suggestions buying full set of resistors for an amp build

[mikepukmel]

Hi All.

So I find a model/brand resistor that has a good price, and specs. E.g.

https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...9CT-ND/7351969



Then I try to find a retailer that has all of the values ( or at least most of the values) for an amp build. No matter where I look, they only have a few of the set in any particular brand/model resistor. So I end up with a frankenstein looking build. The power and voltage are all as good as or better than spec, but there are a bunch of different model/styles in the amp.

There must be a retailer someplace, even if 2x or 3x the price, that sells most of the values in small quantities, at least I haven't found it.

The companies that sell kits sell these no brand, look like very, very cheap parts.

Tried allied, digikey, mouser (big components sellers), and a few of the amp parts places.

Thanks
Mike

[The Dude]

I would just get a resistor kit with assorted values for starters. Most of the parts houses have them. Of course you'll have some you don't use and some you'll need more of, but it's a good starting point. And, IMO, I wouldn't sweat model/brand too much. They're just resistors.

[Enzo]

69 cents for a resistor???

1% resistors???

How about:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...7G60tTCDhhI%3d

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...lua2VpK%2fQ%3d

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...9KO1Wu2XClg%3d

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...65PxM2O5cqY%3d


And so on...

[mikepukmel]

Thanks Dude, Thanks Enzo.

[Chuck H]

I bought these last time I placed an order. Note the 10ea. price!!! 24 cents for ten. No problems with them at all so far. But why should there be? They're resistors. Unfortunately Mouser only offers these in the 1/2 watt rating, but that shouldn't be a problem. It hasn't been for any amp manufacturers.

https://www.mouser.com/Xicon/Passive...z0zls8Z1yzbppy

[bob p]

If you're just starting out buying a resistor kit does make life easier. You'll have everything that you need to get up and running.

The downside to this is that most guitar amps use the same types of preamp tubes, and no matter what configuration those tubes end up being placed in, their properties determine that you are going to use a lot of resistors in a few values, a few resistors in other values, and no resistors in other values. You'll find that you end up depleting some values in your kit rapidly, others slowly, and others never at all. So while a resistor kit is a great way to get started, it's not going to prevent you from eventually having to place restocking orders for specific parts. What it will do is buy you a lot of time to develop your own opinions along the way, so that when it comes time to reorder you'll have a better idea of what you want to order.


Personally, I don't subscribe to the idea that all of the resistors have to look uniform. They don't all need to be of the same type, by the same manufacturer, or matching in size or power rating. I suppose that would matter if I were one of those guys who lives to create a perfect looking eyelet board, so that I could take pictures of it to show to other guys on the Internet, but I don't bother with that. I don't really care if the resistors look different from one another. I prefer to choose specific composition/wattage for specific applications within an amp to enhance a particular trait in the circuit, for example, to minimize noise in the amp. Doing that means that there's just no way that I can end up with the uniform appearance that some people strive for. Because I end up focusing on how the amp sounds and performs I end up making trade-off when it comes to uniformity of appearance. YMMV.

[Chuck H]

You mean to tell me that you don't use carbon comp resistors for everything and cloth braid hook up wire? What about NOS Mallory filters and TAD Mustard replica caps! I'm sorry Bob, but how good could your amps sound then?

[bob p]

My dog howls when I play.

[bob p]

Back to the subject of pricing -- there are some tremendous deals out there, if you're willing to look for them. I buy most of my stuff at Newark because they're a HUGE distributor that's right in my back yard and shipping is fast. Another reason is that they do a lot of clearance sales which lead to pretty good pricing on the occasional oddball value. You may not see them if you're looking for "standard" values in the 4-band E24 series. Sometimes there are great values to be had in 5-band E96 or E192 series where they practically give the resistors away, and you can find precision sub-1% resistors that fall within the 5% tolerance bands of your 4-band E24 series values.

Decade Values Table

Once in a while I find resistors at fantastic prices -- sometimes as low as $0.0015 to $0.0070 each when E92 or E192 are on sale, often in single unit quantities. Does your amp care if you pay 10-cents for a 4-band 56k 5% resistor or 1/5 cent for a 5-band 57.6k 1/2% resistor? That's a price difference of 50x. Chances are that nobody will ever notice that the value is "different," but the price sure is different.

When I see a deal like that come along, I'll buy a lifetime supply. Sometimes they're available in single unit quantities, sometimes in lots of 10 or 1000. Sometimes I've had to buy 5000 at a time, but that's not a problem when I'm getting 5 for a penny. At that kind of pricing I can get a lifetime supply for next to nothing, which means that I'll never have to buy that value again. I'm at the point now where it's a rare case that I have to buy any low power resistor, no matter what kind of project I might be working on.

For example, here are a couple current sale items that might appeal to someone. The prices won't break any records, but they sure aren't bad -- all are close to a penny each. (be sure to read the specs)

CCF071M00GKE36 - VISHAY - Through Hole Resistor, 1 Mohm, CCF Series, 500 mW, ± 2%, Axial Leaded, 250 V | Newark element14
CCF07100KGKE36 - VISHAY - Through Hole Resistor, 100 kohm, CCF Series, 500 mW, ± 2%, Axial Leaded, 250 V | Newark element14
SFR2500006812FR500 - VISHAY - Through Hole Resistor, 68.1 kohm, SFR25 Series, 400 mW, ± 1%, Axial Leaded, 250 V | Newark element14

[bob p]

69 cents for a resistor???

1% resistors???

How about:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...7G60tTCDhhI%3d

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...lua2VpK%2fQ%3d

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...9KO1Wu2XClg%3d

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...65PxM2O5cqY%3d


And so on...

5 for a dime at Newark in bulk, 3 for a dime in single unit quantities.

PR01000101003JR500
PR01000101003JR500 - Search Results | Newark element14

[Enzo]

I wasn't even shopping for a deal, I just looked first place that came up to find all common values a whole lot cheaper that his 69 cent 1% resistors.

When I buy resistors, I buy them in at least a 100 lot. A 15 cent resistor then costs a penny.

Another lesson from my above shopping trip was that you can take your entire list of resistor values and find them ALL in the same series of parts.

[mikepukmel]

I wasn't even shopping for a deal, I just looked first place that came up to find all common values a whole lot cheaper that his 69 cent 1% resistors.

When I buy resistors, I buy them in at least a 100 lot. A 15 cent resistor then costs a penny.

Another lesson from my above shopping trip was that you can take your entire list of resistor values and find them ALL in the same series of parts.

I wish I had enough projects to buy in 100 lots. I flip flop back and forth: I should buy a few more since I'm paying for the shipping" back to "if I won't ever use this, then .... But, definitely more amp projects on the horizon, so flipping back again. Ive been looking for dead dead, deceased old Marshall or Fender chassis, to refurb, since I won't have to deal with grill cloth and handles (stuff I do particularly badly). but they're hard to find around these parts, or least I don't know where to look.

Thanks for all the leads on resistors (no pun intended). some great deals out there.

If you guys fix a vintage, vintage primo, then you must look for parts that match, but for a new build, do you try to put a set in the amp that match? (I feel like Im wearing two different color socks when I put Vishay Beyshlag's mixed in with white Panasonics.

[The Dude]

......If you guys fix a vintage, vintage primo, then you must look for parts that match......

Most of the time I don't. Sure, there's the occasional guy who knows just enough to want "special" parts. Who's going to look inside there anyway? Of course with exceptions, but an ohm is an ohm.

[Enzo]

Here is the deal. If I buy a couple resistors, they are 15-20 cents each. If I buy a hundred, they are 2 cents each or even less. So for $2 I can get either 100 resistors of something useful like 100k, 1,5k etc. or I can get 10 resistors of the same type.

[bob p]

If you're just building an amp to a schematic then you just need a small number of parts, in predictable quantities. OTOH if you're modding or trying to customize something to tailor a specific sound, you may go through a dozen different values as you dial it in. It's a lot easier to throw away used resistors with clipped leads when you get them for a penny than when you get them for 68-cents. At a penny, I don't feel bad about "wasting" a resistor, but at 68-cents it bothers me.

On those newark sales that I posted, they often give you the 1000 unit price no matter how many you buy. You could buy one or two and get the same unit price. I can't imagine buying 5 resistors when they're a penny a piece. I always spend at least a dollar and buy 100, even in a size that I don't think I'll need. And if it's a size that I'll need, like 100k or 1k5 then I'll buy hundreds. That way I know I'll never run out. If I need 50 different values, I can get 100 of each for $50. At that point shipping is free at Newark, so you save money by spending. (That makes a great rationalization when the wife asks why you bought so much stuff -- Honey, look at how much money I saved!) You always have to consider shipping. To me buying in bulk is worth it because I save my self the trouble of ever having to shop for that resistor value again, and to me time is money. I'll never place an order for 10 and then do it all over again a few months later. That's just a waste of time. When I find a good deal like that I back up the truck.