Tayda still slipping...

[pickdropper]

I occasionally will grab parts to goof around with from Tayda, but I find it confusing that so many defend their quality.  Much of it is truly inferior.

Just out of curiosity... and to keep the good conversation going... what items from Tayda do you believe are inferior? (Other than ICs and transistors which have been reported here and there as faulty from just about every other distributor that we deal with in the DIY world)

I agree that this is an interesting conversation and I appreciate that you're taking it in the spirit it's intended (good discussion, not confrontational).

In general, I find much of their hardware inferior.  Much of it is cheap stamped metal and not worth using.  Their enclosed jacks seem like they might be OK, but they really aren't much cheaper than getting better options from Neutrik or (my favorite lately) Amphenol. 

Over the years, I've come across suspect diodes.  Usually Germaniums out of spec, but we had a problem with noisy silicon diodes when prototyping with FFX.  Once we realized the culprit, we decided not to use Tayda parts, even when prototyping (we never used them for production pedals).  I've also had issues with LEDs where the dome didn't properly cover the leads.  This wasn't an issue if you used an LED bezel, but they would short out if touching the aluminum enclosure.  I used to think Tayda LEDs were fine and use them in (non-FFX custom work).  I got sick of replacing LEDs, so I stopped using them.  I've had zero failures with better quality LEDs (usually Kingbright).  FWIW, I verified the LED issues with a multimeter once I realized the problem, so I am certain that was the issue.  As you mentioned, their ICs and transistors are also a problem.  Not universally, but sometimes.

I am sure there's more, but that's what comes to mind.  In general, I just find that getting better quality parts isn't usually *that* much more for many items.  Things like resistors are probably fine, but I can get Xicon from mouser for 2 cents a piece in quantities of 10, so I'd rather get the better quality ones.  Same things with film caps.  Good electrolytic caps are pricier, but cheaper ones tend to fail over time, so I'd rather not saddle a buyer with that burden (particularly when there's usually far less than $1 cost savings per build by using cheapo caps).  Again, if it's a DIY build who cares, as long as you don't mind swapping them out of something goes south years from now.

Other things (such as 9mm pots) seem just fine and I can't discern a difference between the ones from Tayda and the parts I get elsewhere. 

[flanagan0718]

I'll agree with just about everything you said. The most of the hardware is trash, especially the open frame jacks. I've had numerous ones break. I've had a bad transistor here and there but nothing that I wouldn't consider within "acceptable failure" for a company.  Their electrolytic capacitors are junk so are stomp switches. Don't even get me started on the sorry excuse for wire that the have. I wouldn't trust their diodes or switches either.

In the end there really isn't too much I get from Tayda any more. I do use their SIP sockets and their IC sockets. Those are pretty reliable and cheap. I do use their WIMA box film caps on occasion (which are clearly not the real deal) but if I can get the EPCOS cap from Newark I will. I use their LEDs but pickdropper has me second guessing those and I now want to test all mine. The enclosures are ok but the powder coating is a bit strange. Common ICs and Transistors (like TL072, 2N3904 for example) can be decent but once again I usually spend 3 or 4 cents more and get them from Newark. The resistors are decent if i'm in a bind. To be honest I haven't had one fail yet. I also use their LDRs every once and a while too. 9mm Pots are fine.

I typically get my passive parts from Newark. Hardware and just about everything else I get from Love My Switches. Lawrence is a stand up dude and VERY reasonably priced. For other things that may be hard to find or what not I check DIYGP and various other sources like mouser or arrow.
-Mike-

[Govmnt_Lacky]

On my end... the only complaint I have is with their ICs and open frame jacks. I have used their transistors, sockets, LEDs, stomp switches, capacitors (electro and the grey boxy ones), diodes (silicon only), rotary switches, closed frame Ts and TRS jacks, and maybe a few others with zero problems. I get all of my resistors from my work as we have hundreds of thousands of metal films in all resistance and power values.

As far as the stomp switches go.... unless they are Cliff stamped or have another name brand on them, you do realize that they are most likely all coming from the same area in China... right? I usually get mine from (B)LMS as well as knobs.

I don't know... maybe I am lucky but I have had pretty good luck but, like I said... I do not do production so my chances for failures are not as much as those who crank out pedals for sale.

[davent]

Didn't notice it mentioned yet so to the list their knobs were entirely cringeworthy, plugs extremely poor quality, don't even think about it. I stopped using Tayda altogether. Not to mention the snails pace of shipping to Canada, weeks for an order, maybe that's changed, i won't be finding out.
dave

[matmosphere]

I think Tayda is fine. I've only had issues with knobs (bought them there once, never again) and their super cheap open jacks and the small style dc jacks. Of the 6-7 pt2399 I've bought from them two sucked, the rest are fine.

They have $.50 closed jacks that I've used dozens of times and I think are great.

I use them a lot because they are cheap and they have almost everything. The one thing that I find bothersome about this hobby is there is no one place it makes sense to get everything from. Stuff gets expensive if you've got to pay shipping from three different places to get all the parts. Smallbear is close to one stop shopping, but they are too pricey for me to justify because this is just a hobby.

[jimilee]

^^^ +1 He said it best, it's just a hobby (for us). If I was building for bank( like several of you on this thread), regularly, I would user mouser most likely. I think small bear's shipping is just too high.


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[pickdropper]

^^^ +1 He said it best, it's just a hobby (for us). If I was building for bank( like several of you on this thread), regularly, I would user mouser most likely. I think small bear's shipping is just too high.


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And I have tried to draw that line in my posts.  I think Tayda is fine for kick around DIY builds.  If anything goes wrong you can always change it.  I just don't think it's fair to push most of those parts on buyers that likely don't know what they are buying; especially if they are expecting a roadworthy pedal (which is a reasonable expectation). 

The only thing about these conversations that I really shake my head at is the argument (which is common) that Tayda parts are equivalent to other, vetted parts based solely on the fact that a builder hasn't had issues with a relatively small sample size building and without observation over extended periods of time.  Much of the hardware is clearly built poorly if one really takes the time to compare it to other parts. 

[jimilee]

^^^ +1 He said it best, it's just a hobby (for us). If I was building for bank( like several of you on this thread), regularly, I would user mouser most likely. I think small bear's shipping is just too high.


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The only thing about these conversations that I really shake my head at is the argument (which is common) that Tayda parts are equivalent to other, vetted parts based solely on the fact that a builder hasn't had issues with a relatively small sample size building and without observation over extended periods of time.  Much of the hardware is clearly built poorly if one really takes the time to compare it to other parts.

I agree.  These parts are are dirt cheap and are coming from Taiwan.


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[DLW]

I don't mean to be pedantic, but Tayda is based out of Thailand, not Taiwan. Also, the implication that Taiwanese manufactured products are low quality is not entirely accurate. Taiwanese manufacturing is almost universally better than Chinese (which is likely the true origin of much of Tayda's knockoff parts).

[Willybomb]

I haven't had *many* issues with tayda.  I don't use their jacks (I use lumberg minis from diyguitarpedals.com.au), but their push on knobs have been fine for me, while the 1590 Davies tend to strip a little.  I love their large aluminum knobs too.

Their enclosures are usually pretty good too.

[matmosphere]

^^^ +1 He said it best, it's just a hobby (for us). If I was building for bank( like several of you on this thread), regularly, I would user mouser most likely. I think small bear's shipping is just too high.


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And I have tried to draw that line in my posts.  I think Tayda is fine for kick around DIY builds.  If anything goes wrong you can always change it.  I just don't think it's fair to push most of those parts on buyers that likely don't know what they are buying; especially if they are expecting a roadworthy pedal (which is a reasonable expectation). 

The only thing about these conversations that I really shake my head at is the argument (which is common) that Tayda parts are equivalent to other, vetted parts based solely on the fact that a builder hasn't had issues with a relatively small sample size building and without observation over extended periods of time.  Much of the hardware is clearly built poorly if one really takes the time to compare it to other parts.

I totally agree here if I was selling pedals I'd go with much higher quality jacks and stomp switches especially. Passives and IC's from mouser. I'm not sure the difference would be terribly large from a sound standpoint, but from a durability stand point I think it should be done.

[thomasha]

IMHO it is a point of perspective.

In some contries two switchcraft jacks cost as much as a joyo pedal. Comparing to local products Tayda was really good for the price.
I had open jacks from other sources that were so thin, that they would bend when plugin in. After some time switched jacks would not switch anymore.

Since I moved and had access to quality hardware at a reasonable price my opinion changed. It's not as bad as some other stuff you can buy on aliexpress for the same price though.

I wish Mouser were more acessible outside the US. With the huge catalogue they have it would be much easier. Even in Europe taxes and shipping are prohibitory for DIYers.

[pickdropper]

I don't mean to be pedantic, but Tayda is based out of Thailand, not Taiwan. Also, the implication that Taiwanese manufactured products are low quality is not entirely accurate. Taiwanese manufacturing is almost universally better than Chinese (which is likely the true origin of much of Tayda's knockoff parts).

Completely agree.  Taiwan is generally where companies go for higher quality, often lower volume manufacturing (but not always).

That said, when it comes to components, it's less about country of manufacture than it is about the quality built into the product itself.  With the possible exception of some hardware, most electronic components are built in Asia these days and the quality varies from fantastic to terrible; it's all in the materials and the quality built into the process.   Products are built to exacting standards in China all the time.

Also, due to the current US/China trade situation, countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand are seeing significant economic growth.  An increasing number of product manufacturing is coming out of these countries, which is a trend that is likely to continue, even if the tariffs go away.  Manufacturing cost in China has been steadily increasing in recent years.  The tariffs have pushed some companies to neighboring countries in Asia, but some migration started even before that, which is why China is starting to push towards innovation and trying to drive the market (both their internal market and the export market).  I've direct dealt with factories in China, Vietnam and Thailand directly and have sourced parts from Malaysia; all have capable manufacturing (and non-capable).

[pickdropper]

IMHO it is a point of perspective.

In some contries two switchcraft jacks cost as much as a joyo pedal. Comparing to local products Tayda was really good for the price.
I had open jacks from other sources that were so thin, that they would bend when plugin in. After some time switched jacks would not switch anymore.

Since I moved and had access to quality hardware at a reasonable price my opinion changed. It's not as bad as some other stuff you can buy on aliexpress for the same price though.

I wish Mouser were more acessible outside the US. With the huge catalogue they have it would be much easier. Even in Europe taxes and shipping are prohibitory for DIYers.

Yeah, that's a different problem.  Do you get any coverage from Farnell, Arrow, or Future?

[rockola]

I wish Mouser were more acessible outside the US. With the huge catalogue they have it would be much easier. Even in Europe taxes and shipping are prohibitory for DIYers.

I don't know where you are in Europe, but Mouser has free shipping to Finland if the order is more than EUR 50. Taxes are what they are no matter where you order.