This is a list of mailorder companies of different countries where you could buy the components. The tips where collected by MIDIbox Users in the last few years. Note that I cannot guarantee that these distributors offer the best prices. If you know better shops, just add them here (hey, thats the power of a Wiki!
Note: Reichelt offers the best prices for hobbyists in Europe - the minimum order for shipping to germany: 10 EUR, to foreign countries: 100 EUR (new policy) (!)
There are a couple of sources of circuit boards, parts kits, programmed PICs, etc. within the MIDIbox community. Details at where to order pre-made printed circuit boards pcbs and parts kits
Bourns encoders (detented type - very good quality, fast delivery!) at SmashTV's MIDIbox Store (US) for $1.00USD or with push switch for $1.25USD. Ships worldwide.
M-SW-ROT (detented type - very good quality, very fair price, fast delivery!) at Voti (NL) for around 1.20 Euro. Note that the pinning is the same like for ALPS STEC16B - see also http://www.voti.nl/common/sw_rot_1_doc.gif
318-ENC160-24P at Mouser for around US $2
ALPS STEC16B02/03/04 and STEC11B01/02/03/04 (detented/non-detented type) at Distrelec (Switzerland, Austria, Italia, Poland) for around EUR 1.70
http://www.pollin.de/shop/detail.php?pg=NQ==&a=Njg2OTU3OTk= German Seller, 16 detents - nice & cheap 0,75.- Euro/Piece
(Don’t be shy about ordering international - prices vary a lot!)
You can order all components at http://www.reichelt.de (cheap and fast!)
PIC18F452, LCDs and cheap rotary encoders: http://www.voti.nl
PIC18F4620 and other components: http://www.farnell.de
nice LCDs : http://www.tronico.net
Encoders, cheap LEDs and more : http://www.pollin.de
You can also purchase the components at Reichelt, but need to order for at least EUR 150. PIC 18F452: Distrelec for ca. 11 Euro!
Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark BHIAB, Trimlog, Labb Elektronik, Kjell, AD-Teknik, JEC. Further Elfa (expensive!) — See also this forum article.
Reichelt (EUR 100 minimum order!) or try to find a local electronic shop. Very fair prices and low shipping costs for special parts of the MBHP (PIC18F452, ICs, Crystals, LCDs, rotary encoders...): Voti (english pages. Other suggestions: www.conrad.nl and www.ace-systems.nl.
Check the homepages of GoTronic, Conrad, Radiospares. PIC18F452: Selectronic for 15 Euro.
Most of the components can be found in Nikola Tesla Radio club http://www.radioklub.co.yu/. There is also a reseller shop in which you can order components from Conrad,Reichelt, etc. http://www.monselektronik.co.yu/
PIC18F452 is available at Gamma for ca. 38 Zlotych. 16×2 backlit LCD for ca. 30 Zlotich in (nearly) all shops for electronic’s hobbystis or at AVT. STEC16B03 Rotary Encoders can be purchased at microdis for about 11.50 Zlotych.
Don’t order from Farnell or RS-Components, you can get it 90% cheaper elsewhere. Shop around! Good local stores like Jaycar, Dick Smith Electronics and Radio Parts General have most of the components at reasonable prices, but you can get things much cheaper from Australian electronics distributors such as Rockby Electronics for resistors, capacitors, sliders, pots, chips etc. and Switches Plus for harder-to-get things like ALPS switches, rotary encoders, sliders, pots, etc. Other retailers for PICs include: Dontronics and Microzed.
All Components w/o PIC at Electrónica Liniers, Elko, YEL PIC and LCD can be ordered at CIKA Electrónica/Av. de los Incas 4821/te:011-4522-5466/Buenos Aires. The price of the LCD is ok, but the PIC is expensive (around 25 Argentinian pesos). You may try to order the PIC in the USA.
All Components are available at Global Electronic Chile globalchile@entelchile.net
Andrew Gow wrote: “I managed to buy all components for your 16 pot design for about $230 NZ, which is about the same in DM I think - not cheap but better than anything else you could buy for the same price. The problem is that everything is cheap until you try to ship it all the way to New Zealand!!! - I was quoted $19US for 32 sliders from Song Huei in Taiwan (awesome!!!!) but $50 US postage!!! (bummer....). Similarly, I could get a PIC for $6 US, but add $25 US postage and it doesn’t look nearly as good. (Rest of components from Dick Smith Electronics)”
Mail by Rowan Spicer: “During the first stages while pricing parts from various sources I discovered a very cheap (By New Zealand Standards) and helpful supplier. All of the parts for the PCB including the A 16*2 LCD cost less than $100 NZ ($1 NZ = Approx $0.50 US) I’ve included an invoice to show the price breakdown: NZ pricelist. (Note by TK: the PIC18F452 requires a 10 MHz crystal!)
MICROCHIP in Ukraine city of Dnepropetrovsk: mail to chip@pbox.dp.ua or anton@pbox.dp.ua - they sell and program PICs! And they offer 2*16 LCDs.
If you know some good distributors in your country, add them here to make other people happy!