I bought a clamp on keyboard tray for my desk. I use that as my pedal board. It allows me to have the pedals right at my finger tips. After three back surgeries, bending over to twist knobs isn't an option anymore. I play sitting down always. I love my setup. Works great for my needs.
I have an L-shaped desk and used to have my rig on one side. I actually thought of doing the same thing you did and have my multi-FX pedal on a tray! Sadly now I work from home so had to make space for a desktop PC my employer gave me. The keyboard tray idea turned into a TV-dinner table! :D
I agree, 150 to 200 dollars is too dann much! I built mine out of scrap cabinet grade 3/4 inch plywood. Only cost me a few screws and some construction adhesive, my time and a couple coats of gloss urethane. A little heavy but I saved enough money to buy a great overdrive!
Made a pedal board out of a old tree stand for deer hunting that I garbage picked. Put adjustable feet on on it. Looks and works like a 200 dollar board. Cost $8.00 .Has ten pedals and power supplys under also.
I recently toyed with the idea of buying a pedalboard as I started buying individual pedals. Seeing some of the prices encouraged me to pursue a DIY project instead! Well, that was like a month ago, still haven't started yet but we'll get there! :D
I crafted my first pedalboard to be a two level affair but it was designed to exactly fit each pedal that I was using....... Then came time to switch out and/or add pedals. I loved the two tier design.... and I decided to go with HoleyBoard 123 AND did it when they were having a sale. I chose to try the ZipTie attachment method.... and I'm still on the fence about it. It works, but pedal placement isn't as random as velcro, I'm sure. I love the HoleyBoard 123 design! It puts my pedals where I want them and they are easier to switch on and off verses just an angled one level board. It was well thought out and designed and very well built! Was it worth it? To meet my desires.... I don't think there is anything less expensive.
Yup, the PB I used for years was homemade and purpose built. Problems arose, however, when it came time to change things up and eventually, became unusable. I think the Holy Board is the only pricey board I even considered. I do really like the design and I do understand why it would cost more. And as much as I would have liked to get it, I just couldn't allocate the funds. There may come a day, though... 🤔
I completely agree with you on this. I was looking to buy a pedal board for the first time and like you I saw the prices for basically an oversized sheet of aluminum cost $80-$350. Like you I don't know as to why they are so much, They can say it's "development costs" but realistically there is nothing special about a slab of aluminum with hole slots for wire management. Honestly after I saw the ridiculous prices (which I would not pay more than $20) I am just going to go to my local hardware store and make my own out of nice wood or repurpose a random slab or metal I find lying around and add velcro.... It's isn't that complicated so I don't know why they try to charge you like it is.
Visually, I think a nice, well crafted, pedal board is, aestetically, my favorite. It just looks classy to me. And, if you have the skills, crafting a board to your own specifications is a fantastic project to pursue. However, there are definitely some cons to consider, primarily weight. First, wood is definitely going to be heavier than aluminum or plate steel boards. Of course, this only matters if you are gigging with it. Also, wood can be a bit bulkier. The one I built back in the day weighed a ton. Secondly, pedal boards, by nature, take a beating. Believe me, it doesn't take long for that beautiful piece of woodcraft you created to look like it's been through the apocalypse. Of course, this only applies if you are taking it out to gigs. All this to say, if you need a board for your home or studio, by all means, get some lumber and build away. But, if you plan to gig, there are plenty of lower cost options to be found on Amazon that will serve you quite well. Thanks for watching the video and leaving a comment. I truly appreciate the interaction.
In some instances, like Pedaltrain, they come with a fairly robust road case. I often wonder if that accounts for more of the total price than the actual board!😊
If you have the time and some basic tools the DIY is definitely worth it. I’m not that handy, but just using some scrap wood and black spray paint, I was very happy with the results.
Yup, I used a board that I mage for year. However, I recognize that most people don't have the tools and/or skills to do that which is why I wanted to do this video. I'll have a follow-up video coming where I make an attempt to put together something that resembles a pro pedalboard build. Right now I just need the time to do it. Down the road I'll probably do one on making a homemade board. Thanks for checking out the video.
I think the pedalboard depends on the use. For the house I actually bought a 40 dollar wood pedalboard someone makes. I painted it and added velcro. It works great and doesn't stick out if left in a living room or something. That's all I need for the house. Heck, you probably don't even need a board for the house--I've seen people use cardboard. That being said, the nicer ones sometimes have slightly nicer build quality and touches that make them feel nicer. Is it necessary? Not at all. It depends on the goal IMO. If you're a giggin musician, a small improvement is worth it over the span of its use. But for most people it's not necessary. I'd also say...perhaps the biggest reason to buy the "brand" stuff w/ guitar is that it holds value. If you go to sell it you're still going to get a decent chunk of your money back. Clones can copy almost anything these days, but if you go to sell it won't be the same as the name brand. Whether that matters depends on how you think about it. For most things it doesn't but for others it does. I wouldn't care one bit about a board if I were happy w/ it and it did what I needed.
Hey Mike! I'm using an old walnut wood wall shelf that my Dad made years ago. It's 24 by 8.5 inches and has a 4 inch board on one long side that was used to fasten it to the wall. I fastened a pair of power supplies to the 4 inch board on the inside corner and drilled holes in the top to route the power cables. 4 1-inch strips of velcro lengthwise to stick on the pedals and I can put up to 16 pedals on it without using any daisy chain cables. Each power supply has 10 outputs, 8 9volt and one each 12volt and 18volt.
FWIW... I see lots of used Pedaltrain boards for sale locally, at very reasonable prices (and in pretty good shape). My current one is a bunch of 1x4's that I put together+stained and then put some 3M Dual Lock on, but it doesn't go anywhere (it's pretty heavy). If I gigged anywhere, I'd want one that made gigging more convenient, whether that's making cable management easier, a perfectly-sized and rugged gig bag or hard-sided case, etc.
As far as flangers... I use the flanger setting in my Keeley Mod Workstation, which is a little on the pricy side, but does a whooole lot of stuff, and is really flexible besides. It's stereo, it lets you use two effects at once, it's stereo (if that's interesting to you), and it's built like a tank.
I can dig it I think I purchased a Donner board. Looks to be very similar to yours, i as well looked at all the booojeeh boards and can’t see 200 bills plus either. I’m not sure what the benefit is of having an expensive board to hold pedals…whatever to each his own😁
Hi Grumpy Mike. Just a couple of thoughts on pedals: You mentioned an overdrive so I'd recommend looking at a Marshall Blues Breaker style pedal. My personal favorite is the Wampler Pantheon, the JHS Morning Glory is very popular, and MXR just came out with the Duke of Tone just to name a few. These will give you a nice light to medium overdrive and would stack nicely with your Soul Food. And for a simple but very good delay I'd recommend the MXR Carbon Copy. It's a simple 3-knob analog delay with a "MOD" button on top which will go from clean repeats when off to modulated repeats (similar to the EHX Memory Man) when on. And with all of these I'd recommend looking at used pedals on Reverb or at a local shop. Be good!
Thanks for the input. The Morning Glory is definitely on my list of possibilities, however, I'm seriously considering stacking my Fulltone 3 with either my LPD Sixty8 or my Fifty5. I like the boost on the Fulltone a lot, but my mind isn't entirely made up quite yet. I just got 2 used pedals from Reverb, a delay and a flanger. I'm pretty sure they've made the final cut, but you'll have to wait for the video to see what they are. Again, I really appreciate the suggestions. I hadn't even considered a Blues Breaker style pedal, but now, I'm thinking maybe I should. Something to think about.
BTW Mike, I have to agree with you. I failed to mention earlier in my comment. I see absolutely nothing with a company making a profit from their products. That's why people start business's. The pedal boards are way over priced and I find it amazing anyone would pay these amounts for the board on the market currently. I decidedly will not. I've auditioned lots of players with these big old fancy multi-level boards and the tons of boutique pedals and their tone was only just OK. Often extremely digital and very scratchy. They sounded very "amateur." I've always been a tinker and really enjoy building my boards and setting up my pedals. The building of the board, adding the the power supply, adding pedals, finally connecting amp and the guitar. All of this is an extension of me and what I want the listening audience to hear out of me. Keep on rockin!
You can use a plank of wood the pedals don't care. If I were a touring musician and my gear was handled by union and other workers who may or may not care for it as lovingly as myself, I'd cough up the dough. To play local venues where I am hauling my own gear the cheaper alternatives will work just fine.
Since you have Klon style overdrive covered with the Soul Food, a Nobels overdrive is a good next step. Session guitarists like Tim Pierce use the Nobels ODR-1 a lot. I've been loving the slightly brighter Way Huge STO overdrive pedal. For flanger, the EVH117 is a classic choice but it requires an 18 volt port on your power supply. I like the Mooer Jet Engine as a flanger that won't break the bank. It sounds good and the mini-pedal format can extend the life of a smaller pedalboard. :)
If I'm not mistaken, the Nobels is basically a tube screamer. I am not at all a fan of tube screamers, although, I am certainly open to trying variants. As for flangers, I think I may have found a winner with the Old Blood Noise Flat Light. I just got it and am blown away by how much I love it. Can't say for sure it will make the final cut, but right now I'm thinking it most likely will. I also just got an Animals Pedals Relaxing Walrus delay that is exactly what I'm looking for. I really can't wait till I get everything together to do a pedal board build video. I still need to do a bit more research and testing, but I'm really digging the process of getting this thing put together.
@@grumpymikeguitar TS and the Nobels aren’t really that similar. There’s a great video on the Wampler Pedals YT channel that demos them with graphics showing the differences. Check it out, Nobels is a great pedal and the new ones are pretty affordable!
Sir! You are 110% correct. There is no reason besides profit margin for how much boards cost. I’m not doubting that a more expensive one doesn’t have advantages over cheaper ones. I just think even the off-brand ones are overpriced. It’s fun to hear other options.
I have a whole new PB build planned. I'm just having I bit of trouble working out how to shoot decent enough video in my shop. Also, my soldering iron decided to take a dirt nap. Time to buy a new Weller.
Hey Grumpy, I picked up one of these boards, thanks for the heads up on them. This is my first pedalboard, and I am just going to use what I have, but I was wondering what kind of power supply you ended up using. I have a couple in mind but am not sure if they will fit in the space. What did you settle with and how did it fit? Thanks again for the heads up on these! Being good....
Howdy Phil, congrats on the new board. You'll have a blast with I I'm sure. I got a Donner DP-Z. It fits just fine and, thus far, I've had no issues with it. I also have a Caline supply that I've had for a while. It too has worked just fine.
A sheet of plywood stored years ago in the shop makes a great pedal board. Wood was cheaper years ago. Rubber feet on the back and extended feet on the front to allow better access and you're good to go. I never use velcro. I use gasket adhesive to attach the pedals. Down side it leaves some adhesive residue on the pedals.
Hey Mike Like some of the other posters, I built my own Cut the wood, stained it, put small riser/legs on it Check your email. I sent you a pic. Subject Pedal Board
Howdy, I saw the pic, very nice. I have the Full drive 3 and love it. One of these days, I'm gonna get my hands on a Strymon pedal or 2 or 3... I too have used a homemade board for many years. Personally, I feel like that is, by far, the most budget friendly option for anyone who has the ability to make one, especially if they have woodworking skills or metalworking skills. But, let's face it, a lot of players want to just buy something that's going to work for them. My question is, how much do they really need to pay? Thanks for sending the pic and commenting and thanks for watching the video.
I bought a clamp on keyboard tray for my desk. I use that as my pedal board. It allows me to have the pedals right at my finger tips. After three back surgeries, bending over to twist knobs isn't an option anymore. I play sitting down always. I love my setup. Works great for my needs.
I have an L-shaped desk and used to have my rig on one side. I actually thought of doing the same thing you did and have my multi-FX pedal on a tray! Sadly now I work from home so had to make space for a desktop PC my employer gave me. The keyboard tray idea turned into a TV-dinner table! :D
@@JuanJaim my piano keyboard is often my dinner table..
I agree, 150 to 200 dollars is too dann much! I built mine out of scrap cabinet grade 3/4 inch plywood. Only cost me a few screws and some construction adhesive, my time and a couple coats of gloss urethane. A little heavy but I saved enough money to buy a great overdrive!
Always got your notifications on mate. Love the variable Overdrive pedal.
Made a pedal board out of a old tree stand for deer hunting that I garbage picked. Put adjustable feet on on it. Looks and works like a 200 dollar board. Cost $8.00 .Has ten pedals and power supplys under also.
Great video Grumpy Mike. enjoyed as always. Thank you.
I recently toyed with the idea of buying a pedalboard as I started buying individual pedals. Seeing some of the prices encouraged me to pursue a DIY project instead! Well, that was like a month ago, still haven't started yet but we'll get there! :D
I crafted my first pedalboard to be a two level affair but it was designed to exactly fit each pedal that I was using.......
Then came time to switch out and/or add pedals. I loved the two tier design.... and I decided to go with HoleyBoard 123 AND did it when they were having a sale. I chose to try the ZipTie attachment method.... and I'm still on the fence about it. It works, but pedal placement isn't as random as velcro, I'm sure. I love the HoleyBoard 123 design! It puts my pedals where I want them and they are easier to switch on and off verses just an angled one level board. It was well thought out and designed and very well built! Was it worth it? To meet my desires.... I don't think there is anything less expensive.
Yup, the PB I used for years was homemade and purpose built. Problems arose, however, when it came time to change things up and eventually, became unusable.
I think the Holy Board is the only pricey board I even considered. I do really like the design and I do understand why it would cost more. And as much as I would have liked to get it, I just couldn't allocate the funds. There may come a day, though... 🤔
I completely agree with you on this. I was looking to buy a pedal board for the first time and like you I saw the prices for basically an oversized sheet of aluminum cost $80-$350. Like you I don't know as to why they are so much, They can say it's "development costs" but realistically there is nothing special about a slab of aluminum with hole slots for wire management. Honestly after I saw the ridiculous prices (which I would not pay more than $20) I am just going to go to my local hardware store and make my own out of nice wood or repurpose a random slab or metal I find lying around and add velcro.... It's isn't that complicated so I don't know why they try to charge you like it is.
Visually, I think a nice, well crafted, pedal board is, aestetically, my favorite. It just looks classy to me. And, if you have the skills, crafting a board to your own specifications is a fantastic project to pursue. However, there are definitely some cons to consider, primarily weight. First, wood is definitely going to be heavier than aluminum or plate steel boards. Of course, this only matters if you are gigging with it. Also, wood can be a bit bulkier. The one I built back in the day weighed a ton. Secondly, pedal boards, by nature, take a beating. Believe me, it doesn't take long for that beautiful piece of woodcraft you created to look like it's been through the apocalypse. Of course, this only applies if you are taking it out to gigs.
All this to say, if you need a board for your home or studio, by all means, get some lumber and build away. But, if you plan to gig, there are plenty of lower cost options to be found on Amazon that will serve you quite well.
Thanks for watching the video and leaving a comment. I truly appreciate the interaction.
In some instances, like Pedaltrain, they come with a fairly robust road case. I often wonder if that accounts for more of the total price than the actual board!😊
If you have the time and some basic tools the DIY is definitely worth it. I’m not that handy, but just using some scrap wood and black spray paint, I was very happy with the results.
Yup, I used a board that I mage for year. However, I recognize that most people don't have the tools and/or skills to do that which is why I wanted to do this video. I'll have a follow-up video coming where I make an attempt to put together something that resembles a pro pedalboard build. Right now I just need the time to do it. Down the road I'll probably do one on making a homemade board.
Thanks for checking out the video.
I think the pedalboard depends on the use. For the house I actually bought a 40 dollar wood pedalboard someone makes. I painted it and added velcro. It works great and doesn't stick out if left in a living room or something. That's all I need for the house. Heck, you probably don't even need a board for the house--I've seen people use cardboard. That being said, the nicer ones sometimes have slightly nicer build quality and touches that make them feel nicer. Is it necessary? Not at all. It depends on the goal IMO. If you're a giggin musician, a small improvement is worth it over the span of its use. But for most people it's not necessary.
I'd also say...perhaps the biggest reason to buy the "brand" stuff w/ guitar is that it holds value. If you go to sell it you're still going to get a decent chunk of your money back. Clones can copy almost anything these days, but if you go to sell it won't be the same as the name brand. Whether that matters depends on how you think about it. For most things it doesn't but for others it does. I wouldn't care one bit about a board if I were happy w/ it and it did what I needed.
Those are all valid points. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
Hey Mike! I'm using an old walnut wood wall shelf that my Dad made years ago. It's 24 by 8.5 inches and has a 4 inch board on one long side that was used to fasten it to the wall. I fastened a pair of power supplies to the 4 inch board on the inside corner and drilled holes in the top to route the power cables. 4 1-inch strips of velcro lengthwise to stick on the pedals and I can put up to 16 pedals on it without using any daisy chain cables. Each power supply has 10 outputs, 8 9volt and one each 12volt and 18volt.
FWIW... I see lots of used Pedaltrain boards for sale locally, at very reasonable prices (and in pretty good shape).
My current one is a bunch of 1x4's that I put together+stained and then put some 3M Dual Lock on, but it doesn't go anywhere (it's pretty heavy). If I gigged anywhere, I'd want one that made gigging more convenient, whether that's making cable management easier, a perfectly-sized and rugged gig bag or hard-sided case, etc.
As far as flangers... I use the flanger setting in my Keeley Mod Workstation, which is a little on the pricy side, but does a whooole lot of stuff, and is really flexible besides. It's stereo, it lets you use two effects at once, it's stereo (if that's interesting to you), and it's built like a tank.
I can dig it I think I purchased a Donner board. Looks to be very similar to yours, i as well looked at all the booojeeh boards and can’t see 200 bills plus either. I’m not sure what the benefit is of having an expensive board to hold pedals…whatever to each his own😁
Hi Grumpy Mike. Just a couple of thoughts on pedals: You mentioned an overdrive so I'd recommend looking at a Marshall Blues Breaker style pedal. My personal favorite is the Wampler Pantheon, the JHS Morning Glory is very popular, and MXR just came out with the Duke of Tone just to name a few. These will give you a nice light to medium overdrive and would stack nicely with your Soul Food.
And for a simple but very good delay I'd recommend the MXR Carbon Copy. It's a simple 3-knob analog delay with a "MOD" button on top which will go from clean repeats when off to modulated repeats (similar to the EHX Memory Man) when on.
And with all of these I'd recommend looking at used pedals on Reverb or at a local shop.
Be good!
Thanks for the input. The Morning Glory is definitely on my list of possibilities, however, I'm seriously considering stacking my Fulltone 3 with either my LPD Sixty8 or my Fifty5. I like the boost on the Fulltone a lot, but my mind isn't entirely made up quite yet.
I just got 2 used pedals from Reverb, a delay and a flanger. I'm pretty sure they've made the final cut, but you'll have to wait for the video to see what they are.
Again, I really appreciate the suggestions. I hadn't even considered a Blues Breaker style pedal, but now, I'm thinking maybe I should. Something to think about.
@@grumpymikeguitar Looking forward to seeing what you got!
My carpet works great. Lots of room for expansion. As I don't gig at all, a pedal board isn't on my want or need list.
BTW Mike, I have to agree with you. I failed to mention earlier in my comment. I see absolutely nothing with a company making a profit from their products. That's why people start business's. The pedal boards are way over priced and I find it amazing anyone would pay these amounts for the board on the market currently. I decidedly will not. I've auditioned lots of players with these big old fancy multi-level boards and the tons of boutique pedals and their tone was only just OK. Often extremely digital and very scratchy. They sounded very "amateur." I've always been a tinker and really enjoy building my boards and setting up my pedals. The building of the board, adding the the power supply, adding pedals, finally connecting amp and the guitar. All of this is an extension of me and what I want the listening audience to hear out of me. Keep on rockin!
I couldn't agree more.
You can use a plank of wood the pedals don't care.
If I were a touring musician and my gear was handled by union and other workers who may or may not care for it as lovingly as myself, I'd cough up the dough.
To play local venues where I am hauling my own gear the cheaper alternatives will work just fine.
Since you have Klon style overdrive covered with the Soul Food, a Nobels overdrive is a good next step. Session guitarists like Tim Pierce use the Nobels ODR-1 a lot. I've been loving the slightly brighter Way Huge STO overdrive pedal. For flanger, the EVH117 is a classic choice but it requires an 18 volt port on your power supply. I like the Mooer Jet Engine as a flanger that won't break the bank. It sounds good and the mini-pedal format can extend the life of a smaller pedalboard. :)
If I'm not mistaken, the Nobels is basically a tube screamer. I am not at all a fan of tube screamers, although, I am certainly open to trying variants.
As for flangers, I think I may have found a winner with the Old Blood Noise Flat Light. I just got it and am blown away by how much I love it. Can't say for sure it will make the final cut, but right now I'm thinking it most likely will. I also just got an Animals Pedals Relaxing Walrus delay that is exactly what I'm looking for.
I really can't wait till I get everything together to do a pedal board build video. I still need to do a bit more research and testing, but I'm really digging the process of getting this thing put together.
@@grumpymikeguitar TS and the Nobels aren’t really that similar. There’s a great video on the Wampler Pedals YT channel that demos them with graphics showing the differences. Check it out, Nobels is a great pedal and the new ones are pretty affordable!
I'll check it out, thanks.
I use a hunk of plywood I found on the roadside.
Sir! You are 110% correct. There is no reason besides profit margin for how much boards cost. I’m not doubting that a more expensive one doesn’t have advantages over cheaper ones. I just think even the off-brand ones are overpriced. It’s fun to hear other options.
Hey Mr Grumpy. I love my MXR Micro Flanger. Only 2 knobs, great effect and can score used for about $80.
Interested to see an update on what's on the pedalboard now.
I have a whole new PB build planned. I'm just having I bit of trouble working out how to shoot decent enough video in my shop. Also, my soldering iron decided to take a dirt nap. Time to buy a new Weller.
Cool post Mike please try the duellist by king of tone it’s superb 👍👍
Very cool shirt! 👍
Hey Grumpy, I picked up one of these boards, thanks for the heads up on them. This is my first pedalboard, and I am just going to use what I have, but I was wondering what kind of power supply you ended up using. I have a couple in mind but am not sure if they will fit in the space. What did you settle with and how did it fit? Thanks again for the heads up on these! Being good....
Howdy Phil, congrats on the new board. You'll have a blast with I I'm sure.
I got a Donner DP-Z. It fits just fine and, thus far, I've had no issues with it. I also have a Caline supply that I've had for a while. It too has worked just fine.
A sheet of plywood stored years ago in the shop makes a great pedal board. Wood was cheaper years ago. Rubber feet on the back and extended feet on the front to allow better access and you're good to go. I never use velcro. I use gasket adhesive to attach the pedals. Down side it leaves some adhesive residue on the pedals.
I are what with the and the also.
Yup 🤣🤘
Hey Mike
Like some of the other posters, I built my own
Cut the wood, stained it, put small riser/legs on it
Check your email. I sent you a pic.
Subject Pedal Board
Howdy, I saw the pic, very nice. I have the Full drive 3 and love it. One of these days, I'm gonna get my hands on a Strymon pedal or 2 or 3...
I too have used a homemade board for many years. Personally, I feel like that is, by far, the most budget friendly option for anyone who has the ability to make one, especially if they have woodworking skills or metalworking skills. But, let's face it, a lot of players want to just buy something that's going to work for them. My question is, how much do they really need to pay?
Thanks for sending the pic and commenting and thanks for watching the video.