Build Your Own Clone Message Board

What are pedal builder's experience sourcing transistors in general?  I have used Mammoth, Small Bear and a couple others such as Radio Shack when they were around locally.  I recently tried Amazon to purchase 2N2222A's and S9013's as I was looking for some lower gain NPN Silicon transistors in the range of around 100-300 HFE as I already have one S9013 of 120 HFE and a couple of older 2N2222A's around 230 HFE.  However, the Amazon 2N2222A's had HFE's around 430 and the S9013's had HFE's around 288, way higher than I was looking for.  I did not pay much for the transistors (around 20 cents or less), which I suspect are Chinese made and who knows, maybe mislabled. 

Has this been the experience of others? Should I stick to sites such as Mammoth, Small Bear and maybe Mouser or Digikey?  I never tried the latter two as really did not have a need to and don't have much experience using their sites and services. 

What are people's opinions and experience regarding transistor sourcing?

If I needed to be sure a transistor would work, I'd buy it from Small Bear or right here at BYOC.

If I wanted to take a gamble on getting a super cheap transistor that might work, but it would be ok if it didn't, I would use eBay or Amazon.

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Scott

My band, Austin Hollow