# Where can I buy a transistor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430 "2003-03-19T02:05:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![emolson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5fc32e/32.png) [@emolson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emolson)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/1 "2003-03-19T02:05:50Z")
I’ve got this little project I’m working on, and I need to buy a couple of replacement transistors. I’m kind of out in the boonies (not near a decent dealer), so where can I buy this kind of stuff online? I guess I’m looking for an online Radio Shack on steroids… ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/2 "2003-03-19T02:09:43Z")
[http://www.mcmelectronics.com/](http://www.mcmelectronics.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Carcosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@Carcosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carcosa)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/3 "2003-03-19T02:10:18Z")
[Mouser.com](http://Mouser.com) I use them all the time. They’re great. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/4 "2003-03-19T02:11:33Z")
Allied Electronics, Jameco and DigiKey all sell electronic components online. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/5 "2003-03-19T04:54:11Z")
[Active Components](http://www.activestores.com/default.asp) is a nice place. They have stores all over Canada, and seem to deliver, though I’ve always gone to their store. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/6 "2003-03-19T05:43:54Z")
We buy parts from [Digi-Key](http://www.digikey.com/) all the time. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/7 "2003-03-19T06:18:17Z")
For that matter [Radio Shack is online](http://www.radioshack.com/). ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/8 "2003-03-19T06:44:50Z")
Why not [http://www.radioshack.com](http://www.radioshack.com) itself ? Go to Electronic Components/Semi Conductors/Transistors ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/9 "2003-03-19T07:17:43Z")
If there are any electronic shops near you try them. The few guys still around here are glad to get rid of the stock. ---
**Author:** ![emolson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5fc32e/32.png) [@emolson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emolson)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/10 "2003-03-20T05:35:40Z")
Thanks for the response. **tomndebb** and **xash** , the thing is that RS doesn’t have a big enough selection. At least I don’t know enough to know what can be substituted for what. The last time I tried that I ended up with cold fusion, so I threw it all away. One of the sites (I forget which), was under construction, but it looks like Mouser ought to work this time. Anybody got any experience with circuit simulators? Probably need to start a new topic… ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/11 "2003-03-20T05:53:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by emolson \* > **At least I don’t know enough to know what can be substituted for what.** Um, you _could_ have just said in the OP “I need to find some 2N3055s and some BC108s”, or whatever. You could still say it _now_. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/12 "2003-03-20T05:55:47Z")
I have a demo version of PSpice, which you can get [here.](http://www.ee.mtu.edu/faculty/rzulinsk/pspice.htm) ---
**Author:** ![emolson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5fc32e/32.png) [@emolson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emolson)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-buy-a-transistor/162430/13 "2003-03-20T16:27:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Desmostylus \* > \*\*Um, you _could_ have just said in the OP “I need to find some 2N3055s and some BC108s”, or whatever. You could still say it _now_. \*\* OK, what I need **today** is some D571’s (NTE293 - I dl’ed their cross-ref data). Tomorrow may be something different, like an A733. That’s why I asked a kind of general question… Thanks.