Electronic Store In NYC Area?/Radio Shack Solder

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erland

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
55
Location
New York
Hey,

I'm pretty new at all of this. I'm hoping to eventually build some guitar effects, preamps, compressors and EQs.

Does anyone know of a store in New York where I can buy better components than at Radio Shack which I hear aren't that great? I do have quite a bit of stuff from there now.

I have some Radio Shack solder. Is using this for my cables fine or should I get solder from another place? The ratio of the solder is something like 33/67 and it is Rosin Core I believe.

Pardon my ignorance and thank you for any help.

Erland
 
Hi Erland and welcome. I'm not the forum monitor but I think this is more of a brewery question or Lab at best. Each section has it's specific purpose to keep it organized. Don't be set off, just something to consider on your next post. Which you will make regarding your project choice with all it's anxiety and logistical challenges it holds. :grin:

If your working on a projectand looking for help post in The lab, if your designing the better mouse trap use The Drawing board. General discussion and Bla bla bla use The Brewery If your selling The Black Market. Not a scary Black Market it's the place to go to get the finest in materials. :grin:
There are probably tons of stores in New York that cater to the electronics supply market. Search New York Here and you will find some really amazing people that submit top quality content to this forum. I won't name names search them out and it will be very evident how much of an value these people have with their detailed contributions. Use the META for newbies it has great starter info and I think there you should get the basics and at the same time familiarity with this forum.
 
I apologize. I did take a look at the topic descriptions and felt like it shouldn't be in Lab since it's not related to a specific project on here. I was thinking about posting it in Brewery but thought that maybe it was for all non-DIY related topics as is some places like that on other boards. I now see I should have posted in the Brewery, :oops: especially with the location of a store question. It won't happen again.

I didn't see a delete button. I would have moved it myself if there was one.

Erland

edit: What do you mean by "META"? " I did a search for NYC and New York and didn't come up with much. I did find a question about stores in upstate though.
 
Welcome, Erland.

> better components than at Radio Shack which I hear aren't that great?

All parts today come from the same asian factories. The Shack's selection is small, but the parts are the same as anywhere else. (I remember when RS did carry some real junk, bags of retested rejects. But today it is cheaper for them to buy a ship-load of new-good parts than to mess around with "bargains".)

> Radio Shack solder. Is using this for my cables fine

It is fine stuff.

When I was going through a pound a year, I was buying Kester or other technicians-choice brand. Back in the days when I could buy solder locally. (These days, we buy everything on-line.) But I always had small rolls of Radio Shack around, and used it. The good-name solders sometimes cut tarnish a little better, smelled a little different, but mostly I had no preference. A 5-pound spool is a lot cheaper per-pound than RS's little 1 ounce samples, but only if you will use it up in the next few years. Most folks won't. And solder costs are never a big part of the budget. And buying at Radio Shack ensures you will never accidentally come home with plumbing solder.

Sections: We're still evolving the "purpose" of each section. Myself, I think of "Drawing Board" as Theory/Design, and think that electronics issues should NOT be in "The Brewery" (we need a place to NOT talk shop). I think The Lab is where they cut-up and sew-up the bodies, so that might be the best (most active) place for a solder-talk. But that's only 1 opinion out of 1,000+ members (1001+ now). I'll leave this thread here for now.
 
Hey don't get :oops: get :grin:

Lots of great friendly people here. This post will probably get moved but you'll still get the information your looking for. Yeah the search can come up empty but try the META thread topic for newbies.
More :grin: :grin: :grin:
less :oops: :oops: :oops:

Have a good one.
Cheers :!:
 
I thought the Lab was only for project based or clone based questions and the drawing board was for theory questions. The question, "Is radio shack solder good for audio electronics?" could lead into a discussion of what is a good solder, why, and how does it affect a circuit etc. It stands to argue that the question is in the right place after all or that maybe the drawing board should be changed to? Circuit Ideas and Analysis", which would thereby broaden and change the definition of the Lab and would make things clearer for most post considerations. I think then the question would have automatically been put into the Lab without much thinking. It might help eliminate cross posting.
 
That's good to know PRR. I've seen it labelled as "junk" on many different sites and posts fairly recently.

What great stuff there is in the meta-thread. It looks like I'm going to be running out of black ink soon. Thanks StrayCat.

What exactly does the quality entail when speaking of components?
I was thinking of adding another capacitor to my guitar to make it a bit "warmer". If I used one that wasn't of great quality, which it sounds like aren't produced any longer, how would this affect the circuit.

Thanks,

Erland
 
Hey Erland, good to see your navigating this Forum with greater benefits. I have not done any Guitar mods myself. Tone pot cap I "believe" uses a Cap/resistor to determine cut off(roll off) frequency and or slope. Do a Google serch using "Guitar mods", "Tone Pot Mods", "Guitar upgrades". Should get you in the ball park. This Forum has loads of Pro Audio and highly skilled Electronics people. The Elite in some cases. World class designers in their own right past or present. :thumb:
I know that there was a thread on Guitar FX that lead me to a Guitar mod site. For Parts and ideas try www.stewmac.com , Check out the Fender site www.mrgearhead.com for wiring diagrams and search this forum for "tone pot". As far as the caps sound in the guitar circuit I cannot tell you what will make a difference.
Glad to see your not dissuaded by my earlier words. I meant well in all aspects. When you arrive at some new revelation with your endeavors share it with the community. Make sure you credit the ones that assist you(to this revelation) on the way. As for me, your welcome for early guidance. This Forum has been very supportive to my questions.
:grin:

Cheers.
 
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