Building a Flat Pedalboard for my G-System

[stratamania]

Hey folks, I am planning on building a flat pedalboard for my G-System. 

The idea would be to also build a riser at the back to accomodate drive pedals etc and underneath extra power supplies and to hide cables etc.

I really need to get this done as it takes so long to set everything up I often end up just not using it all.

I have a question for you DIY enthusiasts. I will probably use a hardwood marine ply and U channel extruded aluminium on the edges of the main board. What you go for 9mm or 12mm ply, thats about 3/8" to 1/2".  Its a strengh versus weight type question. What thickness would you guys go for ?

I suppose although even the G on its own is pretty meaty.

How meaty ?

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The cool thing is I was explaining and sketching out the idea to my wife for the board who said well you will have extra space on the riser so you will need more pedals  :glasses9:

 

[Cagey]

Without seeing the design, I think if it was me I'd go with the thinner ply. If anything feels too spongy, put in a support of some sort. Otherwise, it won't be complication keeping you from using it, it'll be your unwillingness to deal with the weight of the thing.

 

[stratamania]

I am inclined towards the 9mm thinner option myself. As you say a support or brace if needed can always be added and that may be stronger than a thicker board in any case.

 

[Zhaezzy]

Well not to draw attention to myself but I bet you can get some ideas from my pedalboard build here. i hold the pedals on with tie straps. This board is pretty durable and not too heavy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEyNI0W9aes&t=19s

 

[stratamania]

Zhaezzy, thanks for posting a link to your video. I think I might have seen it whilst doing some research. Thats quite a cool idea for a smaller board with pedals.

The one I am building will be quite a bit larger. So far I have settled on 12mm (1/2") thick ply for the baseboard. The dimensions are 42" * 19". I have also sourced some aluminium channel for the edges which is 15mm * 15mm * 1.5 mm wall thickness, which means it fits the ply quite snugly.

It will then have a raised shelf behind the G -System and Expression pedals for the overdrives and distortions to sit on. (The G-System doesn't contain any drives in itself ). Underneath the shelf will be all the cabling and other odds and ends like power and so forth.  The shelf will need to be hinged for accessibility. 

I'll see if I can capture some pics along the way and update this thread.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I'm afraid I don't have any input for you, save to say that I've been wanting to build a board for my Helix with a few pedals and a power supply so I'll be interested to see how you proceed!

 

[stratamania]

Hi Verne, Ok I will post the results as I proceed. 

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

You can search for my pedalboard build, but I basically used 3 sheets of 1/4" plywood, use the center for spacers for the cable to make their runs, and ran the perimeter to make a seamless look.
I also drill holes specifically for the controls to/from connections, and did the roundover biit routing on all of them.
It all sits nicely in a Rondo pedal board case that I've had for about 9 years now, still works great.

Brackets have since been painted black.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=26578.0

 

[stratamania]

Here is a mock up of the board I am planning on putting together.

TC g-system board mission by stratamania, on Flickr


I have already obtained 12 mm ply for the main board along with aluminium U Channel. I need a little more for the top board.

The mock up was done by using http ://www.pedalplayground.com/ which one of the TGP members has been working on. At the time of writing the G system was not available as an image at pedalplayground so I used a custom pedal of the G-System dimensions and then overlaid the actual G-System image in photoshop.

I have the G-System of course and a number of the other pedals but not all of them shown. The top board will be raised and hinged so that the cabling can be easily accessed. Also this will provide plenty of space for additional power supplies.

The G-system provides 4 * 9V but some of the pedals need to run at higher voltages and so will probably use some power supplies from the Gigrig to power the pedals.

I also plan to put a Voodoo Labs Hex underneath the top board to provide extra loops and which can also be controlled via Midi from the G-System.

The project may take a while (as funds allow) as I want to obtain the various missing elements prior to doing the wiring and so on.

 

[Cagey]

Looks great! I thought you had an Axe Fx, though.

 

[stratamania]

Thanks Cagey.

I used to have an Axe FXII, I sold it a couple of years back to help a relative who needed some help.  I then got back into tube amps.

I wanted to build a board, but when I priced up the cost of delays and modulation etc I found a virtually brand new G-System for a good price and won the bid on EBay for less than a good delay and a vibe might have cost me.  I was planning on getting an FX8 when my name came up on the list but then I had just had a work project I was working on cancelled so will now use the G-System as the centre of the board.

I would love another Axe FX at some point.

 

[Cagey]

I'm debating selling my Axe Fx in favor of an AX8. Get me down to just a pedalboard, no amp or rack to carry around.

 

[mayfly]

I'm debating selling my Axe Fx in favor of an AX8. Get me down to just a pedalboard, no amp or rack to carry around.

I was in the process of doing just that - selling my ultra because I had the AX8.  However, I found that I missed the Ultra so I ended up fetching it from the consignment store.

 

[stratamania]

The AX8 looks to be a good solution.

Cool to hear the Ultra is still providing good service.

 

[Cagey]

I'm curious what you missed about the Ultra, since the AX8 has all the much-improved firmware.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Here is a mock up of the board I am planning on putting together...

That looks killer! Thanks for posting the link to that visualizer, Imma go check it out...

 

[stratamania]

Here is a mock up of the board I am planning on putting together...

That looks killer! Thanks for posting the link to that visualizer, Imma go check it out...

Thanks and that visualiser seems to get better as it has more features and pedals added.

 

[mayfly]

I'm curious what you missed about the Ultra, since the AX8 has all the much-improved firmware.

The vintage firmware sounds better, man.  :headbang:

Actually it was the number of amps and effects you could have in your chain and the quality of the effects.  Amp sims are pretty close between the two mind you.  And of course the AX8 winds hands down for portability.  It's a real pleasure to throw it down and let it run 

 

[Cagey]

Effects haven't changed much over time. As for the amps, I certainly won't argue about those, but some would.

 

[TBurst Std]

There is still patch that I perfected in the Ultra and can't quite get on the II. They change some of the triggered modifier values that I can't seem to right.  It was a really cool patch. Think David Gilmour Sorrows live at any volume.