My spare parts nightmare.

[Thirteen]

I have to vent - Working on three complex synthesizers at the moment and needed parts quickly, so I went off the the local electronics chain store to buy some IC's as they are Just nearby rather than having to order and wait for delivery from a more reputable supplier. In I went, bought a couple of dozen IC's and pointed put to the sales guy that these CMOS IC's weren't stored properly, some were not in anti-static foam. Got back to the workshop and noticed that a lot of the chips had straightened legs, not the usual "splayed" legs of new IC's.

I wondered if that was Just a thing about these particular chips and began installing them. The synths began developing new faults even as other faults disappeared. I looked more carefully at the IC's under a large magnifier and saw that they were in fact used chips that looked like they had been pulled from sockets in used equipment of some kind.

Now, knowing that this particular store is rumoured to have a reputation for buying the cheapest goods possible I called the store and told the salesman what I had found and that his cheapskate buyers must be screwing the prices down with their suppliers so much that they are shipping over Junk parts and pulls from old equipment. He wasn't surprised at all.

So if you Just need to buy parts you would best avoid this particular store unless you want to risk getting second hand or poor quality parts that will Just make your life hell.

[rob]

I have lost count of the number of clients iIve had come in who bought fuses from Jhat store and asked for slow blow and were handed fast blow.

I have to be an extraordinarily desperate man to shop there

[Thirteen]

Desparate indeed. I don't know why they even bother to stock components any more, they must make so much more profit selling electric fly swatters.

[a.d.a.m. baby]

Hey thanks for the heads up.
I have been tempted to just run in and pick up a couple of parts when trying to get stuff back up and running quickly, usually on a weekend, but haven't been burnt like that before. Always a worry when you see CMOS just rattling around in a tray ...

[Hybrid88]

Really? hmm that sucks, I thought they were pretty good in general, my local store seems fine to me - although yeah some stuff looks like it's been knocking about in the parts bins for a while.

Used chips though? That's really strange. I thought they had reliable suppliers and only stocked new parts, how that could happen seems more than a bit weird to me, must have some *really* dodgy people running that store.

By the way, what are the synths you're working on Steve?