My first pedal board...

[BigSteve22]

I have only recently developed an interest in using effects pedals. Aside from an amp's built in reverb, and a noise gate, I never really used anything. A few years ago I purchased a Fender Mustang I modeling amp, and I must say I enjoyed playing with the various built in effects. This, I believe, is where the infection started.....

First pedal, after the Boss NS-2 noise gate, was a Korg Pitchblack tuner. Very handy to have a tuner right in line with the signal. Several months ago I saw a demo of Electro Harmonic's Pitch Fork pitch shifter. I was hooked, and recently bought one to play with. A few weeks ago I heard a TC Electronics Corona Mini Chorus, I now have one of those too.

The wife was pretty understanding about the tangle of patch cords and power bricks arrayed on the living room floor, but I'm also pretty sure the understanding would soon reach it's limit. So to tidy things up a might I decided to get a pedal board. I was surprised at the cost of these things. Even the some of the simple "framed plywood" ones from Rauch are over $100, so I decided to make my own. It's small, only hold 4 pedal or so, but I needed to see how it would go together and figured that would be a good size for a proof of design, and I could make it from stock on hand. (Except for the electronics.)

So here it is. It's got a Danner power supply built in, and 2 locking feed thru jacks. Solid oak frame, screwed together, with oak dowels covering the heads, and an oak faced plywood top.

A few lessons learned. First off, although these things ain't exactly rocket science, there's a lot more to them than just a wooden frame to keep stuff off the floor. The internal components take up more room than I had expected, so everything's packed kinda tightly together in there. (I had intended to take a shot or two of the inside, but after doing a fit up, I decided it would be a total PITA to tear it apart again, so....)

Biggest pain was the rectangular cut out for the power inlet, and I only decided to do it after the frame was assembled, which didn't make it any easier. The jack assemblies require a 7/8" hole but the fit is damned tight, and I needed to sand down the inside locking buttons to make it a little easier. (BTW, Rauch wanted $24.99 apiece for the jacks, found them on ebay for less than $8!)

My next one will be a little larger, and incorporate a few things I learned this time around. But for the moment, this will have to do.

 

[mayfly]

Nice work.  Yes I am amazed at the price of off-the-shelf boards; I am convinced that doing it yourself is the way to go.

I was just thinking of my pedalboard recently.  I made it in grade 12, which would make it 36 years old!  It has certainly been through a lot...

 

[rgand]

Nice looking pedal board. I have yet to make one but then, I have yet to get any pedals. Better to got to get in a bunch more practice yet. :icon_biggrin:

 

[TBurst Std]

Did you dowel those joints? Kudos to you.

 

[Cagey]

Nice work! That's really sharp!

I was looking at pre-fab pedalboards not too long ago, and was also shocked at what they get for them. I have a drawer full of pedals I want to mount, but by the time I got to the size I'd need, I was generally looking at $200-$300. Yikes!

I built my first one by simply bolting everything down to a panel and bolting the panel into one of these general-purpose cases from Rondo...

He has them in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from briefcase dimensions up to 20"x45", and from 3" to 5" deep, priced from about $20 to $80. Lid separates from the case, so I mounted everything on the lid.

Only problem with him is his stock varies widely on an almost daily basis, so you gotta keep an eye on the site if you're looking for something in particular.

 

[BigSteve22]

....I made it in grade 12, which would make it 36 years old!

So, it's like still almost new then!  :icon_thumright:

Did you dowel those joints? Kudos to you.

Joints are actually edge glued and screwed. After gluing up the frame, I drilled 3/8" x 1/4" deep counter bores, and then drilled the screw holes in thru the centers. After the screws were driven in, oak doweling was glued and driven into the counter bore to hide the screw heads. Excess dowel was cut off with a razor saw. I used this method because there was only enough room for a single dowel and/or screw on the front piece. And while a  screw draws the pieces together, creating pressure on the bearing surfaces, a dowel can't be tightened, so a single dowel joint has only the glue to resist twisting.

 

[Cagey]

So... you could drive a truck over it and the pedals would be destroyed, but board itself would just smile and say "Thank you sir, may I please have another?"  :laughing7:

 

[BigSteve22]

I built my first one by simply bolting everything down to a panel and bolting the panel into one of these general-purpose cases from Rondo...

I didn't come across that site, but I saw several places that offer pedal board cases. I was considering something like that, but I'm pretty sure the wife wouldn't be too enthused about an aluminum briefcase spending it's life in the living room. At least the oak blends in with the parquet flooring!  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[BigSteve22]

So... you could drive a truck over it and the pedals would be destroyed, but board itself would just smile and say "Thank you sir, may I please have another?"  :laughing7:

Well, not quite, but I figured something that sits on the floor and is made to be stomped on, ought to at least have a fighting chance. Besides, I'm also pretty sure this thing is going to get whacked with the Electrolux on more than a few occasions!  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[Cagey]

I was considering something like that, but I'm pretty sure the wife wouldn't be too enthused about an aluminum briefcase spending it's life in the living room. At least the oak blends in with the parquet flooring!  :icon_jokercolor:

I understand. I live by myself and I'm not thrilled about it. But, even though I almost never play out, I like to build/buy as if I'm going on a world tour next week  :laughing7:

 

[Cagey]

I'm also pretty sure this thing is going to get whacked with the Electrolux on more than a few occasions!  :icon_jokercolor:

No doubt. My ex used to vacuum by braille, too. Luckily, we had Oak furniture and that stuff will take an incredible amount of abuse.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Well done! That turned out really nice. I like the PitchBlack tuner. The Helix tuner is good enough for me generally, but I still use my PitchBlack for setting intonation and such. Also, the NS-2 is the only noise gate I ever liked.

Be warned: dabbling in effect pedals is like sticking your toe in a great big body of water that is inhabited by a massive beast with long, powerful tentacles that will grab you and drag you in and never let you escape... but in a good way!

 

[Cagey]

Funny how that works. Once I got my Axe FX, I figured I'd never want another pedal. Then, TC Electronic came out with that Mimiq pedal, which can't really be duplicated in the Axe. Had to have it. Then, I wanted one of those Fulltone Deja Vibes - another rather unique device. Then, I wanted some of the more traditional types of pedals to use with the little practice amp. Eventually you realize you need a consolidating isolated power supply. The list goes on until now I've got more than I could carry if I could even mount them on one board.

 

[Sovereign_13]

If you're handy with a soldering iron and like assembling electronics kits, check out https://buildyourownclone.com/.  Lots of good clones and some modified/combo clones for decent prices.

Of course, that won't help the pedal addiction...  :evil4:

They're generally pretty faithful to some of the older, harder-to-find pedals without costing way more than something you regularly stomp on has any right to.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Nice work! That's really sharp!

I was looking at pre-fab pedalboards not too long ago, and was also shocked at what they get for them. I have a drawer full of pedals I want to mount, but by the time I got to the size I'd need, I was generally looking at $200-$300. Yikes!

I built my first one by simply bolting everything down to a panel and bolting the panel into one of these general-purpose cases from Rondo...

He has them in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from briefcase dimensions up to 20"x45", and from 3" to 5" deep, priced from about $20 to $80. Lid separates from the case, so I mounted everything on the lid.

Only problem with him is his stock varies widely on an almost daily basis, so you gotta keep an eye on the site if you're looking for something in particular.

I'm still using my Rondo board nearly 10 years later.  Still does the job!

 

[Zhaezzy]

Very nice pretty build my pedal boards are crude by comparison but they do work. The problem is you only have room for 4 pedals I would need room for 6 more to get my current chain on there.

 

[BigSteve22]

Very nice pretty build my pedal boards are crude by comparison but they do work. The problem is you only have room for 4 pedals I would need room for 6 more to get my current chain on there.

Like I said, this was sort of a proof of design for the way I intended to build it, and just using stock on hand I didn't have enough oak to make it any longer. Next build will have a 24" deck. I'll need it to handle the looper, (looking at the Electro-Harmonix 360), and an over drive, (thinking of the BYOC Green Pony kit).  I'm turning into an addict, please don't try to stop me! :icon_jokercolor:

 

[Cagey]

Something to consider for the permanent build would be weight. It might be worth thinking about how to just put a cover over the board and an enclosing panel on the bottom, rather than find a case to put the whole thing in. It's amazing how fast a few little pedals and a power supply turns into a 50lb+ beast. Since you're building with Oak, your pedal board is probably going to be stronger than any case you'd put it in anyway.

 

[BigSteve22]

Case? Huh, We ain't got no case. We don't need no stink'n case!!!

But seriously, I don't gig, so basically I'm building electronic furniture for my living room. Sort of  a musical coffee table. But the point is well taken regarding weight, oak ain't meant to be portable!  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Cagey]

But the point is well taken regarding weight, oak ain't meant to be portable!  :icon_biggrin:

You got that right.

I remember 100 years ago when I was married, we bought this beautiful oak entertainment center. Must've been about 6'x5'x2', with lotsa doors and drawers and shelves. Had it delivered and set up, never gave it another thought until we had to move. Ended up having to rent a piano dolly. Damn thing must've weighed 400lbs if it weighed an ounce :laughing7: