WHERE TO BUY: D*A*M* Pedal parts?

Looking for a particular component or hardware part and you just cannot find it? Got comoonents surplus and want to get rid of it? Post it all here... No sales of working pedals, put these in the 'Seen for sale' section please.
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mike_EME
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Post by mike_EME »

johnnyg wrote: You can actually get fancier parts for your own builds if you want more mojo (vishay spectrol trimmers for instance). You don't have to slavishly copy the DAM micro-enterprise, which builds to a cost and to make a profit after all.
http://www.vishay.com/docs/57027/63.pdf

You think these are nicer than the marshall trimmers???
I don't know.. I like the ones that lay flat.. not on their side.

ALSO: these are annoying
http://www.vishay.com/docs/51025/t9.pdf

THESE trimmers tend to strip easily
http://www.vishay.com/docs/51016/t73.pdf

These look pretty sweet, but a bit heavy duty for the job..
would look into trying them though!
http://www.vishay.com/docs/51020/p8s.pdf

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johnnyg
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Post by johnnyg »

You can get the first style you link to in either horizontal or vertical orientation - same as the (cheaper) Iskra type. The Iskra are good and good value. My point was just if you want nice, fancy parts for your builds you can often get even fancier than found in a typical DAM pedal - certainly in terms of the passive components (not that it will make any real impact on how it sounds of course... mojo in guitar fx and amps is all about the looks and how you feel about something after all :wink: ).

(The ge transistors, often unobtamium, are a different matter of course).

The Iskra have carbon tracks I'm sure; the Spectrol are cermet - which I read somewhere is better for a trim pot (which you set and forget) as it is more stable over time/temp. I also think the Spectrol are made to somewhat better tolerance and that they are completely sealed. Not that any of that makes any real difference for your typical stompbox circuit - I'm just saying it's a fancier, pricier component. I've used them once or twice for some pedals I've wanted built to as high a quality as I could get them.

Marshall, DAM, any manufacturer chooses components to some extent on cost of course. For a hobbyist building a one-off stompbox you don't have to be so constrained - 30-40 plus pence for a Spectrol or 7 pence for an Iskra... it's different if you're ordering hundreds or thousands of the things of course.

The multiturn type of trimmer (that you've found annoying to use) are for precision, fine tuning of resistances - I can't think of a stompbox that requires one, certainly no DAM (i.e. a remake or development of a 60s or 70s fuzz box).

I've never stripped a trim pot - were you pretty rough with it? That's a miniature preset I think - so possibly quite delicate. Trim pots are designed to set and forget by the way - with maybe the odd recalibration. I don't think any trimmers/presets are intended to be rotated too many times.

That last one is probably much too fancy and wasted in a stompbox - just my opinion anyway :)
Yet to break through the Space Charge

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johnnyg
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Post by johnnyg »

Just to be clear, I'm not encouraging you to hunt out & buy the fanciest components you can get for your builds. I was just making a general point. I don't know how new or advanced you are building your own stomps & I wouldn't like to give you the wrong idea and approach.

I think to get most enjoyment out of your builds it's best to focus upon the circuits (and your skills at making robust effects). Sourcing parts can be a chore & a bore. If you can get as much as you can from good places like bitsbox or small bear etc, I think that's the best approach. Best not fuss too much if you're building for fun.
Yet to break through the Space Charge

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agoldoor
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Post by agoldoor »

Completely besides my previous post in this thread, I would have to agree whole-heartedly with johnnyg.

I wasted quite a bit of money when I started out building because I really didn't know what I was doing and built some really shoddy pedals with quite expensive/rare parts. Almost all of those early effects I later dismantled to reuse the parts. But, I only realized once I got a bit better at building that I really should have just used whatever while I was still learning, and not spent as much time parts-hunting until I had the skills to use the better stuff appropriately. But like he said, I don't know what your skill level is, but I just thought I'd pass on advice that I wish I had listened to when I first started building.

I actually do love the hunt for rare parts mojo parts, such as travelling to electronics warehouses to hunt for old germs. But again, it's definitely better to learn how to use the parts themselves than to use the priciest/fanciest components you can find.

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Taller76
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Post by Taller76 »

Pruttelherrie wrote:
mike_EME wrote: Besides.. I'd never figure out how to route that freaking 9V battery compartment anyways

FOR THE REST OF YOU GUYS/GALS
Dril a couple of holes, file file file file file file file until your fingers are sore.

Been there, done that :D
Cleanest way I've found is to drill the 4 corners of the hole to a radius that will accommodate the battery box then "connect the dots" with a jig saw using the correct blade....finish it up with a file....

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ashleyslidewhip
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Post by ashleyslidewhip »

have to admit - sad I know - I think DAM pedals are just beautiful to look at. I've never heard one, don't really want to or need to, just they are shear works of art to look at the guts

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akosbev7757
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Post by akosbev7757 »

There is a seller on eBay that has the shielded wire and most of the parts that DAM uses. He also sells MKI and MKII kits. Here is a link to his eBay store,

https://stores.ebay.com/LIC-Pedals-and-Parts

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