Design a New Precision LCR Tweezers with Much Lower Cost 【Shannon Tweezers ST42】

[KungFuJosh]

I guess, I'm getting nothing, lol. At least until there's a sale or something.
I'm not saying it's expensive for what it is. Just regretting that I didn't get it when I thought of it. At its current price, it won't be as nice an addition to my set of tools as it would have been earlier.

lol, I hear you. Try emailing Shannon directly. Maybe they can give you a better price directly without having to pay Ali fees.

[MathWizard]

Why do SMD test fixtures even just for RLC parts, and sub 1GHz, easily cost +$1000 ? You can get a pretty nice DSO or DMM's, etc, for over 1000USD.

[ceut]

For reference, I have bought mine as I post my previous message, the "ST42 TestBoard" model about €140 + 7€ shipping, so total €147.
After checking on ali juste before writing this message:  €219 + 23€ shipping   (total of €242)

It is very strange this big increased step, I have mailed Shannon for that (and other things) 
Maybe it is the real price of Shannon Tweezers, and the price was until end of 2023 with rebate  ?

[Veteran68]

Yeah, definitely a substantial increase. I paid $143.65 USD for the most expensive kit (extra tips, case, test board) in August (<5 months ago), from Shannon's Ali store. Same kit from same listing is now $221 USD.

Whew.

[shapirus]

Now it's has a -30% discount off the increased price, so it's, although still somewhat more expensive than before the increase, back in a reasonable (as far as my personal reasoning goes) range.

I guess I have no more excuses for not getting one at this point .

[KungFuJosh]

I guess I have no more excuses for not getting one at this point .

Awww, poor guy. 🤣🤣🤣

[thm_w]

You can also try using current coupons: 24WS05, 24WS10, etc.
So current price should be $118 - 10 = $108

Hell of a decent price IMO.

[shapirus]

You can also try using current coupons: 24WS05, 24WS10, etc.
So current price should be $118 - 10 = $108

Hell of a decent price IMO.

Well I've already ordered it. Anyway, I thought maybe I could cancel the order and order again with a coupon, but when I tried to enter these coupons that you mentioned, I got a "For security reasons your request can't currently be processed" message, which is pretty weird. Maybe it's country-dependent or something like that.

[thm_w]

You can also try using current coupons: 24WS05, 24WS10, etc.
So current price should be $118 - 10 = $108

Hell of a decent price IMO.

Well I've already ordered it. Anyway, I thought maybe I could cancel the order and order again with a coupon, but when I tried to enter these coupons that you mentioned, I got a "For security reasons your request can't currently be processed" message, which is pretty weird. Maybe it's country-dependent or something like that.

Yes coupons are always country dependent, some only work in USA or Europe, etc. Maybe useful for someone else though.

[shapirus]

Yes coupons are always country dependent, some only work in USA or Europe, etc. Maybe useful for someone else though.

So I found a $10 coupon that works, but once I place the order, it gets instantly closed with a "We had to close this order due to account security concerns. Error Code: SC_1" message, and the money is refunded in a few minutes. Pff. Oh well. Will try tomorrow. Something tells me that it may not let me order even without the coupon now, lol.

Update: yeah it just cancels the order whenever there was a coupon used, even if it accepts the coupon on the final page before payment. Oh well. So be it, nevermind the $10.

[Shannon]

Well, I restored the early bird price.
Half a year ago, I expected that this would be the last early bird price.
It must be that our promotion was not strong enough, which caused the early bird to glide in the vast sky for three years and still not land  :'(

[shapirus]

It must be that our promotion was not strong enough, which caused the early bird to glide in the vast sky for three years and still not land  :'(

In my case, I first considered getting it about a year ago, then completely forgot about it, and then, after a year, saw this thread and thought: "hmm it's a nice device, I think I want it". Then I did a google search, and much to my surprise, found that both the website and the aliexpress product page were both visited links! After some SMD soldering, checking, desoldering I finally decided to order it, and that's when I found out that the price had increased.

Moral of the story: don't hesitate to buy good tools, especially those not requiring much room for storage, when you see a good price .

Speaking of promotion... I think your product listing on Aliexpress should have more keywords in the title. Barely anybody will see it unless they search specifically for this model. Try adding words like "ESR LCR SMD tester" to get more search hits. Maybe even add the obligatory "quality new professional genuine", since, after all, this is Aliexpress

[Shannon]

Speaking of promotion... I think your product listing on Aliexpress should have more keywords in the title. Barely anybody will see it unless they search specifically for this model. Try adding words like "ESR LCR SMD tester" to get more search hits. Maybe even add the obligatory "quality new professional genuine", since, after all, this is Aliexpress

It's a very good suggestion, no worse than the ST42 optimization suggestions. I can't help but give you something

And now, the main titile is "Shannon Tweezers ST42 Smart Digital Portable SMD LCRD&LED Tester Debugging Reparing Tool OLED Display"

[shapirus]

I can't help but give you something

hmm... Like a set of curved tips that I could not add to cart because they were out of stock?

[Shannon]

I can't help but give you something

hmm... Like a set of curved tips that I could not add to cart because they were out of stock?

Well, I see.
I will tear down one pair of curved tips from my own tweezers as gift for you 

[shapirus]

(replied in PM)

[ceut]

Hello,
I have made my own review here, hope you will enjoy it 
Also, I have posted a PM to Shannon (again  ) to point out some points, and hope that he will check them to improve his tweezer 

Edit: Video re-uploaded, new link here:

[shapirus]

A curious encounter: I've just came across a very similar looking (probably the same housing?) tweezers that cost a fortune and only advertise LED testing: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002727680735.html



It also has "ST" in its name, which I don't think is a pure coincidence.

p.s. I like the idea of that hard cover that slides onto the tweezers, though:

[Kean]

Yes, this same style of smart tweezers has been available for sale for some time - but at a significantly higher price.
e.g. from idel-tek in Europe https://www.ideal-tek.com/catalogue/7/testers/smart-tweezers
and SmartTweezers/Advanced Devices in North America https://www.smarttweezers.com/

In the case of that AliExpress seller, it sure looks like they are just remarketing products from Farnell/Element14 - which includes ideal-tek, Peak, Multicomp, and so on.

[KungFuJosh]

I like that case. @Shannon!! 😉

[tautech]

A curious encounter: I've just came across a very similar looking (probably the same housing?) tweezers that cost a fortune and only advertise LED testing:

It also has "ST" in its name, which I don't think is a pure coincidence.

p.s. I like the idea of that hard cover that slides onto the tweezers, though:

Nothing curious at all....well not to those that have used smart tweezers for approaching 20 yrs.
Even my old set use ST to signify their model..... ST3 from SmartTweezers/Advanced Devices.

Shannon's ST42 is just a recent and much better design/build in the ongoing evolution of these types of devices which until you own a set you have no real idea of their true usefulness.

[Shannon]

I like that case. @Shannon!! 😉

Yes, much more safety, I will try to design a 3D printer version, that's not a big deal in theory, except suspected of "copy" 

[garthk]

G'day! I was thinking of buying the tweezers, but now they're showing as AUD771 with an AUD572 coupon (PY9YW9V9MYC7), and then the coupon disappeared when I logged in?

AUD200 isn't so bad relative to the USD120 (AUD180) mentioned a week ago, but there's something about the abrupt change to the price model that has me spooked. Please advise.

In other news, the specification page still shows the minimum test signal as 0.5V, not 0.1V.

[KungFuJosh]

Yes, much more safety, I will try to design a 3D printer version, that's not a big deal in theory, except suspected of "copy" 

You can blame me for copying it. 🤣

[ceut]

As I haven't 3d printer and I don't know how to design on that thing, I have made a different one for my ST42