Beware of Mountain switches

[guitician]

Mouser has an image that looks like a metal bushing for p/n 103-00160EVX that SoWhat posted with the note under it...

"Images are for reference only.. See Product Specifications"
And as rjb said there are no material callouts on the spec sheet.....
I suppose at 4.87ea you cant expect much

[rjb]

We have a phillips head screws thread?

In deed we do.
http://music-electronics-forum.com/t29372/

[dai h.]

a picture of the broken switch would probably help (so people can see what is being referred to)

[R.G.]

Counterfeits?

[dai h.]

who knows. Seems a lot of Japanese makers (I think "Mountain switch" are Miyama) are moving manf'ing off shore due to pressure from the high yen (Miyama site talks about rationalizing and new factories in China and Thailand). One possibility I wondered about is production problems. Can't say if overseas moves are definitely the prob. but I bought a new mini-phone plug that turned to have a misshapen tip and a DC jack of which the plastic part crumbled a bit after not very long. I don't know if Miyama are that great but they've seemed satisfactory for the price (the red/white switches on Univibes are Miyama so they've been around a while at least and surviving up to now). (The plastic neck part seems odd but maybe they changed it??)

[Chuck H]

Well... I haven't had a build for awhile but I do have one in the design stage. This thread will have me paying close attention and ordering switches in advance in case I need to change up.

[J M Fahey]

Where the factory actually sits on the map isn't *that* important.
The key lies on what the owners want to do and their commitment to quality.
I buy ST transistors and ICs trusting them no matter whether they were made, maybe Malaysia, Houston or Grenoble, because the machinery, process and, most important, quality control standards are the same.
And production is by highly automated machinery, not barefoot guys in a tin roof shack.
So if Miyama or whoever sets up a factory in China, the product can be as good as the Japanese one.
H*ck!! : IPhones and such are made in China !!!!
Now, if Miyama decided on making a new low cost line of products to be more competitive ... that's something else.
Big problem is that usually resellers at the other end of the chain (USA, Argentina or anywhere else the end buyer is) buy the cheap product (although the good one is still available) and sell it as if it were the "good" one, at *almost* the same price, and pocketing the difference. Basic Capitalism.
I'm sure a manufacturer (such as Univibe) who can bulk purchase OEM from the factory, goes for the good one, which anyway is inexpensive if you buy straight from them.

[Chuck H]

To be certain, I have no concearn where the parts are made. Other than continuing to feed the Chinese manufacturing machine. But that's becoming unavoidable. It's changes to the materials and specs, as you noted.

[J M Fahey]

Worst part is that it *is* avoidable ... but it will take a strong Political decision which I find inexistent.
Not referring to any Political Party, both are guilty or accomplices of this.
Oh well.

[diagrammatiks]

nkk's are japanese and they are great.

[guitician]

nkk's are japanese and they are great.

Carlings are from Mexico and are worthless now.....At least the ones I got....which were probably Chinese fakes that mouser sold me instead of the "Real Carlings"....Oh well... I guess the real Carling mfg co. has no worry about fakes being sold by Mouser because the bulk of their sales are to direct purchasers. I guess Mouser isnt one???

I looked at the Mouser site and this is what I bought for a DPDT pushbutton...http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...52b9L8eg%3d%3d
This is what I should have bought.... http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...Plyve5Ww%3d%3d

The "641" type uses a polyester body and it is supposed to have an epoxy terminal seal...mine didn't.....as I soldered the terminal lug, the polyester melted and the terminal moved out of position, ruining the switch. The "316" type uses Phenolic Resin for the body which doesn't melt when soldered.

[diagrammatiks]

Carlings are from Mexico and are worthless now.....At least the ones I got....which were probably Chinese fakes that mouser sold me instead of the "Real Carlings"....Oh well... I guess the real Carling mfg co. has no worry about fakes being sold by Mouser because the bulk of their sales are to direct purchasers. I guess Mouser isnt one???

I looked at the Mouser site and this is what I bought for a DPDT pushbutton...64112220 Carling Technologies Pushbutton Switches
This is what I should have bought.... 316-PP Carling Technologies Pushbutton Switches

The "641" type uses a polyester body and it is supposed to have an epoxy terminal seal...mine didn't.....as I soldered the terminal lug, the polyester melted and the terminal moved out of position, ruining the switch. The "316" type uses Phenolic Resin for the body which doesn't melt when soldered.

I mena is there a reason carling is supposed to be good other then the fact that they were made in the us at one point and used in some fenders?

they've always seemed pretty average to me.

[guitician]

I "mena"? is there a reason carling is supposed to be good other then the fact that they were made in the us at one point and used in some fenders?
they've always seemed pretty average to me.

Not really.....if all companies really cared about quality...and could just get by with their current profits and leave the designs the same, then one switch would be as good as another.