Donner wrote:Ive wondered about the recent wave of boutique builders going back to board mounting everything. It is easier...
Assembly is easier but if you didn't start off this way then your boards have to be designed, your enclosures retooled and your silkscreens readjusted. Everytime I make a change there's usually another "setup fee" associated with it.
Donner wrote:and cheaper.....
Not necessarily. The pots and jacks are about the same price (plus or minus a few cents).
Donner wrote:but isnt that also one of the main things that started the boutique/handbuilt revolution in the 90s?
I always thought it was the ability to create sounds you couldn't get commerically...and true bypass of course.
Donner wrote:The stress on board mounted solder joints causes them to crack and malfunction over time.
Even the Mona Lisa is fading. If the PCB is mounted in the enclosure properly...all the holes in the enclosure were laid out in the right places and the parts aren't pushed or twisted into place, then the stress should be no more than average. I've seen open frame jacks and solder tab pots fail. I stand behind what I build and will continue to do so after the changeover. People have their preconceived notions and I expect some backlash, but I know I'm not cutting any corners with this change. If something
should go wrong through normal wear and tear, I'm pretty easy to get a hold of.
Scott