Best capacitor resources??
 

I know that there are plenty out there, but I am hoping that I can narrow the purchase of a compliment of caps for a given set down to one, maybe two suppliers. I know there is Allied, DigiKey, Mouser etc, to name some of the big boys that I have dealt with in the past when purchasing for a motor shop.

That's been quite a while ago and I seem to remember looking in catalogs (we used to use those) and the prices were based on buying a number of units say to stock a supply room. Seems like some wouldn't sell one of these and three of those. I want to say that the last personal order I did was with Allied and they just gave me what I wanted.

Then I know that some people go to restoration based companies which may be a good thing if they are timely and accurate with quality parts. The "quality parts" issue is a big thing for me as well. I have been reading a lot it seems about cheap Chinese caps or others that don't last long if they ever worked at all. I want to stay away from that. With that being said, perhaps a restoration based company like JustRadios would be the way to go.

Just a push in the right direction is what I need here folks. I am used to buying locally, but like so many others that place went out of business. I was getting robbed anyway. They had caps from the 70s still hanging on pegs for 3x what they go for anywhere else. They also had muli-section electrolytics that have been on a shelf longer than I have been alive, but they wanted a fortune for them. And to think, it all probably went for nothing at some auction or even to a dumpster along with a room full of Sam's folders!

Mouser, Digikey, Newark, Antique Electronic Supply and Just Radios all serve the purpose. I'm a little biased towards Mouser as they are "local" to me. I call in and place/pay for my order and pick it up at the will call counter.

It may come down to what your brand preference is, price and shipping.

Interesting thread on ARF about capacitor suppliers and the capacitors themselves. Worth looking into is the difference in lead lengths.

http://antiqueradios.com/forums/view...04356#p1904356

The whole thread: http://antiqueradios.com/forums/view...227304&start=0

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Mouser doesn't have a minimum order. I usually get my resistors and electrolytics from them and poly/film caps from Just Radios or Radio Daze.

For standard stock, I've been buying from www.capacitorworld.net . Can't beat the prices, plus the 3 buck shipping.

The oddball stuff I buy from Mouser.

eBay.

Thanks folks for all of the ideas. My biggest worry is quality frankly after reading about all of these cheap, Chinese, bad out of the bag caps. I don't even know if there is a good (quality) American manufacturer.

And last I simply say EBAY!?!?! Really?

Other than the crappy asian electrolytics from a few years ago, I haven't seen much of a problem. I've used hundreds of those inexpensive yellow film caps over the past few years and haven't had a bad one yet. I suppose time will tell...

The last ones I bought were from Bob's Antique Radio out of Illinois. I ordered a kit of coupling capacitors, electrolytics, and other misc. supplies, and was very pleased.