The pile of pedals is sitting there waiting for their new assignment. An empty pedalboard awaits its new buddies. Velcro, scissors, pliers and a tape measure (hopefully) await to be a part of assembling the last version of your pedalboard (haha…yeah…).
For me, assembling a pedalboard is still one of the more enjoyable things about playing guitar, even though I’m not great at it.
A little history: I’ve NEVER been good at anything mechanical.
I’ve only successfully changed pickups in my guitars twice in my 20 years of playing, although I’ve tried and failed many more times than that. LOL. I’ve never completed basic maintenance on anything with an engine: vehicles, dirtbikes, lawnmowers. I don’t do major jobs around my house. Granted, it’s not because I’m lazy or enjoy spending money on those things; it’s because I am BAD at them. Always have been. Despite trying, I’ve never improved over years. Bummer. I know.
All that to say, I still love assembling pedalboards. And they do work when I’m done with them, so that’s a plus. 😛
9 Pedalboard Building Tips
If you’re like me and like to do things you’re not great at, here are some tips I’ve found helpful through the years.
1. Take the time to patiently plan. Seriously.
Use websites like pedalplayground.com to create a game plan. Take into consideration EVERYTHING that needs to go on your board. If it’s a flat board, you’ll need those power supplies to go somewhere—they make great pedal risers, by the way. Don’t forget about AUX switches, volume pedals and, yes, your tuning pedal.
Tip: Slow is fast. Plan your build. Let the plan sit for a few days. Revisit. Hopefully you’ll catch any pedals or important details you missed.
2. Overestimate the size of your pedals.
There’s nothing worse than nearing the end of the build and realizing you can’t fit everything. I hate to admit that I’ve done this to myself more than once.Tip: Err on the side of overestimating. The worse that happens is that you’re left with more room than you need.
3. Don’t forget about your cable ends.When planning, remember that your cable ends need to fit in there somewhere, and they often take more space than you first think.
Tip: I plan for 0.50″ per cable end. It’s conservative, so you should be in good shape, even with larger ends like George L.
4. Test your layout.
After laying your pedals on your board (no Velcro yet!), get in front of it and pretend you’re playing. Can you turn pedals on and off like you hoped? Are the movements ergonomic? Volume pedal easy to maneuver? I’ve made this mistake in the past. What a waste of time to cable everything up to find out that the layout just won’t work for you.
5. Grab a 36″ shoelace, a measuring tape and a notepad.
Weird tip, yes. As you lay your pedals out on your board, use the shoelace to trace the cable length you’ll need from pedal to pedal. The shoelace method is great because it’s flexible, just like a patch cable. You can weave it through your board and get an accurate idea of the length needed for the cable run that works best. Once you’ve determined the length, gently stretch the shoelace next to your measuring tape. Take note of the length needed on your notepad like this: From Superbolt to King of Tone — 18″. Cut an 18″ cable. Done!
6. Use SHARP wire cutters.
Don’t skimp here. A clean cut on your patch cables is needed to ensure reliability and signal strength. It’s worth spending the extra money, trust me.These cutters from Klein are glorious.
7. Use a cable tester.
Similar to a clean cut, you want to make sure your cables are carrying signal as strongly as they should. Buy a simple multimeter. The time saved and certainty gained is well worth it. This one from Etekcity is what I use. If I can use it, you can, too.
8. Run your power leads first.
I have no good reason for this. But I’ve always found it to make more sense to run my power leads first, secure them and then start your patch cables. Might be personal preference.
9. Invest in quality cables.
I’ve used George L solderless cables for nearly 20 years. Measure, cut with a sharp cutter, insert the cable into the end, give it a 360º twist, bend it to 90º and tighten the ends with pliers. I’ve never had one fail. These are great for those with less-than-stellar solder skills (uh hem…me). You can still get the custom lengths without having to worry about the hassle of soldering.
I pray these tips from a mechanically-challenged fellow helped you. Just remember, slow is fast. A few extra minutes of thinking, testing and planning mean less problems and troubleshooting and more worshiping!
