GEAR DATABASE

Tips For Your First Pedalboard Build

Published on Apr 12, 2019

In this episode we discuss and demonstrate the things you need to think about when putting together your first pedalboard. It’s the really basic stuff like choice of board, potential layout, fixing pedals to the board, power, cabling and so on. We try to keep it as entry-level as possible, but if you want something more involved, check out our big board build videos!
More on a big board build:
More on power and power supplies:

So come on, join us – you know you want to!

PLEASE NOTE:
We spoke with Mission Engineering about the issue we experienced with the 529 at around 1:02:18. Since our review unit, Mission tells us it has made a modification to the 529 to eliminate this… and is offering a free mod/upgrade to any customers experiencing issues with units made before the mod. Contact details at

Pedals & stuff in this episode…

• Pedalboard tape:

• Pedaltrain Metro 16 Soft Case
UK & Europe:
USA:
Australia:

• TheGigRig Modular Power Supply


• Sonic Research ST-300 Turbo Tuner Mini
Australia:

• JAM Pedals Rattler


• Mooer Treliocopter
UK & Europe:

• Snouse Electric Company Black Box OD2 Stage Pro Mod
UK & Europe:

• Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man 1100-TT
UK & Europe:
USA:

• Mission Engineering 529 USB Power Supply
Australia:

• Ibanez TS10 Tube Screamer
No longer made

• Mythos Pedals Runestone
UK & Europe:

• Fox Gear Echosex Baby
UK & Europe:

• TC Electronic Ditto
UK & Europe:
USA:
Australia:

Our favourite pedalboards…
• Schmidt Array:
And…
• Pedaltrain:
• Alder & Ash
• Custom Pedal Boards:

Why do we have preferred retailer links? Find out here:

Interesting bits and go-to sections…
- Welcome: 00:00
- What are we doing today? 0:33
- When do you ‘need’ a pedalboard? 1:31
- What do I need? 1:52
- What are the advantages of having a pedalboard? 2:17
- The boards begin! 4:21
- Mick’s board: 4:31
- Dan’s choices: 6:30
- A tuner? 7:56
- Choosing the board itself: 9:00
- Dan’s board choice: 9:58
- Different types of board/case: 11:00
- The DIY board? 12:45
- Thinking about layout and signal path: 14:35
- Pedal order? 20:00
- Attaching pedals: 21:05
- Cable ties? 24:10
- Why the loop side on the bottom? 25:25
- Pedalboard tape? 26:30
- Removing pedals: 28:30
- Pedal jacks and positioning: 29:30
- Power! 31:30
- Dan’s power choice: 33:00
- mA and current draw: 33:20
- Plugs and centre-negative: 34:45
- Isolation: 36:38
- Mick’s power supply: 37:05
- Connecting the power to the pedals and all that… 39:20
- Mick’s patch cables: 47:13
- Dan’s audio connections: 50:19
- Give your board a name? 53:40
- Ta-da! Let’s hear them then… 54:07
- Uh-oh… trouble: 58:45
- A nice loopy loop: 59:30
- Fixing that trouble and diagnosis: 1:02:20
- And jam out!

Guitars in this episode:
• Fender American Vintage ’62 Stratocaster – Mick’s video at
• Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster – Dan’s video at

Amps in this episode
• Vox AC15C1 with Celestion G12M Greenback speaker
USA:
• Fender Blues Junior III with standard speaker
USA: