01001x]

I am interested in building guitar pedals and I was wondering about
the switches.
I'm not sure if one would always use DPDT, or DPST or sometimes one or
the other.
I am aware some pedals are capable of true-bypass and some or not.

Does anyone know a good source for project enclosures and switches
(potentiometers etc.)
to use for building pedals? If so, which companies and which parts
should one typically get?

Also, does anyone know any good sources for germanium transistors?
Pedals usually sound better when made with germanium transistors
rather than silicon.

Thank you!

[RichL]

Post by x01001x
I am interested in building guitar pedals and I was wondering about
the switches.
I'm not sure if one would always use DPDT, or DPST or sometimes one or
the other.
I am aware some pedals are capable of true-bypass and some or not.
Does anyone know a good source for project enclosures and switches
(potentiometers etc.)
to use for building pedals? If so, which companies and which parts
should one typically get?
Also, does anyone know any good sources for germanium transistors?
Pedals usually sound better when made with germanium transistors
rather than silicon.
Thank you!

A good source for all sorts of electronic components:
http://www.mouser.com/

I don't know if they stock Ge transistors, however. You might have a hard
time finding good-quality ones, and I suspect the best ones are new old
stock (NOS) -- that is, produced long ago but never used. Try e-bay, I see
some NOS Mullard Ge transistors listed, which are the ones that high-end
boutique pedal makers use a lot.

[Bruce Morgen]

Post by RichL

Post by x01001x
I am interested in building guitar pedals and I was wondering about
the switches.
I'm not sure if one would always use DPDT, or DPST or sometimes one or
the other.
I am aware some pedals are capable of true-bypass and some or not.
Does anyone know a good source for project enclosures and switches
(potentiometers etc.)
to use for building pedals? If so, which companies and which parts
should one typically get?
Also, does anyone know any good sources for germanium transistors?
Pedals usually sound better when made with germanium transistors
rather than silicon.
Thank you!

http://www.mouser.com/
I don't know if they stock Ge transistors, however. You might have a hard
time finding good-quality ones, and I suspect the best ones are new old
stock (NOS) -- that is, produced long ago but never used. Try e-bay, I see
some NOS Mullard Ge transistors listed, which are the ones that high-end
boutique pedal makers use a lot.

Be careful of NOS germanium
transistors -- some of them
have shelf lives roughly
equal to their 24/7 service
lives, as delicate and
unreliable as an anorexic
trophy wife. Caveat emptor.

[RichL]

Post by Bruce Morgen

Post by RichL

Post by x01001x
I am interested in building guitar pedals and I was wondering about
the switches.
I'm not sure if one would always use DPDT, or DPST or sometimes one or
the other.
I am aware some pedals are capable of true-bypass and some or not.
Does anyone know a good source for project enclosures and switches
(potentiometers etc.)
to use for building pedals? If so, which companies and which parts
should one typically get?
Also, does anyone know any good sources for germanium transistors?
Pedals usually sound better when made with germanium transistors
rather than silicon.
Thank you!

http://www.mouser.com/
I don't know if they stock Ge transistors, however. You might have a hard
time finding good-quality ones, and I suspect the best ones are new old
stock (NOS) -- that is, produced long ago but never used. Try e-bay, I see
some NOS Mullard Ge transistors listed, which are the ones that high-end
boutique pedal makers use a lot.

Be careful of NOS germanium
transistors -- some of them
have shelf lives roughly
equal to their 24/7 service
lives, as delicate and
unreliable as an anorexic
trophy wife. Caveat emptor.

Yup. I know that Keeley (from whom I've bought a couple of
Ge-transistor-based pedals) buys NOS Mullard OC44s in volume and weeds
through them to find the "good" ones. One reason that Ge fell out of favor
generally is that folks couldn't control the material science -- and
therefore uniformity of specs and reliability -- to anywhere the same degree
as they could with Si. But the right ones sure sound sweet in some guitar
pedals!

[Tejas Tubes]

Post by x01001x
I am interested in building guitar pedals and I was wondering about
the switches.
I'm not sure if one would always use DPDT, or DPST or sometimes one or
the other.
I am aware some pedals are capable of true-bypass and some or not.
Does anyone know a good source for project enclosures and switches
(potentiometers etc.)
to use for building pedals? If so, which companies and which parts
should one typically get?
Also, does anyone know any good sources for germanium transistors?
Pedals usually sound better when made with germanium transistors
rather than silicon.
Thank you!

I have a very large supply of germanium. Please see my recent post in the group or email me for details.